August 2017 - The era of defined-benefit retirement plans is over, and the market need for “private pension” plans to provide a secure stream of income for retiring Boomers is an opportunity for annuities carriers. But recent trends pose significant challenges for those same carriers, including low interest rates, regulatory changes, lower fees, and negative market perceptions. Carriers are reacting with strategies targeting specific customers through clearly defined distribution and increased focus on products targeted at the defined customer.

This brief outlines the current state of the annuities market and key trends in annuity carriers’ responses to those challenges.