What's Happening in the U.S. Annuity Market?

In 2017, total annuity sales were $203.5 billion, falling 8 percent from 2016 levels, according to LIMRA Secure Retirement Institute (LIMRA SRI) research. Companies continued to face economic and regulatory challenges as prolonged low interest rates and anticipation of the Department of Labor (DOL) fiduciary rule damped manufacturers’ appetite for business. Yet the announced delay to implement the DOL rule until July 2019 and rising interest rates propelled a rebound in sales in the fourth quarter.qaq0ficezn