800-377-4776
TMA logoTMA _enews_top
top

IN THIS WEEKS NEWS:  April 1, 2015  

 
webinarsUPCOMING WEBINARS
 
  • AIG:
    • Life Training Webinars
      Every Thursday at 1:00 PM CTRegister here. 
      • April 2nd – Value Plus IUL Overview
      • April 9th – Accelerated Access Solution
      • April 16th – Value Plus IUL Overview
      • April 23rd – AG Quick Ticket
      • April 30th – Term Conversion 
    • Anuity Training Webinars
      Every Wednesday at 1:00 PM CTRegister here. 
      • April 1st – NAIC training for Power Series of Index
      • April 8th – QLAC Overview
      • April 15th – SPIA and DIA
      • April 22nd – AP SolutionsMYG
      • April 29th – NAIC training for Power Series of Index
  • Genworth:
    • Index Annuity 101 LIVE webinars
      To attend any of the sessions below, you must pre-register.  A confirmation link to join will be emailed to you.  Pre-register here.

      • April 1st at 2:30 PM CT – Understanding and Addressing Four Key Risks to Retirement
      • April 8th at 2:30 PM CT – A Guide to Index Annuities: A Solution for Growth and Income
      • April 15th at 2:30 PM CT – A Look Inside Index Annuities – The Mechanics of How They Work
    • Index UL 101 LIVE webinars
      These short sessions are packed-with-information to give you an introduction to Index UL, tips to starting the conversation and closing the sale, the confidence and know-how to serve your clientele and insightful sales tips to improve your sales volume immediately. Register here! 

      • April 2nd at 1:00 PM CT – Introduction to Index UL Insurance: A Flexible Solution for Protection, Accumulation and Retirement Solution
      • April 9th at 1:00 PM CT – The Mechanics of Index Universal Life Insurance: A Closer Look Inside an Index UL Policy
    • eValuate for Total Living Coverage (TLC)
      The fastest and easiest way to assess each of your TLC opportunities. eValuate can help you more accurately identify your client’s underwriting category. This new field underwriting tool can help you provide more accurate quotes in real time and reduce rejection. Register here for one of the webinars below to learn more!

      • April 2nd from 1:00 PM – 1:40 PM CT
    • Asset Builder Index UL II: now with more competitive tax-free distributions
      Help your clients make better protection choices as they plan for their retirement? In this webinar, you will see why the new Asset Builder Index UL II is a compelling alternative to a Roth IRA. With more competitive tax-free distributions at lower illustrated rates, rewards for long-term ownership, tax-deferred accumulation, supplemental tax-free income and a meaningful death benefit, the new Asset Builder Index UL II is the next generation of the protection and accumulation solution.

  • Minnesota Life:
      • April 15th at 10:00 AM CT
      • May 13th at 10:00 AM CT
      • June 10th at 10:00 AM CT
      • July 15th at 10:00 AM CT
  • North American:
    • Ignite Annuity Confidence
      Learn how to create the annuity SPARK with prospects through Annuity Confidence.
  • Prudential:
    • Beneficiary Review broker webinar
      “Have you checked your beneficiary lately?” Learn how this simple question can help you build your business.
      Dial-in #: 888-285-4585 Participant Code: 817442
      Online Access: https://apps.na.collabserv.com/meetings/join?id=9522-8130 (join as a guest to bypass the password request)
      • April 22nd at 1:00 PM CT
  • Transamerica:
    • Gift & Estate Tax Planning Webinar WATCH THE PLAYBACK!
      If you were unable to attend – or would like to rewatch – this webinar, you can view the playback now. Audio will play through your device’s speakers.    

Back to Top 

salesSALES ARTICLES
 

Back to Top 

carrierCARRIER & INDUSTRY
 
  • North American:
    • Standing strong in 2015
      Read this letter from North American’s President and CEO.

Back to Top 

lifeLIFE INSURANCE
 
  • AIG:
    • Choose wisely.  Choose AG Select-a-Term!
      Be sure to check the price, not just the rating.  AIG’s rated term pricing often beats premiums for lower table ratings among leading carriers. Learn more about AG Select-a-Term.
    • New financial trifecta solution – Value+ IUL
      While most insurance policies lock-in cash value, Value+ IUL includes two completely unique provisions for accessing excess cash value in the policy without reducing the initial death benefit. Learn more with the Financial Trifecta video and napkin tool.
    • How to leverage life insurance for longevity
      Your customers have multiple needs. Find out how to offer multi-faceted solutions after reading this recent article by U.S. Head of Life Insurance for AIG Consumer Insurance, Rod Rishel.
    • Harnessing the power of IUL with a chronic illness rider
      Download this sales idea. It leverages upside potential and downside protection of an IUL with an indemnity-based chronic illness rider.
    • Based on a true story
      Increase lead generation by allowing clients to identify with the real life stories and facts available via videos, flyers and infographics. Learn more and access tools.
  • Genworth Financial:
  • Legal & General:
    • Carve out a new market with A-List Term
      A-List Term is individual term life insurance for highly compensated staff in an organization that already provides group term coverage to its employees. Your brokers may already have contacts in corporations that want to provide their executives, partners and other highly paid employees with benefits more comprehensive than traditional group term.
  • MetLife:
    • BOOST your clients from Standard to Elite
      Using Enhanced Rate Plus for your eligible Promise Whole Life Select 10 clients can substantially reduce the timeframe to underwrite a policy and upgrade their rating class.  Since the program launched in January, 9 out of 10 eligible clients who use the program were given best class rating. Even better, Enhanced Rate Plus has reduced the average underwriting decision time from over 20 days to less than 5 days for 70% of clients who apply via tele-app.
  • Minnesota Life:
    • Life Choiceseducating clients about their life insurance options
      Life insurance is a powerful tool that can be used to help clients achieve their financial goals. Now you have the resources to better educate your clients about their individual life insurance choices, including their benefits and considerations. Learn more by reviewing these new materials:
  • North American:
    • Custom Guaranteeupgrade your UL business
      When compared to other guaranteed ULs, Custom Guarantee has the lowest level-pay guaranteed premium in certain rate classes.
  • Protective:
    • Consider Custom Choice UL before selling term
      For about the same or less annual premium than a traditional term policy, clients can purchase Protective Custom Choice UL, a flexible universal life solution to meet short or long-term needs. What’s more, clients can exchange their policy down the road without any additional underwriting1 for several currently marketed Protective Life policies. With this exchange they have access to our industry-leading riders like ExtendCare and Income Provider Option to meet specific needs.
  • Prudential:
    • BenefitAccess Rider brochures for CAnew & improved
      Exciting enhancements have been made to these materials that help make the Benefit Access Rider story easier to tell and more compelling for your customers. Check out Prudential’s new consumer brochures.
    • Conversion of Hartford Life Insurance Policies to TPA
      On March 30 2015, Prudential converted the servicing of the Hartford block of life insurance policies to Alliance One – a licensed third party insurance administrator (TPA). Alliance One has a strong track record of providing quality service.  The information below outlines how firms, brokers, and clients can expect to interact with Alliance One.
    • Making 1035 Exchanges easier
      To help ensure that your 1035 exchange transaction goes smoothly, this new Helpful Hints document provides an overview of Prudential’s eligibility requirements; as well as expectations on other carrier processing guidelines.
    • Can a positive attitude put clients at risk?
      Through life’s ups and downs, we tend to underestimate the likelihood of bad things happening in our futures. Prudential’s new commercial shows how an overly optimistic outlook can prevent your clients from planning appropriately. Leverage this new commercial – http://www.bringyourchallenges.com/it-wont-happen-to-me.
  • Symetra:
    • Classic w/LPB, LPB Premier & SUL-Gproducts that bring on the heat!
      Symetra continues to be a leader in the GUL marketplace.  They have updated their materials to illustrate the competitive edge. See how Classic with LPB, LPB Premier and SUL-G stack up against the competition.
    • Life insurance in a Dynasty Trust
      With a life insurance policy properly structured in a dynasty trust, your clients’ assets can potentially work even harder for their beneficiaries-in some cases, over several generations. This new video shows this concept in action. Also, read the latest Success Story to see how funding the trust with private financing can help clients who wish to preserve as much of their lifetime gift tax exemptions as they can for future use.
    • Trust-owned life insurance as an alternative asset
      Life insurance in an irrevocable life insurance trust (ILIT) can potentially be an effective way to help clients replace wealth lost to taxation, while also serving as an alternative asset inside the trust. Read this Success Story to see how this strategy can give your clients flexibility for future trust distributions, while also leveraging trust assets for future generations.
    • IRA maximization strategya new opportunity
      The president’s 2015 budget proposal would require non-spouses inheriting IRA accounts to take taxable distributions within five years, eliminating the tax deferral benefits of stretching distributions over their lifetime. The good news? Even if the proposed five-year acceleration becomes a reality, a life insurance policy held inside an irrevocable life insurance trust (ILIT) may still be an effective wealth transfer tool, providing a larger legacy and giving client’s more control over how trust assets will be distributed to beneficiaries. To learn how this strategy may benefit your clients, check out this IRA Maximization Strategy Flier.

Back to Top 

comboCOMBO PRODUCTS
 
No bulletins to report this week.
 

Back to Top 

annuitiesANNUITIES
 
  • AIG:
    • American Pathway DIA with QLAC option now available in MS, OR & WA
      The American Pathway Deferred Income Annuity (DIA) and its ability to be designated as a Qualified Longevity Annuity Contract (QLAC) are now available in Mississippi, Oregon and Washington. It could be a good addition to your clients’ portfolio; providing tax-deferred savings and a guaranteed income stream for later in life. View the bulletin.
    • ML Strategic Balanced IndexNEW!
      The new ML Strategic Balanced Index is now available in select Power Series Index Annuities. It is available in two index interest crediting methods and offers the potential for stable and attractive crediting through varying market and interest rate environments.
    • QLAC Sales ToolsNEW!
      Learn more about the benefits of a QLAC by taking advantage of the newest QLAC Sales Tools; including a QLAC White Paper, an FAQ featuring top client concerns and a flier on how to potentially reduce RMDs with a QLAC.
    • Client Profile Form has been updatedreminder
      View the bulletin
      that includes transition guidelines.
    • Be sure to visit IncomeGeneration.comNEW!
      IncomeGeneration.com
      brings together AIG’s three signature business-development programs (What’s Your Strategy?, Social Security Savvy and Income Solutions for the Income Generation) within a single microsite. With valuable educational resources, interactive planning calculators, and compelling story-selling videos, this new tool is designed to help advisors address clients’ expanding retirement income needs.
  • Athene:
    • DOUBLE your clients’ Income Base in 10 years!
      With the Athene Income Aspect Fixed Index Annuity with an Optional Income Rider, your clients’ Income Base can double in 10 years with an Income Base Guaranteed Simple Interest Rate of 10%! And, it doesn’t have to stop at year 10. Clients receive a 10% roll-up rate for 10 years and 5% for the next 10 years that’s credited to the Income Base – guaranteed. That’s up to 20 years of outstanding growth!
  • Genworth Financial:
    • SPDA rate decreaseeffective April 1st
      The change affects all National and New York SPDAs.  View the rate flyer. (View the New York rate flyer.)  To lock in the current higher SPDA rates, applications must have been signed by March 31, 2015 and received within 14 calendar days of the application sign date, with the money or transfer/exchange form.  View the guidelines.  (View the New York guidelines.) Genworth must initiate and complete the transfer/1035 to hold the rate lock for 60 days from the application sign date. Also SPIA rates decreased on March 30, 2015. Genworth will need the application on or before April 6, 2015 with the money or transfer paperwork to lock in the current rate scale.
  • Lincoln National:
    • Minimize your RMD’s
      Lincoln’s Deferred Income Annuities (DIA’s) are now QLAC approved ( DIA’s not available in NY or CT). View this flyer to see how to lower your client’s RMDs if they don’t want distributions.
    • Lincoln Leader for AnnuityMarch 23rd edition
      In this issue:
      • QLAC status available with Lincoln Deferred Income Solutions Annuity
      • Fixed Indexed Annuity statement enhancement
      • Maximum premium limit for fixed indexed annuity increased to $2 million
      • Fourth Quarter Credited Rate Histories
      • Top 5 NIGO’s
      • Updated Buyer’s Guide requirements for CO, GA, HI, NV, NC, SC & TX
      • Florida Suitability Information

Back to Top 

ltcLONG TERM CARE
 
  • Genworth Financial:
    • 2015 Cost of Care Surveycoming this month!
      This survey lets you confidently explain potential LTC costs to your clients; from homemaker services, to adult daycare, to private nursing home rooms. You can help clients see what care could cost them in their hometown, their planned retirement spot, or even where their kids live. When clients see what care could really cost, they’ll be motivated to choose the right level of protection to fit their needs.
    • In-Force Rate Action announcements
  • John Hancock:
    • Performance LTCNEW PRODUCT REMINDER!
      Performance LTC
      offers the most competitively-priced premiums on the market today; along with flexible features and options that will give your clients greater control over their premiums and benefits. Use this customizable flyer to start spreading the word about this new product.
    • LTC Illustratorupdated version
      This updated version of  LTC Illustrator desktop software is now compatible with all operating systems. If you experienced any prior issues with running the software, you must uninstall it and then reinstall this new version. If you did not experience any issues running the software you do not need to take any action. Please go to www.jhltc.com (login required) for instructions on how to download and run this updated version.
    • JH LTC Illustrator to replace Hansel as the LTC Quoting Toolreminder
      Click here
      for details and the transition period for Ehansel/Hansel.
    • Changes to CCIII featuring Benefit Builder in New Yorkreminder
      Click here
      for details and transition guidelines.

Back to Top 

CICRITICAL ILLNESS
 
  • Mutual/United of Omaha:
    • Additional Coverage Application
      When clients want to increase benefit amounts on an existing policy, use the Additional Coverage Application to do it easily. However, if your clients want to add individuals or benefit riders, they will need to fill out a new application and sign a new contract. Newborns can be added through contacting Policyowner Services.

Back to Top 

DIDISABILITY
 
Get ready for DISABILITY INSURANCE AWARENESS MONTH this May! 

Back to Top 

medsuppMEDICARE SUPPLEMENTS
 

Back to Top 

agentcontestsBROKER/AGENT INCENTIVES
 
  • American National:
    • 2015 CASH IS KING for Fixed Annuities(January 1 – April 30, 2015)
      American National is paying a cash bonus for fixed annuities between January 1st and April 30thGet complete details.
    • 2016 Marketing Conference in Hawaii  (January 1 – December 31, 2015)
      The top 80 qualifiers and their guest will be invited to enjoy six days and five nights at Four Seasons Resort Hualalai in beautiful Kona, Hawaii.  Click here for complete details.
  • Mutual of Omaha:
    • LTCI Marketing Credits Program  (November 1, 2014 – December 31, 2015)
      Mutual of Omaha’s LTCI Marketing Credits Program gives you the opportunity to score marketing credits that can be used to help build your LTCi business.  Start earning credits on your fifth LTCi app placed after November 1, 2014. 
      • Earn 1% of ANBP
      • 1 credit = $1
      • Credits must be redeemed by March 31, 2016
    • Mutual Sales Leaders in Rome!  (January 1 – December 31, 2015)
      Experience all that is Rome when you qualify for Mutual Sales Leaders in 2015!  Your Mutual of Omaha Medicare Supplement and Simplified Issue Life sales can take you to the Eternal City where you’ll enjoy centuries of iconic achievements in Roman art and architecture. It’s the trip of a lifetime!  Click here for complete details. 
  • North American Company:
    • Elite Producer Club – annuity incentive  (January 1 – December 31, 2015)
      Earn up to 1% extra commission on all North American Fixed Index Annuities in 2015!  Click here for complete details. 
  • Transamerica:
    • Leading Distributors Convention in Barcelona  (January 1, 2014 – December 31, 2015)
      This is your opportunity to experience one of the world’s top destinations in an entirely unique way-the Transamerica way! Sun-filled days, exciting nightlife, and the breathtaking beauty of Barcelona await, when you qualify for the 2016 convention – held May 11-15, 2016.  Click here for details.
    • Breakaway Travel 2015!  (February 1 – December 18, 2015)
      Break Away returns for 2015 with more destinations and new opportunities to qualify! Click here for the producer rules & regulations.