Fixed annuity sales in the United States were $27.8 billion in the second quarter of 2009, according to a press release from Beacon Research. While the sales were a 20% decrease from the first quarter, they were 10% higher than the second quarter in 2008. From the highest sales to the lowest, the annuity products sold were book value, indexed, market value adjusted, and fixed income. All but one type were an increase from the second quarter in 2008. Indexed and income annuities were up from the previous quarter, while the other two types fell. Fixed annuities can be purchased with a 401k annuity transfer or an upfront one time purchase.
New York Life took over the top sales spot last quarter from MetLife. The rest of the top ten was as follows: Aviva USA, Allianz Life, AEGON/Transamerica, American Equity Investment, RiverSource Life, MetLife, Lincoln Financial Group, Jackson National Life, and Western National Life. New York Life maintained the top sales in both the book value and fixed income annuity products. The leading indexed annuity seller remained Aviva. The only change in leaders of the individual products was American National taking over the top sales spot of market value adjusted annuities. Beacon uses the sales results of 53 insurance companies which represent 86% of annuity sales to determine their findings.
