This quarterly slide deck examines new product releases from annuity carriers and life insurers covered in our Annuity Monitor and Life Insurance Monitor research services. Inside, we provide a rundown of the new products introduced on the firms’ websites in the first quarter of 2016 and highlight their key features.

1. COPYRIGHT 2016 CORPORATE INSIGHT, INC.
AUTHOR: JOAN KAGAN
PUBLISHED: APRIL 2016

2. ABOUT CORPORATE INSIGHT
Connect With Us
Corporate Insight provides competitive intelligence and user experience research to the nation’s
leading financial institutions. For more than 20 years, the firm has tracked technological developments in
the financial services industry, identifying best practices in online banking and investing, online
insurance, mobile finance, active trading platforms, social media and other emerging areas. There are no
assumptions in Corporate Insight’s work – we use live accounts at all of the firms we research, providing
our clients with unparalleled, unbiased intelligence on the competition.
JOAN KAGAN
Research Analyst
(646) 751-6968
jkagan@corporateinsight.com
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Joshua Grandy, PR Manager
(646) 876-7524
pr@corporateinsight.com
Press Coverage

3. TABLE OF CONTENTS
 Introduction
 Annuities
o MetLife Shield Level Selector 3-Year Annuity
o New York Life Interest Opportunity Rider
o Principal Secure Choice Indexed Annuity
 Life Insurance
o AXA Incentive Life Optimizer III
o John Hancock Simplified Life VUL with Vitality
o Pacific Life Select Variable Universal Life Accumulation
o Prudential PruLife Survivorship Index UL
 Corporate Insight Syndicated Studies
 Corporate Insight Thought Leadership
 About the Author

4. INTRODUCTION

5. INTRODUCTION BACKGROUND
This quarterly slide deck examines
new product releases from annuity
carriers and life insurers covered in
our Annuity Monitor and Life
Insurance Monitor research
services (see full coverage list on
next slide).
Inside, we provide a rundown of
the new products introduced on
the firms’ websites in the first
quarter of 2016 and highlight their
key features.

6. FIRMS COVERED
Below is a list of the firms we track on a daily basis for our Annuity
Monitor and Life Insurance Monitor research services:
Annuity Monitor Life Insurance Monitor
o Allianz Life
o Athene
o AXA
o Fidelity
o Guardian Life
o Jackson
National
o Lincoln
Financial
o MassMutual
o MetLife
o Nationwide
o New York Life
o Pacific Life
o The Principal
o Prudential
o TIAA-CREF
o Transamerica
o Vanguard
o Voya
o AXA
o John Hancock
o Liberty Mutual
o Lincoln
Financial
o MassMutual
o MetLife
o Nationwide
o New York Life
o Northwestern
Mutual
o Pacific Life
o The Principal
Financial
o Prudential
o State Farm
o USAA
INTRODUCTION

7. ANNUITIES: PRODUCT RELEASES

8. METLIFE SHIELD LEVEL SELECTOR 3-YEAR ANNUITYANNUITIES
 MetLife added 3-year product to the existing MetLife Shield Level Selector
single premium deferred product suite in January.
 The new version offers a three-year withdrawal charge schedule.
 Clients can select from one- or three-year terms.

9. NEW YORK LIFE INTEREST OPPORTUNITY RIDER
 New York Life launched a new optional rider for the New York Secure Term
Choice Fixed Annuity II product in March.
 The new rider offers two options for a one-time increase of the guaranteed
interest rate: .5% or 1%.
 With this new rider, clients are able to lower their rate for the remainder of
the guaranteed period.
ANNUITIES

10. PRINCIPAL SECURE CHOICE INDEXED ANNUITYANNUITIES
 Principal launched new fixed-deferred indexed annuity in January.
 Product’s performance is based on S&P 500 and two different interest crediting
methods are available.
 Product also features a guaranteed death benefit, guaranteed lifetime income
and multiple surrender charge periods.

11. LIFE INSURANCE: PRODUCT RELEASES

12. AXA INCENTIVE LIFE OPTIMIZER III
 AXA unveiled a new version of its existing variable universal life product in
February.
 Incentive Life Optimizer III offers cash accumulation potential, a guaranteed
death benefit, optional riders with lower policy charges and higher
commission targets than the previous version.
 The product replaces the existing Incentive Life Optimizer II.
LIFEINSURANCE

13. JOHN HANCOCK SIMPLIFIED LIFE VUL WITH VITALITY
 John Hancock added its Vitality solution to the existing Simplified Life Variable
Universal Life policy in January.
 As it is a simplified product, clients do not have to undergo a medical exam or
tests, with most policies issued in eight days.
 Sixth product to join John Hancock’s Vitality lineup.
 With Vitality, policyholders earn Vitality points for completing healthy
activities like exercising, which can be redeemed for rewards and discounts.
 Every policyholder receives a free FitBit to track their health goals.
LIFEINSURANCE

14. PACIFIC SELECT VARIABLE UNIVERSAL LIFE
ACCUMULATION
 Pacific Life introduced this variable universal life policy in January.
 The product offers accumulation potential with over 90 variable investment
options.
 Clients can also select guaranteed minimum interest crediting rates in two
fixed and two indexed options.
 The product also features optional Death Benefit Distribution and chronic
illness riders.
LIFEINSURANCE

15. PRULIFE SURVIVORSHIP INDEX UL
 Prudential launched the new indexed universal life survivorship product in
January.
 The product offers death benefit protection for two lives, helping couples
provide for estate and legacy planning.
 Clients can select from an indexed or fixed account or from a combination of
the two.
 The indexed account is based upon the S&P 500 but subject to a cap and floor on
interest earned, with a crediting rate that will never be less than 0%.
 The fixed account features a set rate which is guaranteed to never be less than
2%.
LIFEINSURANCE

16. CORPORATE INSIGHT THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
User Insights Vol. 3: Retirement Plan Websites Disappoint Millennial Participants
Our latest User Insights usability study analyzes the DC plan platform’s UX strengths and weaknesses from the
perspective of Millennial participants and provides test results for four leading defined contribution plan providers:
Fidelity, J.P., TIAA-CREF and VALIC.
Online Communities across Financial Services: American Express, Bank of America and TIAA-CREF
This slide deck examines the design and capabilities offered by each firm’s online community, with a focus on
noteworthy site features. We also provide tips for financial services firms looking to improve their online
communities.
The Complete Bitcoin User Experience: Mining, Exchanges, Wallets and Beyond
This study provides a detailed analysis of how Bitcoins are created, traded and stored. The study includes reviews of
the top websites and online services driving the Bitcoin marketplace including Slush’s Pool, Blockchain.info and
Coinbase, among others.
2014 Mobile Finance Trends and Innovations
This study draws on our ongoing tracking of the industry as well as relevant developments outside of the financial
services space. It includes commentary on mobile developments, key takeaways for financial services firms and
thoughts on what is next for mobile finance.
Senior Citizens & Mobile Finance: Design & Support Solutions to Empower the Senior Set
Using CI’s user-testing expertise and ongoing mobile finance research, this slide deck highlights specific areas where
seniors may struggle with financial services apps and offers design and support solutions that will give this valuable
audience the comfort and confidence to engage in mobile finance.
CORPORATEINSIGHTTHOUGHTLEADERSHIP

17. ABOUT THE AUTHORABOUTTHEAUTHOR
Joan Kagan
Research Analyst
Annuity Monitor and Life Insurance Monitor
Joan Kagan is an Analyst for Corporate Insight’s Annuity Monitor and Life Insurance Monitor
research services. She has conducted extensive research on the annuity and life insurance
industries, examining the online platforms, customer service capabilities, social media
marketing and technological tools offered to prospects, clients and financial professionals.
This quarterly study is the result of Joan’s ongoing research into product releases from
leading annuity and life insurance providers.
Joan graduated cum laude from New York University in 2013.
Contact Joan Kagan:
(646) 751-6968
jkagan@corporateinsight.com
Connect with Joan
Connect with CI
Annuity Monitor and Life Insurance Monitor are service marks of Corporate Insight, Inc.; all rights reserved.