Fourth quarter 2009 fixed annuity sales in the United States reached an estimated $19.6 billion, according to new data from Beacon Research.
The fourth quarter numbers are down 43% from the same year earlier period and down 11% from third quarter 2009, says the Evanston, Ill. annuity sales tracker.
Book value annuities took the sales lead for the quarter, producing an estimated $9 billion, the researchers say. Indexed annuities came in second, at $6.9 billion. Market value-adjusted annuities followed, at $1.8 billion, and fixed income annuities (both immediate and deferred) were last, at $2 billion.
Those results trailed the near-record levels of fourth quarter 2008, says Beacon, with market value-adjusted annuities behind 76%. Book value annuities were off 47%. Income annuities were down 17%; and indexed annuities fell 4%.
Year-end results were also trailing, the research indicates. For calendar year 2009, total annuity sales fell 2% below 2008, to an estimated $104.3 billion, Beacon says.
By product line, book value annuities produced $52 billion for the year, down 3% from 2008. Market value adjusted annuities produced $14.8 billion, down 16%. Fixed income products produced $8 billion, down 7%.
