An ‘attractive option’ for the bank channel
April 24, 2019 — ST. PAUL, Minn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Securian Financial has entered the $41.5 billion1 bank distribution channel for individual annuities with customized products and a new sales team knocking on doors to share the insurer’s value proposition. “Our history as a highly rated insurer2 that operates with a conservative, long-term perspective makes us an attractive option for banks looking to diversify their mix of annuity carriers,” said Chris Owens, Securian Financial’s national sales vice president for retail life insurance and annuities.
New sales team
To kick-start its efforts, Securian Financial hired Kate McLees Hannon and Karl Krause as regional sales vice presidents. Both have strong track records in the bank channel, with a combined 47 years of industry experience. Securian Financial plans to hire four more regional sales vice presidents for the bank channel by year’s end.
Products on shelf and more in works
Securian Financial will offer its complete portfolio of individual annuities to banks. This includes fixed, indexed, variable and immediate income annuities, as well as annuities offering accelerated death benefit features for clients looking to ease the potential future burden of care for chronic or terminal illness. Securian Financial is also developing specific annuity products for banks.
“We know through our conversations with banks that they have many risk-averse clients who traditionally purchase CDs. Annuities are an increasingly attractive alternative for bank advisors interested in generating a higher return on their clients’ investments. We believe there is opportunity here both with products we currently have available as well as those in the works,” said Owens.
Large, growing market
Banks are a growing source of distribution for annuities. According to LIMRA, bank channel individual annuity sales in the U.S. were $41.5 billion in 2018, an 18% increase over 2017 sales.1
Attractive carrier
Four Securian Financial annuities issued by its affiliated insurance companies made Barron’s 2018 list of “The 50 Best Annuities.”3
Securian Financial’s immediate income annuity, underwritten by Minnesota Life Insurance Company, swept its category. Barron’s ranked it the best product in the three varieties of immediate income annuities the publication researched: immediate life only annuity, immediate 10 year-certain annuity and immediate cash installment refund annuity.
Barron’s also ranked Securian Financial’s MyPath™ Ascend 2.0 variable annuity, underwritten by Minnesota Life Insurance Company, as the third best product in the variable annuity category.
Strong company
Securian Financial is the 8th largest life insurance company in the United States based on total life insurance in force.4 The company had $78.5 billion in assets under management at the end of 2018 and ranked #462 on the 2018 Fortune 500.5
Securian Financial’s Comdex ranking—an average percentile of a company’s ratings from independent rating agencies that analyze the financial soundness and claims-paying ability of insurance companies—is 95. This puts Securian Financial in the top 5 percent of companies with a Comdex ranking.6
About Securian Financial
At Securian Financial, we’re here for family. And we’re here because of it. We’re guided by our purpose: helping customers build secure tomorrows. Since 1880, we’ve been building a uniquely diversified company that has outlasted economic ups and downs while staying true to our customers. We’re committed to the markets we serve, providing insurance, investment and retirement solutions that give families the confidence to focus on what’s truly valuable: banking memories with those who matter most.
