July 2021 Carrier Updates

July 2021 Carrier Updates

Last Updated: July 22

In addition to the carrier updates below, you may also be interested in:

Allianz

  • Premium Finance applications. Effective July 26, 2021, Allianz will no longer accept traditional Premium Finance applications due to reaching Premium Finance capacity limits. Previous changes will remain in place: (1) Allianz approved premium finance vendor list has been reduced. (2) Age restrictions will remain in place to only accept premium finance on clients under age 60. Common questions: (1) Continued processing of any applications that are submitted prior to the July 23rd deadline. (2) Continued acceptance of small case/Kai-Zen business. (3) Continued evaluation to overall capacity limits on finance business.

Need help with any of Allianz's products?
Call us at 1-800-823-4852 or click here to email our Brokerage Sales Support team.

American National

  • Agent Alert: Annuity Form Changes. Updated forms are required for all annuity applications and the ASIA product disclosures. As of July 1st, a new annuity application and ASIA annuity product disclosures are required to write an annuity. Please click the link above to see the list of changes.
  • Returning to Pre-COVID Underwriting Guidelines on July 1. Thank you for continuing to partner with American National throughout the pandemic. As we move into the future, American National will be discontinuing most temporary COVID-19 underwriting guidelines effective 7/1. This will mean more opportunities for preferred plus and preferred ratings. Post COVID-19 updates that will remain in place:
    • Will still only consider ages 80+ up to Table 4 with proof of vaccination.
    • Will still only consider ages 60–⁠79 greater than Table 4 with proof of vaccination.
    • Will review foreign travel on an individual consideration basis. In general travel to CDC level 3 and 4 countries will be postponed (may not be applicable in states where there are regulations on underwriting foreign travel).

Need help with any of American National's products?
Call us at 1-800-823-4852 or click here to email our Brokerage Sales Support team.

Equitable

  • Washington State: Concurrent Availability of LTCSR & CVPlus Suspended. Due to the recent Washington state’s LTC Trust Act, the availability of the LTCSR and CVPlus riders, together on the same contract, is being suspended from July 19, 2021 until December 31, 2021 on the following products: VUL Optimizer, BrightLife Grow, Series 159, IUL Protect, Series 160.
  • Variable life portfolio additions, mergers, and name changes. Equitable is excited to announce that as of June 21, 2021, we’re expanding our new business Variable Universal Life (VUL) portfolios to make it easier for you to personalize your clients’ investments to fit their needs and risk profile. All new business VUL products and COIL Institutional SeriesSM will have a consistent investment option lineup. In addition, there are several name changes and mergers which will affect multiple Equitable Financial Life Insurance Company and Equitable Financial Life Insurance Company of America variable life products. The portfolio mergers will require client assets to be closed out from the acquired portfolio and moved to the acquiring portfolio or another available investment option.
  • Expansion of Easy Underwriting Program. Equitable has expanded the eligibility criteria for Easy Underwriting, giving more cases the opportunity to potentially qualify for underwriting without exams or labs. Maximum age limit in Easy Underwriting Program has been expanded to 60. To qualify, the Medical Information Questionnaire must be submitted with the application. To maximize program efficiency and effectiveness, fully complete all medical history and personal information on the application prior to submission, including details about visits, treatments, and other information. Advisors should hold off on submitting further underwriting requirements on eligible cases until directed by an underwriter or case manager.

Need help with any of Equitable's products?
Call us at 1-800-823-4852 or click here to email our Brokerage Sales Support team.

John Hancock

  • Immediate Changes to Applications with LTC Riders in Washington State. With new long-term care (LTC) legislation in Washington state, we are seeing an increase in demand for permanent insurance with an LTC rider, particularly at very low face amounts. To best meet this demand and to help ensure these policies are being purchased for the purpose of lasting life insurance and LTC protection, we are implementing the following changes:
    • Increased minimum face amount: Effective immediately, the minimum face amount for all John Hancock applications that include the LTC rider in Washington will increase to $250,000. Any Washington state application with an LTC rider and a face amount below $250,000 will no longer be accepted. When the LTC rider is not included on a policy, the minimum face amount will remain at $50,000 across our single-life, permanent products.
    • Illustration updates: Also effective immediately, the LTC rider will not be available on JH Illustrator at any face amount in Washington until July 19, 2021. At that time JH Illustrator will be updated so that the rider is available for face amounts of $250,000 or more. Until July 19, if you wish to run an illustration with the LTC rider for a Washington policy with a minimum face amount of $250,000 or more, please contact us.

Need help with any of John Hancock's products?
Call us at 1-800-823-4852 or click here to email our Brokerage Sales Support team.

Legal & General (Banner)

  • COVID-19 Temporary Underwriting Guidelines are Being Canceled. Last year, Legal & General America implemented temporary underwriting guideline changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As new data evolves, they are taking steps to reinstitute pre-COVID underwriting guidelines.
  • Introducing the Next Round of Enhancements to the LGA Digital Platform Effective July 7. The following updates are available in the LGA digital platform:
    • EHR Integration: We're adding a second integration vendor, introducing WOMBA
    • Primary and contingent beneficiary: New beneficiary types available in primary and contingent beneficiary selections
    • Close out applications: Advisors have the option to close out apps from partner dashboard or application manager based on status
    • TIAA PI not equal to PO: Summary and thank you pages have been updated to be geared towards the PO
    • Status feed API: New status feed API created to provide status of one policy or multiple policies at one time on an on-demand basis for those directly linked with LGA
    • New rules enhancements: Four new enhancements featuring APS ordering rule to increase exam free eligibility and reduce APS ordering for hypertension, asthma and prioritization for physician checks within five years
    • Platform enhancements: Start Application button on the left menu within partner dashboard has been renamed to Start Application/Ticket

Need help with any of John Hancock's products?
Call us at 1-800-823-4852 or click here to email our Brokerage Sales Support team.

Lincoln

  • Now Available– Lincoln MoneyGuard® Pricing Improvements. Effective July 12, 2021, Lincoln Financial implemented pricing improvements to Lincoln MoneyGuard® III, Lincoln MoneyGuard® II and Lincoln MoneyGuard® II NY. The purpose of these pricing updates is to improve competitive pricing in key cells. There will be no pricing increases as a result of this update. Pricing improvements:
    • Lincoln MoneyGuard® III: 5-year LTC benefit duration with 3% inflation option design for issue ages 55-65 will see the following updates: o Couples Discount underwriting class will see an average pricing decrease of 10%. Standard underwriting class will see an average pricing decrease ranging from 3% to 10%. ▪ 5-year LTC benefit duration with 5% Inflation option design for issue ages 55-65 will see the following updates: o Couples Discount underwriting class will see an average pricing decrease of 8%. Standard underwriting class will see an average pricing decrease of 6%. ▪ Issue ages 51-54 and 66-69 may also see moderate pricing improvements within the 5-year LTC benefit duration with 3% or 5% inflation option designs.
    • Lincoln MoneyGuard® II: 6-year LTC benefit duration with 3% inflation option design will see prices decrease by an average of 9.5% with a range of 6% to 13% based on issue age, gender and underwriting class.
    • Lincoln MoneyGuard® II NY: 6-year LTC benefit duration with 3% inflation option design will see prices decrease by 9% for all issue ages, genders and underwriting classes.
  • Lincoln VUL Dollar Cost Averaging Fixed Account Enhanced Interest Rate Program. Effective July 1, 2021. Lincoln is pleased to extend the VUL Dollar Cost Averaging Fixed Account Enhanced Interest Rate Program through December 31, 2021. This program includes an enhanced current interest rate to help with short-term returns while the client transfers funds into variable investment options using a 12-month Dollar Cost Averaging (DCA) program. The enhanced program applies to all currently available Lincoln VUL products. The enhanced current interest rate will be determined as follows:
    • There are no changes to the current enhanced interest rates through June 30, 2021. a. New formal applications signed, dated, and received in-good-order in Lincoln’s home office on or before June 30, 2021, are eligible.
    • Effective July 1, 2021, the current enhanced interest rates will be extended, and they will remain as follows. a. Accumulation Products: Lincoln AssetEdge® VUL (2020) and Lincoln AssetEdge® Exec (2020) will continue to receive an 8% enhanced current interest rate. b. Lifetime Guarantee Products: Lincoln VULONE (2021) and Lincoln SVULONE (2021) will continue to receive a 2% enhanced current interest rate. c. New formal applications signed, dated, and received in-good-order beginning July 1, 2021, through December 31, 2021, are eligible.

Need help with any of Lincoln's products?
Call us at 1-800-823-4852 or click here to email our Brokerage Sales Support team.

Mutual of Omaha

  • Exciting News Regarding Income Advantage IUL – 7702 & GRO Rider. Mutual of Omaha’s Income Advantage IUL product is now compliant with section 7702 as of July 8, 2021. This change has dramatically increased our competitive position in the “Cash Accumulation/Income” IUL marketplace. In addition, to our competitive position, the Income Advantage has some of the lowest internal costs in the industry. When you combine the GRO rider, low cost structure, competitive income values and our no cost Chronic/Terminal Illness or available LTC rider, the Income Advantage IUL should be considered one of your top “go to” IUL products. This change comes as a result of IRC Section 7702 changes that were part of The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 which went into effect on January 1, 2021. This act allows a new minimum interest rate assumption for the life insurance cash value accumulation test (CVAT) and guideline premium test (GPT) calculations. These new rates allow more premiums to be placed in permanent life insurance without violating these tests or creating a modified endowment contract (MEC).

Need help with any of Mutual of Omaha's products?
Call us at 1-800-823-4852 or click here to email our Brokerage Sales Support team.

Nationwide

  • Washington LTC Application Process Updates. Effective August 2nd through December 31st, 2021, policies submitted in Washington state that include the Long-Term Care Rider on Indexed Universal Life or No-Lapse Guarantee Universal Life policies must use: (1) Electronic applications (no paper applications in Washington after 8/2/21) (2) Intelligent Underwriting process (3) The digital interview. Products Not Impacted: Nationwide CareMatters® II, Survivorship Indexed Universal Life, Nationwide Variable Universal Life Accumulator, Nationwide Variable Universal Life Protector. Applicable Products:
    • Policies being issued in Washington that elect the LTC Rider are subject to these requirements.
    • Indexed Universal Life products
    • No-Lapse Guarantee products

Need help with any of Nationwide's products?
Call us at 1-800-823-4852 or click here to email our Brokerage Sales Support team.

One America

  • Easing COVID Restrictions on Asset Care Portfolio.These updated limits for Asset Care are effective July 1, 2021:
    • Age 69 and younger: no restrictions
    • Age 70 and older: All products now available, bringing Asset Care Recurring Premium Whole Life, Asset Care with Return of Premium and Asset-Care IV (CA) back for active sales to these ages. Rated cases will still not be accepted. Annuity Care: All products remain available.
  • Thought Leadership on Hybrid Annuities. OneAmerica was featured in June InsuranceNewsNet magazine's Annuity Thought Leadership Series. Regional Sales Director Tim Vannoy shared the benefits of hybrid annuities — especially for people over age 70.

Need help with any of One America's products?
Call us at 1-800-823-4852 or click here to email our Brokerage Sales Support team.

Pacific Life

  • Here Are The Steps To Getting Our $10 Million Underwriting Offer. Once you drop a ticket, your client is automatically considered for up to $10 million of life insurance coverage with no medical exams as part of our all-new, friendlier life insurance experience—PAL (Pacific Accelerated Life). Generally, healthy clients who have completed a physical with full labs within the past 12 months will qualify for Accelerated and/or Frictionless Underwriting. Certain medical and non-medical conditions may trigger full underwriting including required labs, paramedical exams, or an attending physician statement (APS). Steps: Share the phone interview worksheet linked above with your client to help them prepare. Tell them to expect a phone interview in the next few days. Ask your client to complete the worksheet and keep it handy so they can conclude the phone interview in one call.
  • Updated Information Related to Washington Long-Term Care (LTC) Payroll Tax. Recent additional commentary provided by the WA State Office of the Insurance Commissioner states that eligible products must “satisfy the requirements of sections 7702B(b) and (e) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.” Accordingly, this new guidance suggests that all chronic illness riders offered by Pacific Life Insurance Company (including the PL Promise Chronic Illness Care Rider) will NOT qualify a policyowner to be exempt from the LTC Payroll Tax. Pacific Life is monitoring the situation and will provide additional updates as they become available.
  • Say Hello to More Transparent Accelerated Underwriting. You know not every client will qualify for accelerated underwriting, but the frustration can build when they get knocked out and you can’t explain why. That’s why we designed PL Swift Sailing accelerated underwriting with greater transparency. With PL Swift Sailing, we explain why clients do not qualify and automatically assess them for PL Smooth Sailing fluidless underwriting for a smoother client experience.
  • New Rates for PL Promise Term Life Insurance. On July 9, 2021, Pacific Life Insurance Company is repricing rates for PL Promise Term,1 a product specifically designed to serve the death benefit protection needs of the broad market consumer (household incomes of $50K to $250K). Rates have been updated to be more competitive. A 60-day transition period is provided. Our commitment to providing affordable life insurance coverage for everyday consumers remains strong. View full bulletin for pricing sweet spots and other details.
  • Temporary COVID-19 Underwriting Guidelines Lifted. Due to the overall improvement in the Coronavirus impact, we are pleased to report that Pacific Life’s temporary COVID-19 underwriting guidelines are being lifted, effective 6/30/21. Ages 70 and below returning to pre-pandemic underwriting guidelines; allowance up to and including Table 6 for ages 71-80.

Need help with any of Pacific Life's products?
Call us at 1-800-823-4852 or click here to email our Brokerage Sales Support team.

Principal

  • Important Changes to Know Your Customer Questionnaire. Effective immediately, the Know Your Customer questionnaire is no longer required when an organization/entity will only be paying the premiums. The form is only needed if the organization/entity will be the policy owner.
  • Strategic Review Results. We wanted to share additional information about an announcement Principal® made this morning regarding changes to its business mix, product offerings, and capital management strategy as part of our ongoing efforts to meet customer needs, create value for our stakeholders and position our company for the future. A key element of this review centered on focusing our resources, talent, and investment on opportunities where we can deliver the greatest value and benefits to our stakeholders, including our customers and partners. Greater focus and discipline will allow us to increase support and help grow areas where we have unmatched expertise and deep relationships. In U.S. retail annuities, we will continue to sell variable annuities, Pension Risk Transfer, and Principal Pension BuilderSM, all of which play an important role within our complete suite of retirement solutions and support our worksite strategy. Principal will exit U.S. retail fixed annuities—discontinuing new sales of its deferred annuities, individual payout annuities, and indexed annuities by the end of the third quarter 2021—and will pursue strategic transactions, including divestiture, of the related in-force blocks. In U.S. life insurance, our product portfolio remains largely the same as a result of this announcement. What’s different is we’ll focus exclusively on the business market—particularly small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs). Business owners and key executives have been a strategic focus for us for more than 10 years and today about 60 percent of our sales come from the business market. We’ll look to further invest and build even more differentiating capabilities to serve this customer segment. Our nonqualified deferred compensation business will continue to be a critical component of this strategy. In U.S. individual life insurance, the company will discontinue new sales of its products to retail customers by the end of the third quarter 2021. Additionally, Principal will pursue strategic transactions for the in-force universal life with secondary guarantee (ULSG) block, as well as other related in-force blocks. We will work with our distribution partners to execute this shift in strategy, giving you and your financial professionals ample time to adjust. We’ll share additional information as we can, but please be assured that as of today, there will be no changes in service.

Need help with any of Principal's products?
Call us at 1-800-823-4852 or click here to email our Brokerage Sales Support team.

Prudential

Need help with any of Prudential's products?
Call us at 1-800-823-4852 or click here to email our Brokerage Sales Support team.

Securian

  • Six Opportunities for Improved Underwriting Decisions. Securian's mortality credits program offers your clients better-than-published underwriting decisions in six key areas, listed below. View the mortality credits guidelines for more information.
    • Build
    • Tobacco
    • Non-combustible tobacco
    • Driving history
    • Cholesterol
    • Family history impact
  • $3 million face amount limit is here to stay. We’re excited to announce the temporary WriteFit1 face amount limit of $3 million for applicants ages 18 through 50 is here to stay. Many of you have taken advantage of this limit increase over the last year. With one of the highest acceleration rates in the industry, you can be confident your clients’ underwriting experience will be fast and easy.

Need help with any of Securian's products?
Call us at 1-800-823-4852 or click here to email our Brokerage Sales Support team.

Symetra

  • Changes to Underwriting Guidelines. Last year, we announced several temporary changes to our underwriting guidelines as a result of COVID-19. Today, thanks to declining U.S. COVID-19 cases, we are happy to announce that we are removing most restrictions effective Tuesday, July 6.
    • For all ages, Symetra will continue to require a Good Health Statement.
    • For all cases up to age 79, Symetra is now applying routine underwriting assessment and criteria. The underwriting team will continue to conduct a thorough review for all cases with co-morbidities.
    • Cases for ages 80 and above will continue to be postponed.
    • Symetra will not actively ask any clients about vaccinations or past COVID-19 exposure.
    • Symetra has reverted to pre-COVID underwriting capabilities (for A and B countries up to $20 million in capacity).
  • Symetra SwiftTerm: One Easy Process, Three Paths to Success. We’re pleased to announce the launch of Symetra SwiftTerm—affordable term life insurance protection that’s fast, easy, and online. Designed for individuals with coverage needs up to $2 million, we’re among the top carriers for low premiums. Clients can choose from terms of 10, 15, 20 and 30 years and get coverage in as little as 25 minutes. Finally, a swift life insurance solution both you and your clients can feel good about! SwiftTerm’s easy online application process offers three potential underwriting paths to get the coverage your clients need, and we’ll communicate with you and them throughout the process.

Need help with any of Symetra's products?
Call us at 1-800-823-4852 or click here to email our Brokerage Sales Support team.

Transamerica

  • Higher Automatic Issue Limits. As part of our commitment to being a top five provider of life insurance, Transamerica is proud to announce we’ve increased our automatic issue limits* to make it easier to place your large domestic and international cases with us. It’s all just another way we’re making it easier for you to do business with Transamerica. Our new automatic issue limits are:
    • Domestic: Up to $35,000,000
    • A Countries: Up to $25,000,000
    • B Countries: Up to $20,000,000
    • C Countries: Up to $7,000,000

Need help with any of Transamerica's products?
Call us at 1-800-823-4852 or click here to email our Brokerage Sales Support team.

Need help navigating the ever-increasing selection of products from these carriers? Learn how partnering with us can help you earn more, better serve your clients, and sell more life insurance online.

Work with Pinney

Enjoying Our Blog?

If so, please leave us a Google rating or review! It really helps others discover us and our content online.

Leave a Review