Short Takes: Variables Pick Up Slack As Fixed Annuities Wane

Sales of variable annuities by banks have been on the rise, while fixed annuities have lost their luster.

Sales of fixed annuities at banks-once a popular product with retail customers-have dropped precipitously in recent years, according to data compiled by Limra International, Hartford, Conn.

Variable annuities made up 45% of total annuity premiums last year, up from 25% in 1995.

Annuity sales at banks totaled $14.3 billion last year, up from $13.5 billion in 1995-a gain partly attributed to the popularity of variable annuities. Banks sold 13.6% of all annuities in 1996, about the same market share as 1995.

But the greater share of variable annuities brought to life a moribund annuity market. Sales of fixed annuities fell by 16% in 1995, when even returns on certificates of deposit looked more attractive, Limra reported.

The amount paid from a variable annuity depends on the performance of an investment portfolio, usually mutual funds with a changing rate of return. The traditional annuity has a predetermined rate of return.

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