Life

Teams perform better than lone-advisors

A life insurance licence has proven its worth during this downturn. Specifically individual life insurance sales, which held up remarkably well in what has been an extraordinarily bad recession, according to recent data from LIMRA. “Canadian life insurance sales were relatively level, with only a 1% decline for annualized premiums in the first quarter of […]

By Mark Noble |August 1, 2009

5 min read

MGAs can profit by offering lower payouts

Ask an MGA exec what’s troubling their industry and the perennial answer always comes up first: vicious competition is pricing the industry into oblivion. Agencies have been forced into a competitive spiral of higher payouts to advisors—and thinner margins for the MGA. But the somewhat cynical view that advisors will always place their business with […]

By Steven Lamb |August 1, 2009

4 min read

Insurance and the U.S. estate tax

Individuals in Canada often purchase insurance to help fund tax liabilities that arise on death. In addition, some insurance products are purchased as an investment vehicle to shelter income from tax. Generally speaking, estate planning with insurance is effective in Canada because insurance proceeds are received tax-free. However, for U.S. citizens living in Canada, great […]

By Nadja Ibrahim |July 21, 2009

4 min read

Insurance advisors shake off recession

A life insurance licence has proven its worth during this recession. Individual life insurance sales in Canada specifically held up remarkably well in what has been an extraordinarily bad recession, according to LIMRA. “Canadian life insurance sales were relatively level, actually. With only a 1% decline for annualized premiums in the first quarter of 2009,” […]

By Mark Noble |June 15, 2009

3 min read