Longevity

Financial Planning reports that sales of longevity insurance or longevity annuities have been slow over the past couple of years. Many companies, including MetLife and The Hartford , have introduced products that are specifically intended to address longevity risk . However, sales of the products have been slower than many industry executives would have expected.

One of the world's largest financial services companies, Aegon , has released a "manifesto" that provides a blueprint for dealing with the longevity crisis in the United Kingdom. Aegon published its pension manifesto this week under the title: "The Pension Crunch: proposals for change."

Centenarians are people who live to 100 years of age or more. This group of people happens to be the fastest growing demographic in the developed world. In the United States, for example, the centenarian population is doubling every decade. Scientists are actively studying this segment of the population with the hope of gaining insights into what drives longevity.

Investment News reports that public officials met with retirement income industry executives at the MetLife benefits symposium in Washington. Part of the discussion focused on the use of annuities in defined contribution pension plans such as 401ks.

The CFA Institute recently published an interview with Amlan Roy in the March/April issue of CFA Magazine. Amlan Roy is the head of global demographics and pension research at Credit Suisse in London.