The trade Group LIMRA just published a list of the 20 companies that sold the most individual annuities in the United States during the fourth quarter 2009.

The list reveals the level of concentration among product manufacturers in the annuity industry.

The top 20 writers provide 80 percent of the products.  There is further concentration among the top 20.

Variable annuity sales are particularly concentrated with the top 20 companies proividing 92 percent of the products.

Source: LIMRA