(New York)

Annuities have had a very strong 18 months or so. Ever since the pandemic began, demand has risen. Additionally, the pending inclusion of annuities in 401(k) plans will be a tailwind. However, a new regulation was just put in place in Connecticut which could spell trouble for the asset class. The state just put annuities under a best interest rule, the 16th state to do so. States have continued to use the National Association for Insurance Commissioners’ model rule as a template for covering annuities under BI legislation.

FINSUM: How far might this go? We think not too much further, if only because many of the states that would want to pass a fiduciary rule for annuities have already done so, which means that even if the DOL drags its feet on its new rule, most of the state-level regulations would have already happened.