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SILAC and The Index Standard Advance a New Benchmark for Transparency in Fixed Indexed Annuity Renewal RatesSILAC Insurance Company ("SILAC"), a leading provider of fixed indexed annuities (FIAs), today announced a collaboration with The Index Standard to advance a new level of transparency within the FIA industry through an independent assessment of carrier historical renewal rate performance. For years, financial professionals evaluating FIAs have had access to initial rates, product features, and illustrations but lacked objective historical data about one of the most important indicators of long-term value: carrier management of renewal rates after a policy is issued. To bridge the gap and identify a solution, SILAC voluntarily provided The Index Standard, an independent index research firm, with complete historical renewal rate experience across every eligible FIA crediting strategy since entering the market. The resulting dataset encompassed more than 4.5 million individual renewal rate observations across over 100,000 unique annuity policies. Using its newly developed Renewal Rate Integrity methodology, The Index Standard independently analyzed the historical renewal rate data and assigned SILAC a Renewal Rate Integrity Score of 9.6 out of 10. The score reflects nearly seven years of actual renewal experience and evaluates how renewal rates compared to original rates during policy surrender charge periods. According to The Index Standard, a perfect score of 10 indicates that renewal rates have, on average, remained at least as favorable as their original rates throughout the surrender charge period. "Trust is earned over time, not just through the rates a company offers today, but through the commitments it keeps over the life of a policy," said Kevin Mechtley, incoming President of SILAC Insurance Company. "We believe financial professionals deserve objective information that helps them evaluate a carrier's long-term performance. That is why we voluntarily provided our complete historical renewal rate data for independent review. Transparency isn't just good business - it's the right thing to do for our advisors and theclients they serve."
Raising the Bar for Industry Transparency
While initial crediting rates are widely available and frequently compared, a carrier's historical renewal rate experience has traditionally been much more difficult for financial professionals to evaluate across carriers. The Index Standard's Renewal Rate Integrity assessment introduces an independent framework built on actual policyholder experience rather than marketing materials or selective examples. By voluntarily participating early in this initiative and publicly sharing the results, SILAC hopes to encourage broader transparency throughout the FIA marketplace and provide financial professionals with another valuable tool for evaluating long-term carrier performance. "We believe independent validation benefits everyone," Mechtley added. "Our hope is that objective renewal rate reporting becomes an increasingly important part of carrier due diligence. Advisors should have access to meaningful historical information - not just initial product specifications - when making recommendations for clients."
Transparency Supported by Results
The report evaluates actual renewal experience across SILAC's fixed rate strategies, traditional benchmark index strategies, and risk-controlled index strategies, using a methodology designed to reflect real policyholder experience over time. The methodology incorporates discontinued strategies to avoid survivorship bias, and the score is updated semiannually as additional renewal experience becomes available. "We are proud of the score," Mechtley said. "More importantly, we are proud of what it represents. Our objective has always been to build products designed for long-term relationships with policyholders, not simply to offer attractive initial rates. This independent assessment reinforces that philosophy and reflects our ongoing commitment to consistency, transparency, and doing what is right for our distribution partners and their clients." As the FIA market continues to evolve, SILAC believes independent third-party assessments such as The Index Standard's Renewal Rate Integrity Score can help establish a higher standard for transparency and provide financial professionals with greater confidence when evaluating long-term carrier performance.
About SILAC Insurance Company
About The Index Standard
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