Life insurers starting to focus sales on the middle market; New products, pitches target this underinsured group.(News)

Investment News, September, 2006

Byline: Gary S. Mogel Most rich people have life insurance, and most poor people can't afford it, so policyholder-starved insurers are homing in on the middle market. Among the reasons that new policyholders are being sought is to make up for lost revenue caused by lower premiums.

Premiums for term and whole-life insurance are expected to drop by an average of 4% next year, according to a study released last week by the Insurance Information Institute in New York. New York Life Insurance Co. and Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, also of New York, and Hartford Life Insurance Co. in Simsbury, Conn., unveiled new products for the middle market this month. Other insurers and their trade associations this month are attempting to...

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