Just like many times before many of us will focus,...

2010-08-06T01:39:32.988-06:00

Just like many times before many of us will focus, after the fact, on how to do damage control from a story that misrepresents what the product is and the benefits it provides.

Is this really where our energy should be focused?...

2010-08-06T00:03:01.879-06:00

Is this really where our energy should be focused?

The broadcast was entirely biased. Yes, they did c...

2008-04-15T07:57:00.000-06:00

The broadcast was entirely biased. Yes, they did catch some agents behaving badly. However, indexed annuities were merely the TOOL used in this bad behavior. Indexed annuities are not bad products! They are a safe money place that provides downside guarantees, and the opportunity for greater upside potential than other fixed instruments such as traditional fixed annuities.

How much of the information was slanted? Well, the producers highlighted presentations showing the longest surrender charge product in the industry- 16 years. The average surrender charge for indexed annuities sold is 10 years, as this represented 42.57% of sales for 4Q2007. In addition, most of the products with "big penalties" have premium bonuses. In fact, the 16-year product presented to Chris Hansen's Aunt Alice had a 10% up-front bonus. So, when Chris asked what would happen if she needed to access her cash in the first year, the answer shouldn't have been a flat "she'd pay a 20% penalty," It should have been "She would have a 20% penalty deducted from her $110,000 of Account Value and any indexed gains." Yet, no mention of bonuses in the segment...

It just looked like Lori Swanson had Dateline in her pocket. Did the viewers know that Lori Swanson has a political agenda? No- they just assume that she is a regulator looking out for the best interests of her consumers. Did people watching that night know that Chris Hansen didn't do his homework? No, because they rely on the news for BOTH sides of the story. If those watching that evening really knew that Minnesota's legislative auditor has launched a preliminary investigation into allegations of ethical and legal lapses in Attorney General Lori Swanson's office, do you think it would have made a difference? Do you think it would matter to them that Swanson and some of her top aides have been accused of trying to find defendants to fit lawsuits on high-profile topics? Perhaps I am not to only person who is intrigued by the fact that Lori Swanson has already sued five of the top ten indexed annuity carriers, and not a single fixed or variable annuity carrier. If she were truly concerned about the suitability of sales of annuities to seniors- why would she not look into this? I can tell you that I see just as many unsuitable sales of these products cross my desk, or in the headlines, as I do of indexed products. Lawsuit Lori is on a mission and Dateline is on the bandwagon.

I was hoping the report would have more objective ...

2008-04-14T12:46:00.000-06:00

I was hoping the report would have more objective and balance. Unfortunately, may of these bad "advisor's' will move onto some other product to tarnish.

Here is my take on the story:

http://jamesl...

2008-04-14T11:25:00.000-06:00

Here is my take on the story:

http://jameslparis.typepad.com/christian_money/2008/04/dateline-nbc-an.html

Comments on Insurance Insight Group: Did Dateline NBC Throw The Baby Out With The Bath ...

Just like many times before many of us will focus,...

Is this really where our energy should be focused?...

The broadcast was entirely biased. Yes, they did c...

I was hoping the report would have more objective ...

Here is my take on the story:http://jamesl...

Here is my take on the story:

http://jamesl...