Annuities

Helen Morrissey talks to a panel of experts about the challenges and prospects facing the annuity market

Bernard Footitt discusses the pros and cons of lifetime annuities

Dave Harris argues that renaming the open market option may help people realise the importance of shopping around for the best retirement product

Helen Morrissey asks what needs to be done to ensure people get the best deal from exercising their open market option

Matt Trott presents the findings of LV='s latest research into the annuity market

Otto Thoresen's pilots for his new Money Guidance Service could be ideal as a testing ground for generic advice for the annuity open market option (OMO), according to pensions expert Dr Ros Altmann.

Annuity rates have rebounded to beat the highs seen in December last year after faltering slightly during Q1 2008, according to Investment Life & Pensions Moneyfacts.

The cost of guarantees on variable annuity products should be kept at 1% or less of the fund value per annum for consumers to be willing to pay for them, according to three-quarters of attendees at a recent Watson Wyatt debate.

Pensioners with fixed rate annuities risk losing around a fifth of their purchasing power over the next five years due to rising inflation, according to Aon Consulting.

Around 85% of single life level annuity customers receive a rate that is at least 95% of the highest rate available, according to new research from the ABI.