Key Takeaways
- • North American Life introduced two new fixed index annuities (FIAs)—Secure Horizon and Secure Horizon Plus—in partnership with independent FIA designer Annexus, expanding its retirement product suite.
- • The Loomis Sayles Managed Futures Index has been added on an exclusive basis to the US annuities market as a core index option, representing a strategic deployment of Goldman Sachs' trend-following managed futures strategy into the retail retirement planning segment.
- • The new FIA offerings provide three index account options: the Loomis Sayles Managed Futures Index, BlackRock ESG US 5% Index ER, and S&P 500 Low Volatility 5% ER Index, designed to deliver portfolio diversification in retirement planning.
- • The managed futures strategy underlying the Loomis Sayles index implements a trend-following approach with long and short positions across equities, fixed income, commodities, and currencies to seek absolute returns and reduce volatility in declining markets.
Summary
North American Life has expanded its fixed index annuity portfolio through the launch of two new FIA products—Secure Horizon and Secure Horizon Plus—developed in collaboration with Annexus Retirement Solutions. The introduction marks a significant institutional push to bring Goldman Sachs' managed futures capabilities into the retail annuities market, a sector focused on retirement income solutions for mass-affluent and institutional investors.
The centerpiece of this product launch is the Loomis Sayles Managed Futures Index, offered on an exclusive basis within the US annuities market. This index serves as the primary diversification mechanism within the new FIAs, alongside two complementary indices: the BlackRock ESG US 5% Index ER and the S&P 500 Low Volatility 5% ER Index. According to Tom Haines of Annexus Retirement Solutions, the multi-index approach is designed to achieve meaningful diversification in retirement planning strategies.
The Goldman Sachs managed futures strategy underlying the Loomis Sayles index employs a proprietary trend-following methodology that takes both long and short positions across a broad spectrum of asset classes—equities, fixed income, commodities, and currencies. This approach is engineered to generate long-term absolute returns while smoothing portfolio volatility and reducing downside risk during market declines, characteristics particularly valuable for annuity-focused investors seeking capital preservation alongside growth potential.
The product architecture reflects broader industry trends wherein insurance carriers are integrating alternative strategies and institutional-quality asset management into retail-focused vehicles. By embedding the managed futures strategy within FIA structures, North American Life and Annexus are positioning the annuities to appeal to advisors and investors seeking enhanced downside protection and diversification beyond traditional equity-bond allocations.
The centerpiece of this product launch is the Loomis Sayles Managed Futures Index, offered on an exclusive basis within the US annuities market. This index serves as the primary diversification mechanism within the new FIAs, alongside two complementary indices: the BlackRock ESG US 5% Index ER and the S&P 500 Low Volatility 5% ER Index. According to Tom Haines of Annexus Retirement Solutions, the multi-index approach is designed to achieve meaningful diversification in retirement planning strategies.
The Goldman Sachs managed futures strategy underlying the Loomis Sayles index employs a proprietary trend-following methodology that takes both long and short positions across a broad spectrum of asset classes—equities, fixed income, commodities, and currencies. This approach is engineered to generate long-term absolute returns while smoothing portfolio volatility and reducing downside risk during market declines, characteristics particularly valuable for annuity-focused investors seeking capital preservation alongside growth potential.
The product architecture reflects broader industry trends wherein insurance carriers are integrating alternative strategies and institutional-quality asset management into retail-focused vehicles. By embedding the managed futures strategy within FIA structures, North American Life and Annexus are positioning the annuities to appeal to advisors and investors seeking enhanced downside protection and diversification beyond traditional equity-bond allocations.
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