Raise Your Expectations

SterlingBridge Insurance Partners is a boutique-style brokerage general agency made up of an exceptional group of producers specializing in life insurance for high net worth clients. We provide our producers in this marketplace the ability to service their clients as no one else can with our expertise in Wealth Transfer, Estate and Business Planning. We fulfill a unique niche in the industry in that we only focus on the life insurance piece of the clients’ overall estate plans and goals. This allows us to be true artisans when it comes to providing the best life insurance opportunities for your clients.

Service is key, and SterlingBridge can provide the level of service and individual attention your high-end clients need and expect. We pride ourselves in ensuring our producer’s clients will get the best underwriting, case supervision, case design, packaging, access to Insurance Carriers, and up to date market intelligence.

Carrier Updates

Click HERE for archived updates.

May

Week of May 17, 2010

Transamerica

Transamerica Reprice of TransACE No Lapse Guarantee UL

Transamerica remains committed to the guaranteed marketplace, the current economic conditions evident across the industry necessitated a pricing revision to their TransACE UL. This pricing revision took place May 1st and all formal applications must be dated and received in-house by May 28, 2010. While they adjusted premiums to reflect recent market conditions, they also significantly increased cash values and raised target premiums at the older ages. Click here to read the message from Marty Flewellen.

TransACE Guaranteed No-Lapse UL Transition Tips.

To be eligible for the current TransACE product and pricing, formal applications must be received in our Cedar Rapids administrative office by close of business on May 28, 2010. For tips to help ensure eligible policies can be issued with the current TransACE pricing, click here.

Lincoln

Lincoln LifeElements Level Term (2010)

Monday, May 17, 2010 Lincoln will introduce the latest update to the Term product portfolio, Lincoln LifeElements Level Term (2010). Rates for all four term periods will be improved for many of the clients ages 45 and older with higher-face amounts. There are no structural changes to the contract from the 2009 version with the exception of a new Waiver of Premium Rider. Click here for more information.

Pacific Life

Pacific Life Cost of Insurance Rate Reduction Select Exec and Select Exec II

Pacific Life Insurance Company is pleased to announce a reduction in the current Cost of Insurance (COI) rates for Pacific Select Exec, Pacific Select Exec II, and Pacific Select Exec II 2004 variable universal life insurance products. The reductions are a result of improved mortality experience. The new scale of COI rates will become effective at policy monthiversary, beginning June 1, 2010. Click here for details.

John Hancock

John Hancock Coming Soon: NEW Performance UL and Performance SUL

Click here to view.

North American Company

Step up to an upgraded Builder IUL indexed universal life insurance product coming your way in late May. Click here for upgraded features.

APRIL

Updated April 29

Prudential

Repriced and Enhanced UL Plus Effective May 1, 2010

UL Plus is the go-to Cash Accumulation UL product ideal for clients who are looking for permanent protection and tax-deferred cash accumulation potential without being exposed to the volatility of the market. Our 2010 enhancements have made it an even stronger play in the protection/accumulation market! Click here for more details.

• Enhanced UL Plus Casts a Wider Net for Consumer Markets
  
• UL Plus Sametime Sessions Invite
  
• Repricing Rules
  

Lincoln Benefit

Improved Estate Conservation Guidelines – Allowing for higher amounts of life insurance on your estate conservation sales

Estate conservation is a key goal of your high net worth customers. When life insurance is part of a properly structured estate plan, it can be an effective tool to help your customers conserve their estate. At LBL, we continually look for ways to improve our underwriting. Read the bulletin to get details on the improved Estate Conservation Guidelines

Updated April 16

Nationwide

Flight Path to Preferred
Now with Nationwide’s aviation program, pilots can qualify for a Preferred rating. Click here for more details.

Pacific Life

Introducing Pacific Income Term
Pacific Life has introduced a new Income Term product. Pacific Income Term is a unique form of term life insurance and instead of providing a lump-sum death benefit, Pacific Income Term provides a death benefit in the form of a guaranteed monthly income designed to last throughout a client’s typical working years. Click here for details.

Prudential

Prudential to Launch UL Plus 2010 in May
This May 1st, Add a Plus to Your Portfolio. UL Plus is the go-to Cash Accumulation UL product ideal for clients who are looking for permanent protection and tax-deferred cash accumulation potential without being exposed to the volatility of the market. Click here for details.

Updated April 9

Principal

Re-Priced Protector III and UL Flex Effective March 22. Click here for details.

Lincoln Benefit Life

Effective May 17, 2010, Lincoln Benefit Life is introducing modest price increases on Legacy Choice UL, Legacy Secure UL and Legacy Secure SL. They will also be adopting a new cap on Legacy Secure SL. These products remain well positioned in the industry as one of the best overall values in terms of premiums, cash values and guaranteed liquidity. Please note the death benefit cap of $5MM on the Legacy Secure SL. Click here for details.

Lincoln Benefit Life – TrueTerm Rate Reductions

Effective April 12, 2010, LBL is reducing rates for their TrueTerm product, making it a more competitive solution in their life portfolio. The rate changes will reduce rates in select cells up to 26%, with typical rate reductions in the range of 5-15%. Not all rates will change, but there will be no rate increases. Click here for details.

AXA

New Increased Underwriting Auto bind Limits effective April 1, 2010 – Click here for details.

West Coast Life

WCL Announces ModLife UL:  Affordable innovation offering 50% off Initial Premiums

Do you have clients who are struggling to find space in their already tight budgets for permanent life insurance protection?  West Coast Life's ModLife can save your clients up to 50% OFF* their initial premiums for guaranteed coverage at a time when getting the most out of every dollar is of the highest importance. Click here for more information.

 

MARCH

Lincoln Benefit Life

Legacy Secure SL – Reprice – Rate Increase

No official communication has come out yet, but they indicated to us that applications need to be signed on or before 4-25-10 and received on or before 5-9-10 to get current rates.

American General

Introducing Elite Transition ULSM

We have a new conversion-only product, Elite Transition UL, which accepts conversions from term policies beyond the fifth anniversary. See our special product announcement and field bulletin for further information.

Introducing ContinUL

American General Life Companies (American General) is renewing its commitment to the low-cost guaranteed universal life insurance market with the introduction of ContinUL. ContinUL offers many of the same features and benefits as their current ContinUL Extend Plus product, but emphasizes low cost with minimal cash value accumulation.

Hartford

Hartford has launched the Bicentennial UL Founders II. This product was repriced and has a lot of new features. Click here for more details.

ING

NEW ING TermSmart & ING TermSmart NY
Effective March 15, 2010, get better rates than before and more with ING TermSmart issued by ReliaStar Life Insurance Company and ING TermSmart NY issued by ReliaStar Life Insurance Company of New York. Click here for more details.

NEW! ING IUL-Global - Experience the power of a global approach to indexed universal life insurance

The power of ING IUL-Global is found in its valuable death benefit protection supported by policy cash values calculated under a Fixed Strategy and an Indexed Strategy. The Fixed Strategy provides annual rate guarantees and a 2% per year guaranteed minimum interest rate. The Indexed Strategy has the potential to capture some upside by using three indexes of markets from around the globe (S&P 500® Index, EURO STOXX 50® Index, and the Hang Seng Index) when calculating the index credits, AND the downside protection of a 1% per year guaranteed minimum interest rate. ING IUL-Global is approved for sale in all states EXCEPT: CT, GU, NJ, PR, and NY. Learn more

Field Bulletin

Press Release

Lincoln

February 2, 2010 Issue of the Lincoln Leader Life Version – Product Updates

Key Headlines:

Lincoln LifeGuarantee® UL 2009 Improvement - Coming Soon --- Effective February 15, 2010, Lincoln improved single-pay Coverage Protection Guarantee performance on the Lincoln LifeGuarantee® UL 2009 product, for both new and inforce customers. The improvement is due to a reduction of the first year Coverage Protection Guarantee premium load from 13% to 8%.

Click here to view.

Nationwide

Nationwide introduces a new Term product

With the introduction of Nationwide YourLife Term II, your producers and their clients have a simple solution to temporary protection needs. It offers:

• A 15-year term option 
•  Easier access to forms and quoting tools through iPipeline and iGO
• Wellness credits that enable eligible clients to receive the next highest level of underwriting class - even Preferred
• The ability to convert from term to any product in our current suite of permanent individual products

Please note the new product includes a price adjustment from our previous term product. This adjustment is in line with industry changes and will help support new capital requirements at Nationwide and maintain our historic strength and stability. Review the product's details.

Principal

Principal UL Protector III  Re-price Update

We will be re-pricing UL Protector III on March 22nd and will have a 30 day transition period lasting until April 22nd, more complete transition guidelines will be sent out as we get closer to the re-price.

Click here for our competitive pricing ladders for a male $1,000,000 death benefit at both standard and preferred.  We will be sending out the female ladders shortly as they are currently being updated to reflect the latest carrier rankings.  The scenarios included are single pays, 10 pays, and continuous pays to age 100 and age 121.  As you will see we are currently very competitive within this space.   Click here for the Business Underwriting Program Guide.

Sun Life

Credited interest rates being reduced on five current products effective March 1, 2010

Reinvestment yields have been driven lower by tightening credit spreads. As a result, Sun Life Financial is taking prudent steps to manage its credited interest rates. Click here to learn more. To view credited rates on all products, click here