Abstract:
Products, methods and system for guaranteeing the minimum accumulation benefit of an investment account owned by an entity are described. The steps of the guarantee include determining an external index or method to use to calculate the guarantee at the end of the defined investment period; allowing the owner of the investment account to select from available investment options; and at the end of the investment period crediting the investment account the difference of the current value of the investment account and the calculated minimum value of the investment account if the investment account has not increased in value above the calculated minimum.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/059,484 entitled “Variable Annuity with a Guaranteed Minimum Accumulation Benefit Based on an External Index”, filed Jun. 6, 2008 which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     This disclosure relates generally to the field of annuity contracts, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a variable annuity with a guaranteed minimum accumulation benefit (GMAB) feature. 
     BACKGROUND 
     An annuity is a close financial cousin to a life insurance contract and pays periodic income benefits for a specific period of time or over the course of a lifetime. Life insurance companies offer annuities. There are two basic types of annuities: deferred and immediate. Deferred annuities allow assets to grow over time before being converted to income payments. Immediate annuities begin payments immediately, or within a year of purchase. 
     The act of converting a deferred annuity to income is known as annuitization. The value of funds being converted to income is known as the annuitization value. In sum, a deferred annuity allows the covered person to accumulate funds for retirement and then receive a guaranteed income payable for a specified period or for life. 
     An annuity may be fixed or variable. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission typically does not regulate fixed annuities, but it does regulate variable annuities. In a fixed annuity, all assets underlying the annuity are held in the insurer&#39;s general account with the insurer bearing the investment risk. In a variable annuity, the insurer will hold all the assets underlying the annuity in a separate account and the annuity owner bears the investment risk, directly participating in the gains and losses of those assets, net of any fees. These separate account assets are composed of assets in specified variable annuities which are invested in specified investment subaccounts provided within the annuities. These investment subaccounts are not publicly traded. 
     In entering an annuity contract, the annuity owner pays a premium in return for guaranteed income payments. Many deferred annuities allow annuity owners to deposit additional money, possibly restricted to periods of time or to maximums or minimums. In return, the annuity owner is entitled to receive an income stream in the form of periodic payments after a certain holding period, which is known in the art as the accumulation phase or period. Typically the annuity owner can choose when to annuitize and begin receiving income payments from the insurer. The period over which income is received is known as the payout or income phase or period. 
     Outside of an annuity, an individual can attempt to self-fund their retirement income by making regular withdrawals from their asset portfolio. Self-funding allows the individual to retain control and ownership over their assets instead of exchanging them for an annuity contract which could guarantee income payments for life. With self-funding, however, there is no guarantee that those withdrawals can continue for their lifetime without depleting the asset portfolio. Investment return performance shortfall and/or volatility as well as longevity of life are two risks which could significantly impact the ability of the asset portfolio to support these withdrawals for the individual&#39;s entire lifetime. 
     A guaranteed minimum accumulation benefit (GMAB) is a benefit which can be associated with an annuity which guarantees a minimum accumulation value after the accumulation period or a set period of time. This guaranteed value could be based on the amount invested or on prior gains. This guarantee protects the value of the annuity and the annuitant from market fluctuations. This benefit may be optional to an annuity for an added cost, which varies by each annuity contract or issuing firm. The GMAB will be “in-the-money” only if the market value of the annuity is below the minimum guaranteed value. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one embodiment an annuity product is disclosed which provides a guaranteed minimum accumulation benefit (GMAB) for an investment account. This GMAB is provided to an entity by an insurer. The GMAB is for a predefined investment period and calculated using a guarantee percentage increase. The guarantee percentage increase is based at least in part on an external index. 
     In another embodiment, an annuity product is disclosed which determines an external index percentage and a GMAB is determined by the external index percentage and attached to an investment account for a specified investment period. The GMAB is equal to the value of the investment account at start of the investment period compounded by the external index percentage. 
     In a further embodiment, a method of guaranteeing minimum accumulation of an investment account owned by an entity is disclosed. This method has the steps of determining a value of an external index, defining an investment period, setting parameters for available investment options for the investment period, calculating a minimum value of the investment account at end of the investment period based on the value of the external index compounded for the investment period, and crediting to the investment account the difference of value of the investment account at end of the investment period and the calculated minimum if value of the investment account at end of the investment period is less than the calculated minimum. 
     In a further embodiment, a method of guaranteeing minimum accumulation of an investment account owned by an entity is disclosed. This method has the steps of determining a value of an external index and a method for calculating a guarantee percentage, defining an investment period, setting parameters for available investment options for the investment period, calculating a minimum value of the investment account at end of the investment period based on the value of the external index for the investment period, and crediting the investment account the difference of value of the investment account at end of the investment period and the calculated minimum if value of the investment account at end of the investment period is less than the calculated minimum. 
     In a further embodiment, an annuity product is disclosed. The annuity product provides a GMAB for an investment account to an entity by an insurer. The GMAB is for one or more predefined periodic investment periods and may reset at transition between the investment periods. 
     In a further embodiment, an annuity product is disclosed. The annuity product comprises an external index and a method for calculating a guarantee percentage; and a guaranteed minimum accumulation benefit, determined by the guarantee percentage, attached to an investment account for a specified investment period. The GMAB is equal to the value of the investment account at start of the investment period multiplied by the guarantee percentage. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows, in flowchart form, one embodiment of this disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  shows, in flowchart form, an alternate embodiment of this disclosure with the guaranteed percentage determined at the end of the investment period. 
         FIG. 3  shows, in block diagram form, a general purpose computer system in accordance with various embodiments of this disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  shows, in block diagram form, a plurality of general purpose computers system communicatively coupled via a computer network. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Aspects of this disclosure are described as a method of control or manipulation of data and may be implemented in one or a combination of hardware, firmware, and software. Embodiments may also be implemented as instructions stored on a machine-readable storage medium which may be read and executed by at least one processor to perform the operations described herein. A machine-readable storage medium may include any mechanism for the non-volatile recording of information in a form readable by a machine (e.g., a computer). For example, a machine-readable storage medium may include read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), magnetic disc storage media, optical storage media, flash-memory devices, electrical, optical, acoustical or other forms of tangibly embodied computer instructions. 
     In the following detailed description, various features are occasionally grouped together in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments of the subject matter require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. 
       FIG. 1  shows a process flow  100  describing one embodiment. Starting at block  110 , the initial value of the investment account to be insured with a guaranteed minimum accumulation over a defined period of time is determined. The asset account may be owned by the investor and managed by a company other than the guarantor as discussed herein. Several factors need to be determined at the beginning of each investment period as shown in block  130 . The external index is identified (block  130 ) and its value at the start of the period provides the percentage increase that is guaranteed for this account at the end of the defined investment period. By applying the value of the investment account at the beginning of the period to the calculated guaranteed return, a guaranteed minimum accumulation benefit (GMAB) is determined in one embodiment as follows: AV*(1+GR) P , where AV=Account Value; GR=Guaranteed Rate of Return by year (based on external index in one embodiment); P=Period in years. At the beginning of the investment period, investment parameters are defined (block  130 ) so that the owner of the account may manage their own investments throughout the investment period (block  140 ) while adhering to these predefined rules. When the investment period is over (block  150 ), the assets have changed in value over the investment period based on the owner&#39;s investment options and performance of the market. At decision block  160  it is determined if the actual account value at the end of the investment period is less than the guaranteed minimum accumulation benefit (GMAB). If the account value is below the GMAB, flow continues to block  170  where the insurer credits the difference between the GMAB and the current account value into the account. If the account is above the GMAB the insurance company (i.e. guarantor) does not credit anything. In either case flow continues to block  120  where another investment period may begin from the then current account value. A new guaranteed rate of return is determined and the process begins again. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , an alternate embodiment, shown as process flow  200 , the guarantee is based on a pre-established external index and a pre-defined method for determining the guarantee percentage (block  230 ). The actual guarantee percentage is calculated when investment period ends (block  255 ). This embodiment may cause the actual guarantee percentage to not be known until the end of the guarantee period. An example of this embodiment would be x% of S&amp;P growth over the guarantee period. The growth would not be known until the end of the guarantee period when the S&amp;P growth is calculated. As will be apparent to those of skill in the art, the process of determining a guaranteed rate of return that leads to the calculation of the GMAB can be as complex as the guarantor chooses to make it and may take into account any external indexes, combination of external indexes, or any traceable variable. 
     In yet another embodiment, the external index may be used in other ways than only determining the GMAB. For example, the external index may also determine the basis for which any guaranteed living benefit may be payable under an annuity contract (e.g., guaranteed lifetime withdrawal benefit, guaranteed minimum income benefit). External indexes are well known in the art and include (but are not limited to): SWAPs, LIBOR, CMT of different durations, CPI, CODI, and treasury corporate bonds. In addition, a window of time may be allowed to declare the value used for the guarantee. That is to say, contracts issued each day within January may have guarantees based off the January 1 st  CMT rate instead of each having a potentially different rate because the rate may change daily. 
     In alternate embodiments, the external index may also be used to include a change due to the performance of an underlying hedge strategy. In one such embodiment, the investment strategy drives the account value performance. Part of the investment strategy uses options on an index so there is some relationship to the selected index but the index itself does not define the guarantee. Thus, the living benefit guarantee may have a base minimum amount which can increase if there is strong investment performance from the mutual fund and overlay strategy. For example, index options may be purchased periodically (e.g., quarterly, semi-annually) with the option structure remaining fixed over the period based on an overlay strategy. Overlay strategies may be selected by a contract purchaser. The contract purchaser would determine how much they wanted to invest in a particular fund plus overlay combination. Different examples of periodic purchases include spending the same amount each period (e.g., 1% of account value) and buying as many options as possible for this amount, buying the same overlay strategy each period and paying whatever it costs to renew the strategy, or varying the overlay strategy (strikes/caps/notionals on calls, puts) based on current pricing environment at the time of each (re)purchase. A specific example of this embodiment may include providing downside protection for an investment account by allocating a percentage of the investment toward put options for the external index. Thus, it may be possible to provide a higher guarantee because the upside potential is leveraged, via these put options, against market performance contrary to expectation. 
     An example of an embodiment is shown in table 1. The figures in table 1 show a cycle of three full investment periods. Each with different investment performance over their respective investment periods. The first period begins at time zero and runs through year 5. The guaranteed rate for this period is four percent. The initial account value is $100,000. Therefore, at the end of five years of accumulation at the minimum of four percent the account value must be at least $121,665.29 which represents a four percent per year increase compounded annually. As can be seen in the table, the cumulative investment performance in years one through five is below this amount by $11,665.29 and therefore the amount of guarantee credited into the account by the insurance company is equal to $11,665.29 and at the end of year five the account value is $121,665.29. 
     In years six through 10 the guaranteed rate is 3.5% and the investments outperform this rate for that period so at the end of the period the insurance company does not have to credit anything into the account. In years 11 through 15 the guaranteed rate is 3.75% and the investments actually go down in value. At the end of year 15 the insurance company must credit $37,055.73 in order to make up for the deficit in the account caused by poor performance of the investments. Note that the guarantee to be credited at the end of each five year period is based on the actual account value at the end of the previous period after any adjustments have been made. 
     
       
         
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 Initial Purchase Payment: 
                 $100,000.00 
                   
               
               
                 5-year Guaranteed Rate at issue 
                 4.00% 
                   
               
               
                 (GR): 
                   
                   
               
               
                 Guaranteed Account Value: 
                 $121,665.29 
                 = $100,000 × (1 + 4%) 5   
               
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 End 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 End 
                   
                 of Year 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 of Period 
                   
                 Account 
               
               
                 Con- 
                 End of Year 
                 Guaran- 
                 Guaranteed 
                   
                 Value 
               
               
                 tract 
                 Account 
                 teed 
                 Account 
                 Guarantee 
                 after 
               
               
                 Year 
                 Value 
                 Rate 
                 Value 
                 Credited 
                 Guarantee 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 0 
                 100,000.00 
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 1 
                 102,000.00 
                 4.00% 
                 121,665.29 
                   
                 102,000.00 
               
               
                 2 
                 104,000.00 
                   
                 121,665.29 
                   
                 104,000.00 
               
               
                 3 
                 106,000.00 
                   
                 121,665.29 
                   
                 106,000.00 
               
               
                 4 
                 108,000.00 
                   
                 121,665.29 
                   
                 108,000.00 
               
               
                 5 
                 110,000.00 
                   
                 121,665.29 
                 +$11,665.29 
                 121,665.29 
               
               
                 6 
                 125,665.29 
                 3.50% 
                 144,500.20 
                   
                 125,665.29 
               
               
                 7 
                 131,165.29 
                   
                 144,500.20 
                   
                 131,165.29 
               
               
                 8 
                 138,665.29 
                   
                 144,500.20 
                   
                 138,665.29 
               
               
                 9 
                 146,165.29 
                   
                 144,500.20 
                   
                 146,165.29 
               
               
                 10 
                 153,665.29 
                   
                 144,500.20 
                   +$0.00 
                 153,665.29 
               
               
                 11 
                 155,665.29 
                 3.75% 
                 184,721.02 
                   
                 155,665.29 
               
               
                 12 
                 153,665.29 
                   
                 184,721.02 
                   
                 153,665.29 
               
               
                 13 
                 151,665.29 
                   
                 184,721.02 
                   
                 151,665.29 
               
               
                 14 
                 149,665.29 
                   
                 184,721.02 
                   
                 149,665.29 
               
               
                 15 
                 147,665.29 
                   
                 184,721.02 
                 +$37,055.73 
                 184,721.02 
               
               
                 16 
                 189,721.02 
                 4.00% 
                 224,741.37 
                   
                 189,721.02 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 Note: 
               
               
                 Guarantee starting on the 5 th  anniversary and credited on the 10 th  anniversary is based on account value on the 5 th  anniversary. 
               
             
          
         
       
     
     Withdrawals (with or without a surrender charge) could reduce the guaranteed contract value proportionally or dollar-for-dollar. For the example contract in Table 1, the rule may be proportional (i.e., If the contract holder withdrew $54,000 at the end of year 4, guaranteed account value would reduce to $60,832.65). 
     In alternate embodiments, additional premiums may be allowable. These additional premiums may be allowed at any time or may be limited to a period of time, for example for three years. If allowed, the additional premiums may impact the guarantee in a variety of ways. In one embodiment, additional premiums can be paid at any time, but those premiums and any gains or losses on those premiums will not be used to calculate the GMAB at the end of term. In another embodiment, additional premiums will increase the GMAB at the end of the term by the amount of the premium paid plus interest at the guaranteed rate of return for the remainder of the term. Another embodiment may allow additional premiums in the first year of a term and calculate the GMAB as if the premium were paid at the beginning of the term. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , a general purpose computer and network  300  comprising a network cloud  310  and a general purpose computer  320  programmed to perform methods in accordance with this disclosure (e.g., those illustrated in  FIGS. 1-2 ) includes host processor  330 , display unit  380  and external storage units  395  (tape) and  390  (disk storage, such as magnetic or optical). Host processor  320  comprises input-output (I/O) interface  360 , central processing unit  330 , memory  340  and network interface  350 . Display  380  represents both an output only display unit and a display unit optionally associated with a keyboard input unit  370  and with one or more optional input devices such as a mouse. External storage unit  390  represents any form of non-volatile storage including, but not limited to, all forms of optical and magnetic storage elements including solid-state storage. Central processing unit  330  may include any programmable controller device including, for example, the Intel Core®, Pentium® and Celeron® processor families from Intel and the Cortex and ARM processor families from ARM. (INTEL CORE, PENTIUM and CELERON are registered trademarks of the Intel Corporation. CORTEX is a registered trademark of the ARM Limited Corporation. ARM is a registered trademark of the ARM Limited Company.) Memory  340  may include one or more memory modules and comprise random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), programmable read only memory (PROM), programmable read-write memory and solid state memory. One of ordinary skill in the art will also recognize that CPU  330  typically includes some internal memory including, for example, cache memory. 
     Various changes in the materials, components, circuit elements, as well as in the details of the illustrated operational methods are possible without departing from the scope of the following claims. For instance, acts in accordance with  FIGS. 1-2  may be performed by a programmable control device executing instructions organized into one or more modules (comprised of computer program code or instructions). A programmable control device may be a single computer processor (e.g., CPU  330 ), a plurality of computer processors coupled by a communications link or one or more special purpose processors (e.g., a digital signal processor, DSP). Such a programmable control device may be one element in a larger data processing system such as general purpose computer system  320 . Storage media, as embodied in storage devices such as  390 ,  395  and  340 , as well as memory internal to CPU  330 , suitable for tangibly embodying computer program instructions include, but are not limited to: magnetic disks (fixed, floppy, and removable) and tape; optical media such as CD-ROMs and digital video disks (DVDs); and semiconductor memory devices such as Electrically Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM), Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM), Programmable Gate Arrays and flash devices. 
     In addition, computer and network system  300  could be one of a multiplicity of computer systems coupled through a computer network represented by network cloud  310 . As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , computer network  400  comprises multiple computer systems  410 ,  420  and  430  communicatively coupled to each other through network cloud  310 . Network cloud  310  represents a plurality of network technologies enabling computers to be communicatively coupled (e.g., LAN, WAN, POTS, Ethernet, TCP/IP, ATM, etc.). Additionally, other supporting devices (not shown) may be communicatively coupled to computer network  400 . These supporting devices are known to those of ordinary skill in the art and include, but are not limited to: network attached storage, printers, file servers, etc. Network cloud  310 —could be one or more intranets, one or more extranets (e.g., the Internet) or a combination of both intra- and extranets. In network  400 , computer system  420 , for example, could include memory for retaining program modules for performing any of the methods illustrated in  FIGS. 1-2 .