Lincoln Financial Launches First Product in New Elite Indexed Universal Life Portfolio

Rhea-AI Summary

Lincoln Financial (NYSE: LNC) has launched Lincoln WealthBuilderSM IUL, the first product in its new Elite Indexed Universal Life (IUL) Portfolio. This strategic initiative comes as IUL sales are projected to represent nearly 25% of the total U.S. life insurance market in 2024.

The Elite IUL Portfolio will feature three products offering differentiated options through: enhanced volatility-controlled indices (VCI) from the S&P 500®, traditional and uncapped VCI indexed accounts, and performance multiplier riders. The company has partnered with S&P 500® to introduce two new indexed accounts: the S&P 500 Dynamic Intraday TCA 15% Index and S&P 300 Daily Risk Control 10% Index, featuring the highest volatility targets ever offered by Lincoln Financial.

According to Lincoln's research, 88% of consumers want growth solutions, while 69% desire an equal mix of growth and protection. The new product includes features like the Performance Multiplier Rider for accelerated performance and an Enhanced Overloan Protection Rider to protect heavily loaned policies from lapse.

Positive

• Launch of new IUL product line targeting growing market segment (25% of total U.S. life insurance market)
• Partnership with S&P 500® offering highest-ever volatility targets (15% and 10%)
• Introduction of Performance Multiplier Rider for enhanced growth potential
• Flexible allocation options between different indexed accounts

Negative

• Product charges apply during market downturns and may result in value loss
• Growth not guaranteed despite higher volatility targets

Insights

Insurance Industry Analyst

Lincoln Financial's strategic launch of Lincoln WealthBuilderSM IUL represents a significant product expansion into the Indexed Universal Life (IUL) insurance market - a segment that accounts for 25% of total U.S. life insurance sales in 2024. This move aligns perfectly with their pivot toward offering a balanced mix of protection and accumulation products.

The product differentiation strategy here is noteworthy. Rather than simply entering a crowded market, Lincoln has engineered competitive advantages through their S&P 500 partnership, creating enhanced volatility-controlled indexed accounts with higher volatility targets (15% and 10%) than previously offered in their lineup. These higher targets potentially provide greater upside growth for policyholders while maintaining downside protection mechanisms.

What's particularly compelling is how this launch directly addresses verified consumer preferences - with Lincoln's research showing 88% of consumers wanting growth options and 69% desiring balanced growth-protection solutions. The planned three-product Elite IUL Portfolio indicates this isn't just a single product launch but part of a comprehensive market strategy.

The introduction of the Performance Multiplier Rider and Enhanced Overloan Protection Rider further strengthens their competitive positioning in this substantial market segment. By offering these features alongside transparent S&P 500-linked accounts with 65+ years of historical data, Lincoln is addressing both growth potential and transparency concerns in the IUL market.

Lincoln WealthBuilder^SM IUL offers indexed accounts, growth potential and features that financial professionals and their clients have been asking for.

RADNOR, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Today, Lincoln Financial (NYSE: LNC) launched Lincoln WealthBuilder^SM IUL, the first product in a planned suite of Indexed Universal Life (IUL) issued by The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company. The new Elite IUL Portfolio will complement Lincoln’s recently enhanced Variable Universal Life (VUL) offerings as the 120-year-old company continues its strategic shift to offering a diverse mix of protection and accumulation products.

“According to Lincoln research, 88% of consumers surveyed want solutions that offer growth and 69% want an equal mix of growth and protection¹ – and our recent and new product actions offer the best of both worlds,” said Jared Nepa, senior vice president and head of Insurance Solutions Distribution for Lincoln. “With IUL sales representing nearly a quarter of the total U.S. life insurance market in 2024², we want to offer financial professionals and their clients a dynamic suite of IUL products with tailored options to help individuals, couples and businesses access new opportunities.”

Upon completion, the Elite IUL Portfolio will feature three products (including launched Lincoln WealthBuilder^SM IUL) to help match risk tolerance and financial goals by:

• Offering differentiated, enhanced volatility-controlled indices (VCI) from the S&P 500^®
• Meeting industry standards through traditional and uncapped VCI indexed accounts
• Creating additional upside potential with performance multiplier rider

Enhanced VCIs
Lincoln has partnered with the S&P 500^® to offer enhanced volatility-controlled indexed accounts that are new to the IUL market. A volatility-controlled index tracks a group of traded assets in various classes by actively managing exposure, limiting extreme highs and lows by targeting a set volatility level.

Lincoln is adding new indexed accounts to the new Elite Indexed Universal Life Portfolio based on two S&P 500 indices, S&P 500 Dynamic Intraday TCA 15% Index and S&P 300 Daily Risk Control 10% Index, beginning with Lincoln WealthBuilder^SM IUL. The equity exposure of Lincoln’s new indexed accounts tracks the S&P 500^®, which has more than 65 years of live index history and is widely regarded as the best single gauge of U.S. large-cap equities. By linking to the S&P 500, Lincoln’s new indexed accounts offer a heightened level of transparency into the equity exposure of VCI’s in the IUL market.

These new indexed accounts provide the highest volatility targets (15% and 10% respectively) ever offered by Lincoln Financial. While policy growth is not guaranteed, the higher volatility targets increase the underlying equity exposure and therefore offer enhanced upside growth potential. The credited rates of the indexed accounts are determined based on the change in the index from one point to another, factoring in participation rates, caps and other elements. (Note: Product charges continue to apply during periods of market downturn and may result in a loss of value.)

The S&P indices are designed to manage market volatility by rebalancing between the S&P 500 and cash, which aims to provide more stable returns for the index. As a general principle, when market volatility is higher than the target volatility level of the index, the index will allocate weight to the cash component to dampen volatility. When market volatility is lower than the target, the index can allocate more than 100% weight to the underlying index.

Meeting industry standards
Each product within the Elite IUL Portfolio will offer an enhanced indexed account strategy with varying options to match a client's risk tolerance and financial goals. Beyond the new enhanced VCI accounts, the portfolio will also offer industry standard accounts, such as a traditional capped S&P 500^® indexed account and a lower volatility target VCI indexed account that will offer uncapped potential with a high participation rate. Policyholders have the flexibility to allocate into one or more of Lincoln WealthBuilder^SM IUL’s indexed account options and may choose to switch between them based on life changes, financial needs or market conditions.

Additional upside potential
The new Elite IUL Portfolio will offer the ability to seek additional upside potential through both the new and improved Indexed Account portfolio as well as through additional riders. New rider options include the Performance Multiplier Rider that offers clients the ability to accelerate performance above the cap on eligible one-year accounts through an additional charge for multiplier. The new Enhanced Overloan Protection Rider gives clients the freedom to pursue upside potential by protecting certain highly funded, heavily loaned policies from lapse.

About Lincoln WealthBuilder^SM IUL
Lincoln WealthBuilder^SM IUL is designed to offer policyholders a tax-advantaged way to access growth opportunities with less risk. The product achieves this by offering death benefit protection with the ability to accumulate tax-deferred cash value through index account crediting that includes a 0% floor, with access to that cash value tax-free.³ Lincoln WealthBuilder^SM IUL will also offer new multi-year indexed account options that provide clients access to additional upside potential with higher caps and participation rates by leveraging durational market risk.

“Lincoln WealthBuilder^SM IUL is a powerful strategy within any client portfolio. The combination of flexible options for changing markets, a new indexed account portfolio built for performance and new Multiplier Riders open up a world of possibilities for clients to choose the right balance of protection and performance for them,” said Darrel Tedrow, senior vice president, president of Life Solutions at Lincoln. “Financial professionals can also expect new pre-, during- and post-sale tools coming later this year to help manage these policies throughout their clients’ lifetimes.”

¹ Lincoln Financial, Consumer Sentiment Tracker, May 2024
² LIMRA: U.S. Individual Life Insurance Premium Exceeds $16 Billion in 2024, Setting New Sales Record, January 2025.
³ Distributions of loans and withdrawals will reduce the cash value and death benefit; may cause the policy to lapse and may have tax consequences.

About Lincoln Financial

Lincoln Financial helps people confidently plan for their vision of a successful financial future. As of December 31, 2024, approximately 17 million customers trust our guidance and solutions across four core businesses – annuities, life insurance, group protection, and retirement plan services. As of December 31, 2024, the company has $321 billion in end-of-period account balances, net of reinsurance. Headquartered in Radnor, Pa., Lincoln Financial is the marketing name for Lincoln National Corporation (NYSE: LNC) and its affiliates. Learn more at LincolnFinancial.com.

Note: Jared Nepa and Darrel Tedrow are spokespersons for Lincoln Life Solutions. Jared Nepa holds a leadership role within Lincoln Financial Distribution, the wholesaling broker-dealer of Lincoln Financial. Darrel Tedrow holds a leadership role within Lincoln Financial. They are compensated by Lincoln and are shareholders of Lincoln National Corporation.

Important Information

Lincoln WealthBuilder^SM IUL is issued on policy ICC24-UL6097/24-UL609 by The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company, Fort Wayne, IN, and distributed by Lincoln Financial Distributors, Inc., a broker-dealer. The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company does not solicit business in the state of New York, nor is it authorized to do so. Not available in NY.

All guarantees and benefits of the insurance policy are subject to the claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company. They are not backed by the broker-dealer and/or insurance agency selling the policy, or any affiliates of those entities other than the issuing company affiliates, and none makes any representations or guarantees regarding the claims-paying ability of the issuer.

Indexed universal life is a permanent insurance product with a duration and death benefit. An IUL policy allows for cash value accumulation but is not subject to market exposure. In many cases the indexed universal life products (IULs) will have caps and floors which limit both the volatility of any cash values and the upside potential. Refer to the product guide for more information including any applicable riders and fees, and sales or surrender charges.

The S&P 500^® Index, S&P 500^® Dynamic Intraday TCA Index, and S&P 500^® Daily Risk Control 10% Index (“Indexes”) and associated data are a product of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, its affiliates and/or their licensors and has been licensed for use by Lincoln Financial, 2024, S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, its affiliates and/or their licensors. All rights reserved. Redistribution or reproduction in whole or in part are prohibited without written permission of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC. For more information on any of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC’s indices please visit www.spdji.com. S&P^® is a registered trademark of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC (“SPFS”) and Dow Jones^® is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC (“Dow Jones”). Neither S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, SPFS, Dow Jones, their affiliates nor their licensors (“S&P DJI”) make any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the ability of any index to accurately represent the asset class or market sector that it purports to represent and S&P DJI shall have no liability for any errors, omissions, or interruptions of any index or the data included therein.

Please refer to the policy or additional marketing material for more detailed information on the Indexed Accounts.

The S&P 500^® Index is a price index and does not reflect dividends paid on the underlying stock. It is not possible to invest directly in an index.

The S&P 500^® Dynamic Intraday TCA Index methodology was created based on historical data of the Index components. The methodology is available at: https://www.spglobal.com/spdji/en/indices/multi-asset/sp-500-dynamic-intraday-tca-index-usd-er/#overview

The S&P 500^® Daily Risk Control 10% Index methodology was created based on historical data of the Index components. The methodology is available at: https://www.spglobal.com/spdji/en/indices/multi-asset/sp-500-daily-risk-control-10-index/?currency=USD&returntype=E-#overview

The Fidelity AIM^® Dividend Index (the “Index”) is a product of Fidelity Product Services LLC (“FPS”) and has been licensed for use by The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company and its affiliates and reinsurers (“Lincoln”). Fidelity is a registered trademark of FMR LLC. The Index is the exclusive property of FPS and is made and compiled without regard to the needs, including, but not limited to, the suitability needs of Lincoln or any Lincoln life insurance owner. Lincoln exercises sole discretion in determining whether and how the life insurance will be linked to the value of the Index. FPS does not provide investment advice to owners of the life insurance, and in no event shall any Lincoln life insurance policy owner be deemed to be a client of FPS. Neither FPS nor any third party involved in, or related to, making or compiling the Index makes any representation regarding the Index, Index information, Index or market performance, life insurance generally or the Lincoln life insurance in particular, and Lincoln life insurance is not sold, sponsored, endorsed or promoted by FPS or any other third party involved in, or related to, making or compiling the Index (including the Index calculation agent, as applicable). FPS disclaims all warranties, express or implied, including all warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular use; does not guarantee the adequacy, accuracy, timeliness, and/or completeness of the Index or any data or communication related thereto; and assumes no liability for errors, omissions, or interruptions of the Fidelity AIM^® Dividend Index.

This indexed universal life insurance policy does not participate directly in any stock or equity investment and does not include the purchase of shares of stock or an index. The indexed accounts use an outside market index as a benchmark for determining indexed account earnings. Any dividends paid on the stocks on which the index is based do not increase the life policy's cash value. All values provided by the policy, when based on performance of the indexed account, are not guaranteed to be equivalent to the benchmarking index. The composition of the index and the methodology used by the index to calculate its performance are not guaranteed and may be changed at any time by the index provider.

Distributions are taken through loans and withdrawals, which will reduce a policy’s cash value and death benefit. Loans are not considered income and are not taxable while withdrawals are tax-free up to the policy’s cost basis, provided the policy is not a MEC.

It is possible coverage will expire when either no premiums are paid following the initial premium, or subsequent premiums are insufficient to continue coverage.

Products and features subject to state availability. Limitations and exclusions may apply.

NOT A DEPOSIT. NOT FDIC-INSURED. NOT INSURED BY ANY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY. NOT GUARANTEED BY ANY BANK OR SAVINGS ASSOCIATION. MAY GO DOWN IN VALUE.

LCN-7719245-030725

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250324110884/en/

Media Contact:

Joe Gardner

Joseph.Gardner@lfg.com

Source: Lincoln Financial

FAQ

What are the key features of Lincoln Financial's new WealthBuilderSM IUL product?

The product offers enhanced volatility-controlled indices linked to S&P 500®, traditional and uncapped VCI indexed accounts, and performance multiplier riders for additional growth potential.

What percentage of U.S. life insurance market will IUL sales represent in 2024?

IUL sales are expected to represent nearly 25% of the total U.S. life insurance market in 2024.

What are the new S&P 500 indices offered in Lincoln's WealthBuilderSM IUL?

The new indices are the S&P 500 Dynamic Intraday TCA 15% Index and S&P 300 Daily Risk Control 10% Index, offering the highest volatility targets ever by Lincoln.

What protection features does Lincoln's new WealthBuilderSM IUL include?

It includes an Enhanced Overloan Protection Rider to protect heavily loaned policies from lapse and flexible allocation options between different indexed accounts.

How many products will Lincoln's Elite IUL Portfolio include?

The Elite IUL Portfolio will feature three products, with Lincoln WealthBuilderSM IUL being the first one launched.