Equitable Expands Portfolio in Variable Universal Life Market

Equitable, a leading financial services company and principal franchise of Equitable Holdings (NYSE: EQH), has announced the launch of an enhanced version of its Market Stabilizer Option. The new offering, Market Stabilizer Option II (MSO II), is available on all single life variable universal life (VUL) products issued by Equitable Financial Life Insurance Company (Equitable Financial) and Equitable Financial Life Insurance Company of America (Equitable America) that are currently sold in the marketplace.¹ MSO II helps clients navigate today’s volatile markets and enables them to thrive, create wealth and protect legacies.

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Hector Martinez, Head of Life Insurance at Equitable (Photo: Business Wire)

With the launch of MSO II, Equitable Financial and Equitable America are building on more than a decade of experience offering buffered indexed options in the life insurance and annuity markets. The new MSO II options, which include Standard, Step Up and Dual Direction segments that track the S&P 500 Price Return Index, are similar to the most popular buffered options available in Equitable Financial and Equitable America’s annuity products. A market leader in the annuity market, Equitable Financial is ranked the #1 Registered Index Linked Annuity (RILA) provider by LIMRA, based on 2021 sales data.²

“In an economic climate marked by equity market volatility, inflation and a possible recession, our clients are more conscious of the need to protect their wealth and are looking for ways to maximize the cash value in their VUL policies to the fullest,” said Hector Martinez, Head of Life Insurance at Equitable. “From pioneering the first variable life insurance product in 1976 to being the first insurer to offer VUL with a buffered indexed option in 2010, we have a track record of innovation in the VUL market. MSO II underscores our commitment to this space.”

The new MSO II offering takes a unique and innovative approach to managing market volatility. Unlike other VUL offerings that have limited or no buffered indexed options, MSO II offers a choice of five options based on clients’ investment goals, risk tolerance and life stage, and three buffers with various levels of downside protection. These options are consistent with some of the most popular options available on Equitable’s annuity products, such as Structured Capital Strategies Income and Structured Capital Strategies PLUS. The five buffered indexed options include: