Why Trust Matters: Annuity Carriers

In today’s annuity environment, advisor trust has become a primary determinant of distribution strength. Advisors are no longer evaluating carriers solely on credit ratings or product competitiveness—they are increasingly selecting partners based on the full experience of doing business: transparency of contract economics, consistency of service and claims execution, operational responsiveness, and alignment with client-first outcomes.

As fiduciary expectations rise and product complexity persists, carriers face a widening trust gap: firms that deliver clarity, consistency, and advisor-centric support are gaining share of wallet, while those perceived as opaque, slow, or misaligned risk erosion in key channels. Trust is now a strategic differentiator—one that influences platform access, advisor advocacy, persistency, and long-term franchise value.

Pulse Logic’s Advisor Trust Index was developed to measure these dynamics systematically. By benchmarking carriers across core dimensions including Financial Strength, Product Transparency, Advisor Alignment, Service Quality, and Digital Experience, the Index provides a quantitative and qualitative evidence-based view into which carriers are earning advisor confidence—and where improvement is required. The implication for carrier leadership is clear: sustainable growth in annuities will increasingly be driven not just by product, but by trust performance over time.