According to a new A.M. Best Co. special report, overall, US group life in-force market trends have remained relatively static in recent years. New business sales trends, however, have been very erratic both from carrier to carrier, and from year to year. Some competitors are becoming more aggressive in acquiring business, as they are more accepting of alternative plan designs and are providing more creative underwriting and longer rate guarantees. While the group life market has grown moderately, both organically and from consolidation in the past several years, the leading marketshare carriers remain largely the same.

Other highlights in the report are;

-Based on initial year-end data, the amount of group life insurance issued decreased by approximately 3% in 2008, compared with 2007's increase of almost 8%.


-The top 10 carriers continue to dominate the market, representing more than 70% of the total group life in force

- MetLife and Prudential of America remain the top two group life insurance providers, together representing nearly 40% of the market.

- In 2007 and 2008, MetLife reported increases in business issued in excess of 30% and 5% respectively, and Hartford reported low double-digit increases each year. However, Prudential reported a substantial drop in 2007-a 63% decrease-in group life business issued, but in 2008, new sales increased by 65%-almost the same amount.

-Striving to compete, several health carriers have been more aggressive in pricing their ancillary employee benefits products when they package them with the core medical benefits.