NEW YORK, April 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company launched today two new video calculators featuring licensed and experienced financial consultants who help guide individuals through the process of determining how long their retirement savings may last or how much life insurance coverage they may need to protect their families’ future.

The video calculators, unique to AXA Equitable, provide users with an interactive experience where they receive virtual consultations. Financial consultant David Tornetto offers individuals guidance on estimating how savings may grow until retirement and how withdrawals may impact savings during retirement. Financial consultant Char Granstra navigates users through a process to assess how much life insurance coverage they may need to replace their income. Combined, these two financial professionals have more than 40 years of experience helping people define and work toward their financial goals.

“Our video calculators provide people with more than just a figure of how much money they might need for a particular life event,” said Andrew McMahon, president of AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company. “These calculators, featuring real financial professionals, simulate what they can expect in an initial conversation with a financial consultant.

“Planning for your retirement, assessing your family’s readiness in the event of death, even just meeting with a financial consultant for the first time – these can all be daunting tasks,” McMahon said. “The virtual consultation can help people get more comfortable, be better prepared when actually meeting with a financial professional for the first time, and hopefully get more out of the meeting in terms of deciding next steps.”

The financial consultants take users through a step-by-step process to determine the how long their retirement savings may last or how much life insurance coverage they may need based on their life stage, current financial situation and future goals. If a user has a question or needs more information about a particular term or topic, they simply click on a button and the financial consultant explains the topic and provides guidance in greater detail.

“Studies have shown that people spend more time planning for a one-week vacation than they do planning for retirement,” said Connie O’Brien, senior vice president of Internet Strategy and Design for AXA Equitable. “We recently tested this in one of ourRetirement Reality Series person-on-the-street interviews and found solid evidence to support the theory. We created the video calculators to make it easier for people to take the first step toward planning for the future. With the Web technology available today, we can provide customers with a new level of resources to help them make more informed decisions at their pace and in a way that is comfortable and convenient for them.”

The video calculators and virtual consultations are available at www.axa-equitable.com.

About AXA Equitable

In business since 1859, AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company (NY, NY) is a leading financial protection company and one of the nation’s premier providers of life insurance, annuity, and financial products and services. The company’s products and services are distributed to individuals and business owners through its retail distribution channel, AXA Advisors, LLC (member FINRA, SIPC) and to the financial services market through its wholesale distribution channel, AXA Distributors, LLC. Find AXA Equitable on Facebook and Twitter or visit the company’s multi-media newsroom The Source @ AXA Equitable.

AXA Equitable, a subsidiary of AXA Financial Inc., is part of the global AXA Group, a worldwide leader in financial protection strategies and wealth management. “AXA Group” refers to AXA, a French holding company for an international group of insurance and financial services companies together with its direct and indirect consolidated subsidiaries. For more information, visit www.axa-equitable.com.

GE – 62059 (4/11)

SOURCE AXA Equitable

http://www.wholesaleinsurance.net/

NEW YORK, July 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company, a leading U.S. life insurer with a 150-year history, has introduced Athena Indexed Universal Life (Athena IUL), a new permanent life insurance policy with enhanced cash-value accumulation potential and downside protection. Athena IUL offers interest crediting linked to the movement of three major market indices (up to a cap) with a built-in guaranteed floor to help protect against index declines.

“In light of recent market volatility, historic low interest rates, and concerns about the potential for rising taxes, Athena IUL represents a new permanent life insurance product that addresses multiple needs, including beneficiary protection, cash value accumulation and down market risk management,” said Christopher M. “Kip” Condron, chairman and chief executive officer of AXA Equitable. “For individuals and business owners who are juggling a desire to reduce equity risk with a need to build future income, we believe this new solution offers the right blend of benefits.”

Diversification by Market and Time Period

Athena IUL policyholders can allocate net premiums (after expenses) to any combination of four indexed options where cash value can grow (up to a cap) based on the movement of major equity indices. Policyholders have access to indexed options driven by three different equity indices, enabling participation in a broad scope of market opportunities – U.S. large-cap stocks, U.S. small-cap stocks and foreign stocks. Policyholders can also diversify by time period, choosing between three indexed options structured with a one-year maturity and one with a three-year maturity:

– The 1-Year S&P 500 Price Return Index Indexed Option

Based on the Standard & Poor’s 500 Price Return index (S&P 500), which tracks the market capitalization (the aggregate price, or value) of the 500 most widely held large-cap U.S. stocks and is generally regarded as the benchmark for broad U.S. stock market performance.

– The 1-Year Russell 2000 Indexed Option

Based on the Russell 2000 Index, which is generally regarded as the benchmark for U.S. small-cap funds. Russell 2000 tracks the market capitalization of the 2,000 smallest companies listed on the Russell 3000 index, which includes the 3,000 largest companies in the U.S., based on market capitalization.

– The 1-Year MSCI EAFE Indexed Option

Based on the MSCI EAFE Index, which, as of July 2010, tracks the market capitalization of 22 individual country indices in Europe, Australasia and the Far East and is broadly accepted as a benchmark of international equity shares.

  -- The 3-Year S&P 500 Price Return Index Indexed Option
  Also based on the Standard & Poor's 500 Price Return Index (S&P 500).

In addition to these indexed options, policyholders can allocate premium to a Guaranteed Interest Account, which credits a rate of interest guaranteed to never be less than 2%.

Simplified Crediting Rate Strategy

The Athena IUL indexed options deliver growth potential (up to a cap) based on index movements, without exposing policyholders to the possible downside risk typically associated with equity markets. This is accomplished through the beneficial way the index options interest credits are calculated in an Athena IUL policy.

AXA Equitable uses a simplified point-to-point method to determine the index “performance rate” for each indexed option segment – the difference between the index’s value at the beginning and end of the 1-year or 3-year segments. This is then multiplied by the “participation rate” – the percentage of the index growth on which the interest credit is based, subject to the cap and floor established by AXA Equitable.

With Athena IUL, the participation rate is guaranteed to be at least 100%, providing a level of comfort not always found in index-linked life insurance products. If market conditions warrant, AXA Equitable also reserves the right to raise the participation rate above 100% in the future.

“Our new Athena IUL demonstrates the evolution of life insurance and the unique role it can play today in a financial plan,” said Andrew McMahon, president of Financial Protection and Wealth Management for AXA Equitable. “By offering a dynamic coverage strategy with equity-linked growth potential, as well as a guaranteed floor to protect against index declines, we have once again set the tone in the industry – long a characteristic of AXA Equitable.”

NEW YORK, June 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company has announced the launch of a social media campaign that includes company profiles, pages and channels on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Launching such a holistic communications effort is representative of the company recognizing the increasing relevance of these sites.

“Our entrance into social media began earlier this year when we launched The Source, our blogger-friendly multimedia news room,” said Barbara Goodstein, executive vice president and chief innovation office for AXA Equitable. “By expanding our presence into Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, our goal is to amplify our voice in the industry.”

A notable component of the company’s Twitter campaign is the presence of its company mascot, the 800lb gorilla. In a first-of-its kind effort for a financial services company, the gorilla is communicating to its followers through audio “tweets,” as well as the more common 140-character messages. The gorilla’s persona on the site is found under @AXA_Gorilla.

“Our 800lb gorilla campaign debuted in 2006 and it quickly became a part of the financial services advertising lexicon,” said Ms. Goodstein. “He addresses the seriousness of retirement planning in an unassuming way, and we believe his presence on Twitter is complementary to our other marketing and communications efforts.”

In addition to a Twitter page dedicated to the 800lb gorilla, AXA Equitable has also launched a corporate Twitter profile for clients and interested followers. @AXA_Equitable shares important company news, views on life insurance and retirement topics, as well as provides the ability to contact customer service representatives with questions.

Company Also Taps Facebook and YouTube

AXA Equitable has rounded out its social media effort by also launching a group on Facebook and a channel on YouTube. The Facebook group, AXA Equitable redefining/standards, is designed to build a community of individuals that are interested in learning more about the company. Posts and content will include information on life insurance and retirement topics, company updates, and AXA Equitable community and philanthropic activities.

The new AXA Equitable channel on YouTube will serve as a broadcast center for company videos that demonstrate retirement thought leadership activities, as well as company commercials and videos that carry key messages.

“More and more people visit social networking sites for information,” added Ms. Goodstein. “Innovation has always been one of the strengths of our company, and AXA Equitable is pleased to establish a more robust presence in the social media space.”

NEW YORK, April 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company, pioneer of variable life coverage, now introduces a Market Stabilizer Option(sm) on its variable universal life insurance product. Using innovative upside caps and a downside buffer, the Market Stabilizer Option can help smooth the impact of equity volatility on a policy.

Along with providing a death benefit to protect beneficiaries, most variable life products offer the potential for policy growth through market exposure, since premiums are invested in variable portfolios. Now, with the Market Stabilizer Option (MSO) on its Incentive Life Optimizer® product, AXA Equitable offers both policy growth potential and downside protection. The MSO is a policy investment option that offers a rate of return tied to the S&P 500 Price Return index*, up to a growth cap. It also provides a downside buffer of up to 25% if there is a decline in the performance of the index. The growth cap and downside buffer work in tandem to capture a portion of the index’s upside potential while protecting policy values from the adverse effects of volatility.

“The last two years have been among the most turbulent periods ever for equity investors. The related economic insecurity has actually increased consumer awareness of the need for life insurance,” said Christopher M. “Kip” Condron, chairman and chief executive officer of AXA Equitable. “We’re pleased that our Incentive Life Optimizer Market Stabilizer Option now offers in one product a way to help shield clients from significant loss while also easing them back into equity-based investing.”

How the Market Stabilizer Option Works

Using a 15 percent growth cap rate as a hypothetical example, here is how the MSO operates to stabilize volatility:

  If the S&P 500 Price Return        The Market Stabilizer Option indexed-
   index rate of return              linked rate of return on the Segment
   (excluding dividends):            Maturity Date will:                 

  Increases 15 percent or more       Equal 15 percent
  Increases less than 15%            Equal the index performance, excluding
  Stays flat or declines 25          dividends
  percent or less                    Equal zero
                                     Decline by only 5 percent, not by 30
  Declines 30 percent                percent

For more information, visit AXA Equitable Life

AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company released results Thursday of a new survey that polled both consumers and economists on topics relating to the economy, market, and retirement planning.

About 1 in 4 consumers believe the economy will continue being unpredictable and little faith that it will improve any time soon. However, over 12 percent of economists felt this way, less than half when compared to consumers.

“It’s no mystery that the recent market downturn has shattered consumer confidence in investing in equities,” said Christopher M. “Kip” Condron, chairman and chief executive officer of AXA Equitable. “This apprehension, combined with a movement to more conservative investments, could place significant pressure on Americans’ retirement plans in the near future.”

Additional key survey results:

–  85% of consumers believe financial products that protect principal of

investments and provide income that increases with inflation are important, as opposed to 67% of economists believing that they are important;

–  Economists estimate that 25% of consumers are supporting relatives due to the market downturn while only 16% of consumers have begun to do so;

–  More than 8 in 10 of consumers (83%) believe health care costs will rise, compared to 52 percent of economists;

–  Nearly 3 in 4 consumers (73%) believe taxes will rise, compared to 55 percent of economists; and

–  34 percent of consumers believe the unemployment rate will rise, as opposed to only 6 percent of economists.

–  Having inadequate sources of guaranteed income remains the top concern, with 85 percent of consumers surveyed saying they are worried about it;

–  Inflation and protecting principal join guaranteed income as top financial concerns;

–  84 percent of those polled worry, respectively, about investments losing principal and inflation.

–  More than four in 10 polled (42%) plan to delay retirement, on average, by six years. Their planned retirement age is now 68, ballooning from a previously planned age of 62;

–  Almost three in 10 Americans (27%) plan to go back to work after retiring;

–  Approximately two in 10 retirees (17%) have already gone back to work, up from 9 percent of those polled in February 2009.

For more information about the study, www.axa-equitable.com