Des Moines, Iowa – The life insurance sector demonstrated widespread resilience and positive momentum during the second quarter of 2026, according to comprehensive industry data released by Wink, Inc. Published on September 8, 2026, the 116th edition of Wink’s Sales & Market Report reveals that overall sales across all major life insurance product lines exceeded $3.1 billion. This figure marks a steady 6.5% increase compared to the previous quarter and a 6.4% uptick year-over-year, signaling sustained consumer demand for financial protection and wealth accumulation vehicles amid evolving macroeconomic conditions.
Wink, Inc., a premier source for competitive intelligence and market research in the life and annuity sectors, has tracked insurance product sales data since 1997. Headquartered in Des Moines, the firm leverages more than two centuries of combined staff experience to provide domestic and global financial services professionals, carriers, distributors, and regulators with granular insights into product performance, distribution trends, and market shifts.
Comprehensive Growth Across Product Categories
The second-quarter report encompasses performance metrics for a diverse array of offerings, including fixed universal life (UL), indexed universal life (IUL), variable universal life (VUL), indexed whole life, traditional whole life, and term life insurance. Across this broad spectrum, the industry experienced an upward trajectory, though individual product lines exhibited distinct growth patterns influenced by shifting consumer preferences and targeted distribution strategies.
Total life insurance sales reached the $3.1 billion threshold, propelled primarily by robust performances in the whole life and variable universal life segments. Transamerica captured the number one ranking in overall sales across all life insurance products for the quarter, securing a 7.0% market share. Furthermore, Transamerica Life’s Transamerica Financial Foundation IUL II emerged as the top-selling product across all distribution channels combined, cementing its stronghold in the marketplace.
Universal Life and Non-Variable Segments See Steady Gains
When examining the broader universal life category—which aggregates fixed, indexed, and variable universal life products—sales reached $1.2 billion for the quarter. This performance reflects a 5.8% increase quarter-over-quarter and a 4.3% expansion compared to the same period in 2025.
Prudential led the universal life landscape, capturing the number one overall ranking with a 10.9% market share. The insurer’s dominance in this category underscores the enduring appeal of flexible premium structures and cash value growth potential among policyholders navigating economic uncertainty.
For non-variable universal life products, which combine fixed UL and indexed UL sales, total revenue stood at $872.7 million. While this segment registered a modest 2.4% increase from the prior quarter, it experienced a slight 2.2% contraction on a year-over-year basis. National Life Group maintained its stronghold at the top of the non-variable universal life rankings, commanding a 14.8% market share. The insurer’s success was anchored by the continued popularity of indexed strategies tailored for long-term financial planning.
Fixed Universal Life and Indexed Life Dynamics
Fixed universal life sales totaled $65.2 million during the second quarter, edging up by less than 1% sequentially while declining 6.0% year-over-year. Nationwide retained its leadership position in the fixed UL market, securing a robust 22.5% market share. The top five carriers in this category were rounded out by Pacific Life Companies, Protective Life Companies, John Hancock, and Massachusetts Mutual Life Companies, respectively.
Nationwide’s CareMatters II retained its crown as the top-selling fixed universal life product across all channels for the second consecutive quarter, highlighting strong demand for linked-benefit solutions that address long-term care needs. Data from Wink’s report indicates that policies with a primary objective of a No Lapse Guarantee accounted for 36.5% of sales. Meanwhile, the average fixed UL target premium rose nearly 6.0% from the previous quarter to reach $7,207.
In the indexed life market—which encompasses both indexed universal life and indexed whole life—sales reached $811.0 million. This represents a 2.7% increase from the first quarter, though down 1.7% from the same period last year. National Life Group captured the #1 ranking in indexed life sales with a 15.7% market share, followed by Transamerica, Pacific Life Companies, John Hancock, and Nationwide.
Transamerica’s Financial Foundation IUL II claimed the title of the top-selling indexed life product for the quarter. Cash accumulation remained the primary consumer objective, driving an overwhelming 72.1% of sales. The average indexed life target premium stood at $12,174, marking a decrease of nearly 6.0% compared to the prior quarter.
Sheryl J. Moore, CEO of both Moore Market Intelligence and Wink, Inc., offered critical insights into the evolving distribution landscape for indexed products. "It appears that multi-level marketing (MLM) firms are advancing indexed life sales," Moore observed. She added, "It will be interesting to see if the companies underwriting products for these firms improve the retention issues that are associated with this distribution method."
Variable Universal Life and Traditional Whole Life Surge
Variable universal life (VUL) insurance witnessed some of the most dramatic growth figures of the quarter. VUL sales climbed to $363.9 million, representing a substantial 15.1% increase over the previous quarter and an impressive 24.5% surge compared to the corresponding period in 2025.
Prudential retained its leadership position in the VUL segment with a commanding 31.8% market share, supported by Pacific Life Companies, John Hancock, Nationwide, and RiverSource Life. Pruco Life’s PruLife Custom Premier II secured the #1 spot as the best-selling VUL product for the second consecutive quarter. Cash accumulation served as the primary driver for 68.2% of VUL sales, while the average target premium decreased by nearly 12% to $20,424.
Traditional whole life insurance continued to command a massive share of consumer preference, with first-quarter sales exceeding $1.3 billion. This reflects a 7.4% quarterly increase and an 18.2% jump year-over-year. Final expense coverage emerged as the dominant primary objective, capturing 69.5% of total whole life sales. The average premium per whole life policy rose more than 6% from the prior quarter to reach $4,109.
Emphasizing the sheer dominance of the traditional segment, market analysts noted that the market share for whole life insurance remains exceptionally strong, maintaining a nearly 17% lead over its nearest competitor, indexed life.
Term Life Insurance Performance
Term life insurance sales tallied $553.2 million for the quarter, reflecting a 6.0% increase sequentially but an 11% decline compared to the same period in the previous year. Prudential captured the #1 ranking in term life sales with a 6.8% market share, flanked by Pacific Life Companies, Protective Life Companies, Corebridge Financial, and National Life Group in the top five.
Protective Life’s Classic Choice Term 20 maintained its position as the top-selling term life product across all channels for the second consecutive quarter. The average annual term life premium per policy reported during the quarter stood at $2,008, representing an increase of more than 5% from the preceding quarter.
Industry Implications and Future Outlook
The second-quarter data compiled by Wink, Inc. illustrates a dynamic insurance marketplace where consumers increasingly balance risk management with wealth-building objectives. The stellar performance of whole life and variable universal life products underscores a growing consumer appetite for guaranteed protection paired with aggressive cash accumulation features. At the same time, the steady performance of indexed universal life highlights ongoing interest in market-linked upside potential protected by downside floors.
As insurers navigate shifting regulatory environments, macroeconomic pressures, and evolving distribution channels—such as the rise of multi-level marketing noted by industry leadership—competitive intelligence resources like Wink’s Sales & Market Report remain indispensable. By offering granular breakdowns by product, company, indexing method, and distribution channel, these insights empower industry stakeholders to adapt proactively to changing consumer behaviors.
Wink, Inc. continues to maintain its comprehensive suite of due-diligence tools, including AnnuitySpecs and LifeSpecs, accessible via its official platform at www.WinkIntel.com. Through rigorous data collection and expert analysis, the Des Moines-based firm remains a foundational pillar for life insurance and annuity market research globally.
