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Pension Risk Transfer Digest

Winter 2026

Stay ahead of Pension Risk Transfer (PRT) trends with quarterly insights and expert perspectives—delivered to help you make informed decisions for the organizations and pensioners you work with.

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Did you know?

Data quality is the new competitive advantage

Data quality is one of the most important differentiators in today’s pension risk transfer (PRT) market. Incomplete or unreliable participant data can materially affect pricing accuracy, insurer participation and transaction timelines—often leading to higher premiums, fewer bids or execution delays.

As PRT activity continues to grow and insurers become more selective, “clean data” is no longer a post pricing clean up exercise. It is a prerequisite for entering the market and a key driver of competitive outcomes. Plan sponsors that invest in data readiness are better positioned to attract insurer interest, execute efficiently and achieve favorable pricing.

Key elements of data quality

Death search completion

Was a recent death search completed before developing the annuity package?

A current death audit ensures only eligible participants are included in the transaction. Undetected deceased participants can distort liabilities, inflate premiums and create post transaction issues. Recent death searches increase insurer confidence and reduce pricing adjustments needed during onboarding.

Magnifying glass

Exclusion of missing and non-responsive lives

For plan terminations, were missing or non-responsive deferred participants excluded and transferred to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC)?

Properly excluding missing lives helps ensure the annuity population accurately reflects transferred liabilities. Clear documentation of which participants are included versus sent to the PBGC reduces uncertainty and supports smoother execution.

Financial document being signed

Provision of 9-digit ZIP codes

Were 9-digit ZIP codes provided for all included participants?

Granular geographic data improves mortality and longevity assumptions. More precise location data can lead to more accurate—and potentially more competitive—pricing, while incomplete addresses often result in conservative assumptions.

A pin in the center of the United States

Inclusion of work and employment details

Does the RFP include job type, hourly/salary indicator and years of service?

Employment details provide critical context for underwriting and benefit valuation. Including this information upfront reduces follow up questions, speeds underwriting and supports more accurate pricing.

Open hand with dollar sign hovering above it

Validation of personal and benefit information

Were key personal and benefit details verified prior to sharing data with insurers?

Accurate data—such as date of birth, gender, benefit amount, benefit form, marital status and beneficiary information—is essential for pricing and administration. When these details are unverified, insurers often apply conservative assumptions that can negatively affect outcomes.

Two parents and a child

Closing thought

In an increasingly competitive and capacity constrained PRT market, data quality is not just a technical requirement. It is a strategic advantage. Plan sponsors that prioritize accurate, complete and well documented data are better positioned to move quickly, attract insurer interest, and achieve optimal PRT outcomes.

PRT rate update1,2,3

Pricing matters and drives product success.

PRT pricing follows high-quality corporate bond rates, just like pension liability values do. When interest rates go up, PRT costs go down. When rates drop, costs rise. Prices change daily based on what insurers can earn in the market.

F&G's rates decreased around 9 basis points in Q4 2025, translating to a slightly higher PRT transaction cost with F&G maintaining our competitiveness relative to our peers.

Sample PRT Group Annuity Rates ($100M)
This chart covers Jan 2025 - Dec 2025 and shows how group annuity rates changed during that time period.

1 All rates based on 7 year duration all retiree population.

2 F&G sample rate represents preliminary pricing for a hypothetical mixed collar transaction less than $100M in size. Actual final pricing will vary based upon actual transaction details.

3 Average competitor rate based on annuity rates published by BCG Pembridge.

F&G PRT business stats1

Here’s a look at our sold premium, won deals and lives onboarded as of 12/31/2025. Check out F&G’s Q4 and full year 2025 earnings for more.

Total sold premium:

Total number of won deals:

Total lives onboarded:

F&G internal PRT business data as of 12/31/2025. Number of total lives onboarded does not include beneficiaries.

Scott Ferino

Team member spotlight

Scott Ferino

Director, PRT Operations

We're proud of the team we've built at F&G. This quarter, meet Scott Ferino.

Describe your role in PRT.

I lead the PRT Operations Onboarding team, where we take over client management once F&G has won a deal and manage all aspects of deal transition—from initial data analysis through first payment, coordination of group annuity contract (GAC) execution, and delivery of annuity certificates to plan participants.

What brought you to F&G?

I've had extensive PRT experience in my prior role at a different carrier where I worked in PRT Pricing. When the F&G opportunity was presented to me, I was intrigued to explore a familiar product from a completely different perspective and challenge myself to develop a new skillset. The idea of joining a growing team relatively new in the industry was exciting, and I continue to be energized by the opportunity to build out processes and contribute to our team's success.

What's your favorite aspect of PRT?

I enjoy the uniqueness of each deal. Each transaction brings its own nuances and challenges, and I continue to learn from them. I also enjoy the teamwork—contributing to a culture where everyone pulls in the same direction is extremely rewarding.

How do you spend a typical Saturday?

In the winter, we love to take as many family ski trips as possible. In the summer, we're at the beach at the Jersey Shore. Pretty much every weekend in between, we're rooting on one of our kids in sports—whether it's basketball, softball, cross country or track. Family is extremely important to me, and we love spending time together doing things we all enjoy.

Favorite book, podcast or show?

I'm a huge fan of the Mets, so I consume my fair share of Mets podcasts—although I'm not loving their recent results or offseason moves. I enjoy The Rewatchables podcast, which is about movies that are fun to watch over and over again. And I just got into the Harry Potter series, now that my kids are reading them. I’m currently reading the Goblet of Fire—no spoilers please!

We'd love to hear from you!

More about our team

F&G’s PRT team specializes in business development, pricing, investments, operations, legal, finance and reinsurance.

Our team collaborates with consultants and their clients throughout the year to manage new and in-force PRT activities.

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This material is intended for informational purposes only and is only intended for use by institutional plan sponsors and industry professionals.

F&G is the marketing name for Fidelity & Guaranty Life Insurance Company issuing insurance in the United States outside of New York and, in New York only, Fidelity & Guaranty Life Insurance Company of New York. Each Fidelity & Guaranty Life company is solely responsible for its contractual commitments.

Guarantees are based on the claims paying ability of the issuing insurer, Fidelity & Guaranty Life Insurance Company, Des Moines, IA.