AMERICANS LACK CONFIDENCE IN THEIR RETIREMENT SECURITY

Posted on February 7, 2012

 

Today’s content concept from Diana Schneidman of DianaWrites:

Americans’ confidence in their financial outlook for retirement is increasing slightly as the country experiences some economic recovery, but workers who are older, in poor health or have only a defined contribution plan are more likely to be dissatisfied.

Source: Towers Watson Retirement Attitudes Survey

 

Representative findings:

  • Workers with DB plans are 2.5 times more likely to feel confident about their financial resources during 25 years of retirement.
  • Many workers are attempting to prepare for retirement by paying off debt, reducing their spending and saving more money.
  • Four out of 10 workers do not consider health care costs in predicting their retirement income needs.

 

Article angles:

  • Summarize and report the trends.
  • Suggest how employees can better prepare financially for retirement.
  • How your company or industry is positioning itself to benefit from reported trends.
  • Case studies or representative stories about how clients or employees have planned for and implemented successful retirements.
  • Does your company have data to support or refute the survey’s findings?

Background info on this study:

A national survey of 9,218 full-time U.S. employees at nongovernmental organizations with at least 1,000 employees. The survey was conducted in June/July 2011 and reported in January 2012. This survey is part of an ongoing series.

 

Survey report:  Towers Watson

 

Copyright 2012, Diana Schneidman.

 

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Insurance Information Institute publishes in-depth data on insurance industry in 2011

Posted on January 31, 2012

PRIVATE PASSENGER AUTO IS BY FAR THE LARGEST LINE OF INSURANCE AND IS THE MOST IMPORTANT SOURCE OF INDUSTRY PROFITS.

Source: “Personal Lines P-C Insurance Markets: Trends, Challenges & Opportunities for 2012 & Beyond.” Insurance Information Institute, December 1, 2011. Robert P. Hartwig, Ph.D., CPCU, President & Economist.

 

Representative findings:

  • Personal / commercial lines split has been about 50/50 in premium for many years. However, personal lines overtook commercial lines in 2010.
  • Private passenger auto premiums written have been basically flat in recent years due to the weak economy impacting new vehicle sales, car choice and increased price sensitivity among consumers, though growth is returning to the market.
  • Homeowners insurance net written premium continues to rise despite very little unit growth in recent years. Reasons include rate increases, especially in coastal zones, ITV endorsements and inelastic demand.

 

Article angles:

  • Summarize and report the trends
  • Does your company’s or industry’s experience differ from these broad trends? Or more likely, does it reflect these same trends?
  • How is your company or industry positioning itself to benefit from reported trends?
  • Experience varies by state. What are the implications of variations among states on your company’s book of business?

Background info on this study:

 

Data from the Insurance Information Institute, December 2011. Series of 157 pages with graphical presentations of data

Survey report:  Slides

Copyright 2012, Diana Schneidman.

 

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DianaWrites: Facebook Data Team finds degrees of separation are shrinking

Posted on December 2, 2011

Today’s content concept from Diana Schneidman of DianaWrites:

BY STUDYING ITS 721 MILLION ACTIVE USERS (MORE THAN 10% OF THE GLOBAL POPULATION), FACEBOOK DATA TEAM FINDS THAT THE MEDIAN FRIEND COUNT IS 100.

Source:  Anatomy of Facebook, by Facebook Data Team, November 21, 2011

 

Representative findings:

  • Average friend count is 190.
  • Degree of separation between any two Facebook users is smaller than the common 6-degree figure. The average distance is 4.74 and declining.
  • A user’s friends are most likely to be a similar age and from the same country.

 

Article angles:

  • Summarize and report the trends
  • How is your company using Facebook (or other social media) to benefit from these trends?
  • How can your company or industry positioning itself to benefit from reported trends?
  • Are you using Facebook? Other social media? How are you using each of these resources?
  • How are your employees preparing for retirement?

Background info on this study:

Facebook examined all 721 million users with 69 billion friendships. Findings were released in November 2011.

Survey report:

The Anatomy of Facebook

(If link no longer works, use Source data to find it online)

 

Copyright 2011, Diana Schneidman.

 

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Women concerned about retirement security but not addressing concerns

Posted on October 19, 2011

Mature American women expect to live long lives and know that the retirement lifestyle they want will require significant financial resources.  However, their actual planning and preparation lag.

Source: MetLife Study of Women, Retirement, and the Extra-Long Life: Implications for Planning, produced by the MetLife Mature Market Institute, in conjunction with the Scripps Gerontology Center of Miami University, 2011

Representative findings:

  • Seven out of 10 mature women are concerned about affording health care and long-term care costs in retirement
  • 54% of women are concerned about outliving their retirement resources
  • Women are less likely than men to calculate retirement income and expenses
  • The “Three Cs”—Communication + Compatibility = Confidence—is a formula for how married couples can improve their active retirement planning
  • Note: The findings are not surprising to professionals in fields related to retirement planning. However, this report does an excellent job of combining original research findings with demographic and other data.

Article angles:

  • Summarize and report the trends
  • Does your company’s or industry’s experience differ from these broad trends? Or more likely, does it reflect these same trends?
  • How is your company or industry positioning itself to benefit from reported trends?
  • Case studies or representative stories about how mature adults have planned for and implemented successful retirements.
  • How are your employees preparing for retirement?

Background info on this study:

A national survey of 1,007 retired and employed men and women ages 50 to 70, supplemented with in-depth structured interviews of 50 individuals and couples.

Survey report: http://www.metlife.com/assets/cao/mmi/publications/studies/2011/mmi-women-retirement-extra-long-life.pdf

Link to video: http://www.metlife.com/mmi/research/women-retirement-extra-long-life.html#findings

 

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Americans’ media usage habits have changed dramatically and quickly since last year.

Posted on August 25, 2011

Source: Arbitron and Edison Research, 2011

Representative findings:

  • Smartphone ownership in 2011 more than doubled over 2010 to 31%
  • Over half of Americans are on Facebook
  • Daily usage of TV, radio and the internet averages 8 hours and 11 minutes
  • Television is the medium with the widest reach—98% of those surveyed use / own a TV

Media studied include smartphones, Facebook, iPad, local AM / FM radio, online radio, Pandora, TV, YouTube and more.

Article angles:

  • Summarize and report the trends.
  • Does your company’s or industry’s experience differ from these broad trends?
  • How is your company or industry positioning itself to benefit from reported trends?
  • What is your experience in getting up to speed with a new medium? How have you learned to use it more easily and effectively?
  • Which media are most conducive to developing relationships with your key audiences and why?

Background info on this study:

A total of 2,020 persons were interviewed to investigate Americans’ use of digital platforms and new media between January 4 and February 2, 2011 in a study for Arbitron Inc. and Edison Research. The study was released April 5, 2011. The study is the 19th in a series beginning in 1998.

Summary: http://www.edisonresearch.com/home/archives/2011/04/
the_infinite_dial_2011.php

Presentation slides: http://www.arbitron.com/downloads/infinite_dial_2011_presentation.pdf

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