Deferred income annuities reached $535 million in the second quarter, 155 percent higher than in the second quarter of 2012. Year-to-date, deferred income annuity sales grew 151 percent to nearly $1 billion. According to LIMRA, DIA sales are on track to reach $2 billion by the end of the year.

Fixed annuity sales reached $18.3 billion in the second quarter, down 1 percent from 2012. They increased 13 percent from the first quarter of 2013 but for the first half of the year were still down 6 percent, at $34.5 billion.

Quarterly indexed annuities topped $9 billion for the first time. Second-quarter sales rose 5 percent over last year while year-to-date, indexed annuities improved 1 percent to reach $16.8 billion.

Single-premium immediate annuity sales were flat in the second quarter compared to last year but were 12 percent higher than the first quarter of 2013. In the first half of the year, SPIA sales totaled $3.6 billion, or 3 percent lower than in 2012.

Fixed-rate deferred annuity sales declined 15 percent in the second quarter to $5.5 billion. Year-to-date, fixed deferred annuities were 20 percent lower than a year ago at $10.7 billion.

Book-value sales were down 19 percent in the second quarter compared to 2012 at $4.3 billion. MVA sales in the second quarter amounted to $1.2 billion, the same as the previous year's sales.

LIMRA is a research, consulting and professional development organization that helps insurance and financial services companies increase their marketing and distribution effectiveness.