Answer by Researcher byrd on Sun 22 Feb 2009 - 2:14 am UTC:

Hi Machoney, 

Private Placement Life Insurance (PPLI) does not always appear on carrier
websites as a specific product per se in the same way as, say, "term life"
or "whole life" products do and are frequently offered only by prospectus
on direct inquiry. It is definitely a challenge in some cases to find out
who is and isn't offering this product. Nevertheless, a recent article from
the American Bar Association states, "in the last five years most major
life insurance carriers have created domestic private placement life
insurance policies."  
http://www.abanet.org/rppt/meetings_cle/heckerling/2009/report_part_17.html

And I have been able to find quite a few. Following is a list of nearly two
dozen major insurance companies for which I've located information
indicating they offer PPLI. Where there was pertinent information on their
websites, I've provided a link to the appropriate page. Where there was
only an outside reference I've provided the reference along with a link to
the company homepage and/or life insurance page/section. I did not include
any for which I found only brief mentions or oblique references to PPLI and
related products that weren't specific or couldn't be corroborated, or any
references older than a year old. 

Just as an aside, in addition to normal insurance companies, there is a
subset of companies called "captive insurance companies." According to
Risker, Adkisson LLP, a law firm that specializes in this area, "A captive
insurance company is simply an insurance company owned by the parent that
underwrites the insurance needs of the parent's subsidiaries." This page
says, "Nearly all major corporations have captives," and that includes
major U.S. insurance companties who operate offshore subsidiaries, or
"captives." Note that some companies in the domestic list do have offshore
and foreign subsidiaries. Since there are over 3500 captives worldwide,
it's beyond the scope of this question to list them all, or to delve too
deeply into that aspect of private placement life insurance, but here are
links to a couple of pages with good information as well as some examples:

http://captiveinsurancecompanies.com/ 
http://www.thebahamasguide.com/business/insurance.htm 

One other note is that in researching this topic I've discovered that this
type of product is also sometimes referred to by a number of other names.
These can include "Private Placement Variable Universal Life," "Private
Placement Variable Life," "Private Placement Variable Life Insurance
Wrapper," "Private Placement Wrapper," or similar combinations of these
terms. In fact, the Texas law firm of  Giordani, Schurig, Beckett &
Tackett, LLP says in a Q&A that "Private Placement Life Insurance
(“PPLI”) is a variable universal life insurance product designed for
high net worth investors."
http://www.gsbtlaw.com/download/PrivatePlacementLifeInsuranceQ&A.pdf 

I hope the information provided is helpful. If you require further
assistance, please Request a Clarification and I'll be glad to respond. 

Regards, 

Byrd


===============================
 AMERICAN/DOMESTIC COMPANIES
===============================

AIG Life
Mentioned in an October 2008 Wall Street Journal article on PPLI.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB116113678252396059.html?mod=hps_us_at_glance_pj

Also, a June 2008 article on Registered Rep mentions this company when it
says, "Now a small group of insurance companies offers the products,
including ..."
http://registeredrep.com/investing/annuities_ins/private_placement_insurance_hedge_fund_tax_free/
http://www.aig.com/Home-Page_20_17084.html 

Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. 
As of Feb. 13, 2009, "Hartford Life provides ... private placement life
insurance." 
http://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/companyProfile?symbol=HIG.N&rpc=66 
http://www.thehartford.com 
http://www.hartfordinvestor.com/servlet/Satellite?c=Page&cid=1125758555641&pagename=Investor%2FPage%2FCommon

John Hancock (see Manulife Financial below)
http://www.johnhancock.com/products/life-insurance.html 
http://www.johnhancock.com 

Massachusetts Mutual
June 2008 article on Registered Rep mentions this company when it says,
"Now a small group of insurance companies offers the products, including
..."
http://registeredrep.com/investing/annuities_ins/private_placement_insurance_hedge_fund_tax_free/
http://www.massmutual.com/productssolutions/individualsfamilies/lifestages/networth

Metropolitan Life Insurance
"MetLife Specialized Benefit Resources (SBR) ... products include ... 
private placement variable life insurance...."
https://sbr.metlife.com/metlife/presentation/html/index.html 

New York Life Insurance
June 2008 article on Registered Rep mentions this company when it says,
"Now a small group of insurance companies offers the products, including
..."
http://registeredrep.com/investing/annuities_ins/private_placement_insurance_hedge_fund_tax_free/
http://www.newyorklife.com/cda/0,3254,14039,00.html 

The Phoenix Companies
June 2008 article on Registered Rep mentions this company when it says,
"Now a small group of insurance companies offers the products, including
..."
http://registeredrep.com/investing/annuities_ins/private_placement_insurance_hedge_fund_tax_free/
https://www.phoenixwm.phl.com/public/products/pp/index.jsp

   AGL Life Assurance (subsidiary of Phoenix)
   Mentioned in an October 2008 Wall Street Journal article on PPLI.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB116113678252396059.html?mod=hps_us_at_glance_pj

Prudential
"... PPLI was first offered by several small companies, and then,
mainstream players such as ... Prudential ...  joined in
http://www.investmentadvisor.com/Issues/2008/July%202008/Pages/A-Special-Kind-of-Life-Insurance.aspx

http://www.prudential.com/view/page/public/11375 

Sun Life Financial
June 2008 article on Registered Rep mentions this company when it says,
"Now a small group of insurance companies offers the products, including
..."
http://registeredrep.com/investing/annuities_ins/private_placement_insurance_hedge_fund_tax_free/
http://www.sunlife.com 

Transamerica Life International (an Aegon company)
The company directory provides a toll free phone number for Variable
Annuity Customer Service, but no link.
http://www.transamerica.com/portal/company_directory.asp#Insurance 
http://www.transamerica.com/ 

   Aegeon Group
   http://www.aegon.com/ 
   http://www.aegonins.com/ 


=============================
 OFFSHORE/FOREIGN COMPANIES
=============================

Acadia Life (Bermuda)
"Offshore  Variable Annuities  & Life Insurance ... Private Placement
Variable Life"
http://www.acadialife.bm/  

Bastion Life (Cayman Islands)
"The Bastion Life "Flexible Premium Variable Life Insurance" policy is
designed to qualify as a life insurance policy under the United States
Internal Revenue Code. The Policy is issued offshore as a private placement
...
http://www.bastionlife.com/ 

Cook Islands Trust Corporation
"CIT can assist with ... structuring the life insurance component to ensure
that the maximum tax and asset protection advantages are attained."
http://www.cookislandstrust.com/product-services.shtml#PrivatePlacementVariableLifeInsurance
(scroll down to Private Placement Variable Life Insurance)
http://www.cookislandstrust.com/product-services.shtml (scroll down to
"Offshore Insurance Licences")

Isle of Man Assurance Ltd. (IOMA) (Isle of Man)
"The International Variable Life Policy (IVLP) has been specifically
designed by Isle of Man Assurance Limited (IOMA) as a Modified Endowment
Contract (MEC) to meet the offshore life assurance and investment needs of
the high net worth United States taxpayer."
http://www.investoffshoredirect.com/Default/IOMA_International_Variable_Life_Policy
http://www.ioma.co.im/products-DVA.html 

Manulife Financial (Canada)
Highly rated insurer with private placement products, and a global
presence. Works through John Hancock in the US. (see above) 
http://www.manulife.com/corporate/corporate2.nsf/Public/Homepage 

Northstar Financial (Titan Life & Annuity) (Bermuda)
From a Feb. 2008 press release, "Northstar Financial Services Ltd.
("Northstar") today announced the closing of its acquisition of Titan Life
& Annuity (Bermuda) Ltd., ("Titan") a Bermuda based provider of private
placement life insurance and annuity products."
http://www.northstarfinancialservices.bm/pressrelease20080225.html 
http://www.northstarfinancialservices.bm/services.html 

Pan-American Life Insurance Company (Cayman Islands)
Has just opened an office in Miami, FL. "As an offshore company, PAACII
offers high net worth individuals and business owners the opportunity to
preserve, grow, and transfer wealth to future generations using products
that are not subject to the tax restrictions of the United States Internal
Revenue Code."
http://www.panamericanlife.com/about/press-release.aspx?id=87 
http://www.panamericanlife.com/default.aspx 

Southpac Life Insurance Ltd. (Cook Islands)
"Unlock the secret of high net worth investment planning - protect your
income and assets from creditors and taxes. Life insurance serves an
integral part ... many sophisticated investors have discovered the true
value of life insurance as a tax planning tool."
http://www.southpaclife.com/ 

Sovreign Crest Alliance (St. Kitt's) 
Services inclue "private placement life insurance"
http://www.worldoffshorebanks.com/stkittspro.html 
http://sovereigncrest.com/ 

Sun Life Financial - Global (see Sun Life above)
http://www.sunlife.com/global/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=0703c2aad2a6b110vgnprod10000d490d09fRCRD&vgnLocale=en_CA
http://www.sunlife.com
  Sun Life Bermuda: http://www.sunlife.bm/ 
  Sun Life Ireland: http://www.sunlife.ie/ 

Swiss Life (Switzerland)
"Private Placement Life Insurance ... Integrating wealth management with
high end life insurance."
http://www.swisslife.li/slli/en/home.html 

Transamerica Life International Ltd. (Bermuda) (see Transamerica above, an
Aegon company)
"wholly owned subsidiary of AEGON Ireland Holding BV, which in turn is
owned by AE International NV which is owned by AEGON N.V, the
Netherlands-based Insurance Group."
http://www.transamerica.com/ 
 
    Aegeon Group
    http://www.aegon.com/ 
    http://www.aegonins.com/