Indexed Universal Life (IUL) is a pseudo-hybrid of regular (or fixed) universal life (UL) and variable universal life (VUL). Like regular UL, it is a flexible premium, current assumption, adjustable death benefit type of cash value permanent life insurance with a guaranteed minimum interest crediting rate. Like VUL, the amount the insurer credits to the cash accumulation account is tied to an equity index such as the S&P 500 or the Nasdaq 100. Most IUL policies allow policyowners to allocate their cash value amounts between a fixed account and one or more equity index accounts. Thus, insurers have designed IUL to give policyowners the opportunity to participate in the gains when market indexes turn up while being protected from market downturns. Although the amount credited to the cash value account is based upon one or more equity indexes, the cash value account is NOT directly invested in the stock market. This is why IUL is called a pseudo-hybrid in that it somewhat mimics, but does not actually duplicate, the cash value account methods of VUL policies.
Reproduced with permission. Copyright The National Underwriter Co. Division of ALM