New Challenges Require New Thinking: Investors Can Harness the Power of Alternative Asset Classes to Reduce Correlations and Improve Portfolio Diversification

Company Website: http://www.jnl.com
LANSING, Mich. -- (Business Wire)

Jackson National Life Insurance Company^® (Jackson) today announced the launch of Elite Access, a new investment vehicle designed to provide the opportunity for greater portfolio diversification¹ by utilizing alternative asset classes. Elite Access combines three core elements ― alternative investments, risk management and tactical management ― to deliver an innovative approach to addressing market volatility and capturing the potential for higher returns with less risk.

“Clients are looking for proactive and agile investing strategies that help offset record market volatility,” said Clifford Jack, head of retail for Jackson. “Furthermore, the traditional 60/40 portfolio must evolve to include proper utilization of low-correlated asset classes such as alternatives. Elite Access delivers a sophisticated, yet simplified, new approach to portfolio management by coupling alternatives with guided strategies to help advisers address the rapid movements of the market and maximize the potential for returns on behalf of their clients.”

Elite Access features a wide range of investment options and philosophies, all optimized through the benefits of tax deferral². Individual investment options include:

• Alternative Investments: 12 options, including managed futures, commodities, listed private equity, global infrastructure, convertible arbitrage and emerging markets debt that provide enhanced diversification potential; and
• Traditional Investments: Options from well-known, reputable active managers such as American Funds, Franklin Templeton, J.P. Morgan and T. Rowe Price that span across investment styles.

“Elite Access also gives Jackson the opportunity to expand its footprint and increase its share of the asset management market,” continued Mr. Jack. “We are committed to our core product lines, and Elite Access is an innovative offering that allows us to utilize our experience and expertise to capture flows from additional asset pools.”

Jackson has an established and significant presence in the alternatives market, and is one of the largest distributors of alternative investments in the retail adviser market today. Elite Access builds upon this foundation to offer advisers and investors the option of creating their own portfolios or leveraging strategies built by leading third-party managers, including Curian Capital, LLC^{(Curian®), BlackRock® and Ivy Investment Management Company.}

“At Jackson, we believe that advisers should have the opportunity to construct client portfolios as they see fit without restriction, or utilize the expertise of third-party managers who can deliver investing insights that simplify and support the decision-making process,” said Mr. Jack. “Elite Access extends our history of providing a wide range of options that give advisers the choice to implement an approach that best suits their clients’ individual needs.”

Third-party packaged strategies available within Elite Access include:

• Risk Management: Curian’s Dynamic Risk Advantage^SM strategy seeks to systemically reduce risk exposure when higher-risk assets are in decline, and increases risk exposure when these assets are trending positive. The strategy has three variations ― Aggressive, Income and Diversified ― which are actively managed by Curian, with Mellon Capital Management acting as sub-adviser.
• Tactical Management: Five strategies ― Curian Tactical Advantage 75, 60 and 35³, JNL/Ivy Asset Strategy and JNL/BlackRock Global Allocation ― opportunistically seek to exploit strong market sectors and inefficiencies among different asset classes or sub-asset classes. The Curian Tactical Advantage strategies leverage expert analysis by Ned Davis Research, Inc. to identify perceived market trends, cyclical opportunities and/or risks in the markets. Depending on the analysis, Curian overweights or underweights asset classes or sub-asset classes to capture potential gains over time. The JNL/Ivy Asset Strategy and the JNL/BlackRock Global Allocation fund are sub-advised by Ivy Investment Management Company and BlackRock^®, respectively.
• Guidance Portfolios^SM: Nine packaged portfolios from Curian that combine traditional and alternative investments with tactical and risk management strategies. The Guidance Portfolios have three distinct approaches ― Growth, Income and Alternatives ― to address a client’s individual investment goals. Growth portfolios pursue moderate or maximum growth potential, offering strategic or tactical asset allocation complemented by dedicated risk management strategies. Income portfolios are designed to maximize income potential, provide rising income to address inflation or strike a balance between both objectives. Alternative portfolios incorporate nontraditional investments to deliver enhanced diversification potential.

To introduce Elite Access to advisers, Jackson will conduct a national, multi-faceted educational campaign that includes a Web presence (www.Elite-Access.com), regional seminars, adviser webcasts, training programs, new multimedia marketing materials and an upgrade to Jackson’s Portfolio Construction Tool to include alternative asset classes and correlation analysis.

“Training and education are vital components of the Elite Access rollout,” said Mr. Jack. “Many advisers are seeking ways to incorporate alternatives within their practices, but remain unclear on how to effectively utilize these asset classes. Jackson has built a comprehensive educational program to help advisers as they begin to explore alternatives, including one-on-one support from one of the largest wholesaling forces in the annuity industry. Jackson’s wholesalers have a reputation for providing valuable assistance and will actively engage representatives on how to use Elite Access to improve diversification within a client’s portfolio.”

For more information, please call Jackson’s dedicated Elite Access hotline at 888-690-4799 or visit the Elite Access website at www.Elite-Access.com.

Before investing in variable products, investors should carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of the variable product and its underlying investment options.The current contract prospectus and underlying fund prospectuses, which are contained in the same document, provide this and other important information. Please contact your representative or the Company to obtain the prospectuses.Please read the prospectuses carefully before investing or sending money.

BlackRock is a registered trademark of BlackRock, Inc. in the United States.

About Jackson National Life Insurance Company

With $115.7 billion in assets (IFRS)*, Jackson National Life Insurance Company (Jackson) is a leading provider of retirement solutions. The company sells variable, fixed and fixed index annuities, life insurance and institutional products. Through its affiliates and subsidiaries, Jackson also provides asset management and retail brokerage services. Jackson markets its products in 49 states and the District of Columbia through independent and regional broker-dealers, wirehouses, financial institutions and independent insurance agents. Jackson’s subsidiary, Jackson National Life Insurance Company of New York^®, similarly markets products in the state of New York. For more information, visit www.jackson.com.

*Jackson has $115.7 billion in total IFRS assets and $105.5 billion in IFRS policy liabilities primarily set aside to pay future policyowner benefits (as of 6/30/11). International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) is a principles-based set of international accounting standards indicating how transactions and other events should be reported in financial statements. IFRS is issued by the International Accounting Standards Board in an effort to increase global comparability of financial statements and results. IFRS is used by Jackson’s parent, Prudential plc, to report the Group’s financial results.

Elite Access Fixed and Variable Annuity (VA650, VA 660) is issued by Jackson National Life Insurance Company (Home Office: Lansing, Michigan) and in New York (VA650NY, VA 660NY) by Jackson National Life Insurance Company of New York (Home Office: Purchase, New York). Variable annuities are distributed by Jackson National Life Distributors LLC, member FINRA. May not be available in all states, and state variations apply. This product has limitations and restrictions, including withdrawal charges and excess interest adjustments (interest rate adjustments in New York) where applicable.

Jackson issues other variable annuities with similar features, benefits, limitations and charges. Discuss them with your representative or contact Jackson for more information.

The subaccounts expect to invest in positions that emphasize alternatives or non-traditional asset classes or investment strategies, and as a result, are subject to the risk factors of those asset classes. Some of those risks include general economic risk, geo-political risk, commodity price volatility, counterparty and settlement risk, currency risk, derivatives risk, emerging markets risk, foreign securities risk, high-yield bond exposure, non-investment grade bond exposure, index investing risk, industry concentration risk, leveraging risk, market risk, prepayment risk, liquidity risk, real estate investment risk, sector risk, short sales risk, temporary defensive positions, and large cash positions.

Please remember that a Jackson annuity is intended to be a long-term, tax-deferred vehicle for retirement. An annuity's earnings are taxable as ordinary income when withdrawn and, if taken before age 59 1/2, may be subject to a 10% federal tax penalty. Variable annuities involve investment risks and may lose value.

Curian Capital, LLC is a wholly-owned investment advisor subsidiary of Jackson National Life Insurance Company. All other companies mentioned are not affiliated with Jackson National Life Distributors LLC.

Jackson National Life Insurance Company is an indirect subsidiary of Prudential plc, a company incorporated and with its principal place of business in the United Kingdom. Prudential plc and its affiliated companies constitute one of the world's leading financial service groups. It provides insurance and financial services directly and through its subsidiaries and affiliates throughout the world. It has been in existence for over 160 years and had $560 billion in assets under management as of June 30, 2011. Prudential plc is not affiliated in any manner with Prudential Financial, Inc., a company whose principal place of business is in the United States of America.

Contacts:

Jackson National Life Insurance Company
Corporate Communications
Andrew Silver, (303) 224-7542
andrew.silver@jackson.com

Source: Jackson National Life Insurance Company