Insurers have work to do to catch up with fund companies in their Web site offerings, according to
Dalbar. The Boston-based research company noted that the gap has arisen despite the reliance insurers have on intermediaries to distribute their funds. Mutual fund firms "remain clearly superior to insurance companies in the Internet support of financial professionals," said the report.
"The trailing of insurers is quite surprising since they depend more on financial
professionals than do mutual funds,"said
Louis S. Harvey, Dalbar's president. "This shows that mutual fund companies have recognized the power of the Web to build loyalty with financial professionals and are investing in it," he added.
Fidelity has the top Web site for financial advisors, replacing Kemper. Meanwhile Invesco is tops for consumers, according to Dalbar. The Boston-based research company released its second quarter ratings of both financial professional and consumer sites yesterday.
Fidelity, the top fund company, scored a 76 out of 100 possible points compared to American Skandia, the top insurer, which earned 61 points. Dalbar also pointed out that the scores of the 25th company in each category also favored the fund company (46 to 29).
Consumer Web Sites |
RANK | DALBAR Ranking |
2nd Qtr |
1st Qtr |
COMPANY |
DESIGNATION |
SCORE |
1 | 1 | INVESCO | Excellent | 86 |
2 | 5 | Fidelity | Excellent | 85 |
2 | 5 | American Century | Excellent | 85 |
4 | 2 | Vanguard | Excellent | 84 |
4 | 3 | Strong | Excellent | 84 |
6 | 4 | AIM | Excellent | 82 |
6 | 8 | T. Rowe Price | Excellent | 82 |
8 | 11 | Montgomery | Excellent | 80 |
9 | 8 | Van Kampen | Very Good | 78 |
9 | 7 | Oppenheimer | Very Good | 78 |
11 | 18 | One Group | Very Good | 77 |
11 | 12 | John Hancock | Very Good | 77 |
11 | 0 | Schwab Funds | Very Good | 77 |
11 | 15 | Putnam | Very Good | 77 |
15 | 15 | GE Financial | Very Good | 76 |
15 | 8 | Scudder | Very Good | 76 |
15 | 15 | State Street Research | Very Good | 76 |
18 | 22 | Founders Funds | Very Good | 75 |
19 | 12 | MFS | Very Good | 74 |
20 | 12 | Kemper | Very Good | 73 |
20 | NA | Prudential Funds | Very Good | 73 |
22 | NA | Westcore | Very Good | 71 |
22 | 20 | Gabelli Funds | Very Good | 71 |
24 | NA | Nvest | Good | 69 |
25 | NA | Jones & Babson | Good | 68 |
25 | 25 | Dreyfus | Good | 68 |
25 | 24 | Franklin Templeton | Good | 68 |
NA | 21 | PIMCO Funds | Good | 66 |
NA | 22 | Alger Funds | Good | 65 |
NA | 18 | Janus | Good | 62 |
Professional Web Sites
|
RANK | DALBAR
Ranking |
2nd Qtr |
1st Qtr |
COMPANY |
DESIGNATION |
SCORE |
1 | 2 | Fidelity | Very Good | 76 |
2 | 4 | Putnam | Very Good | 75 |
3 | 3 | Oppenheimer | Good | 69 |
4 | 1 | Kemper | Good | 68 |
4 | 4 | Invesco | Good | 67 |
6 | 10 | Franklin Templeton | Good | 66 |
7 | 8 | AIM | Good | 65 |
8 | 9 | American Century | Good | 62 |
8 | 11 | Van Kampen | Good | 62 |
10 | 6 | John Hancock | | 59 |
10 | 11 | American Funds | | 59 |
12 | 13 | MFS | | 56 |
13 | 14 | Strong | | 53 |
14 | 19 | Chase Vista | | 50 |
14 | NA | Calvert Group | | 50 |
16 | 23 | Goldman Sachs | | 49 |
16 | 25 | One Group | | 49 |
18 | NA | Alliance Capital | | 48 |
18 | 17 | Dreyfus | | 48 |
20 | NA | American Skandia | | 47 |
20 | 20 | Pimco Funds | | 47 |
20 | NA | Gabelli Funds | | 47 |
20 | 14 | T. Rowe Price | | 47 |
24 | 23 | Montgomery | | 46 |
24 | 14 | Scudder | | 46 |
24 | NA | GE Financial | | 46 |
24 | NA | Nvest | | 46 |
24 | 22 | Wescore Funds | | 46 |
24 | 25 | Founders Funds | | 46 |
NA | 25 | State Street Research | | 43 |
NA | 17 | Phoenix Funds | | 41 |
NA | 20 | Alger Funds | | 39 |
 
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