Compare Some of the Best Annuity Companies
Unfortunately, there is no hard and fast rule to use when choosing between some of the best annuity companies. But there are several factors that you may want to take into consideration. One thing to keep in mind is that an annuity product guarantee is only as good as the financial strength and claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company. So you may want to make sure the insurance company is stable and in good standing when choosing an annuity provider.
Links to third-party websites are provided as a convenience. DeWitt & Dunn does not endorse nor support the content of third-party sites. By clicking on a third-party link, you will leave this website where privacy and security policies may differ from those practiced by DeWitt & Dunn.
How do you compare some of the best annuity companies?
We understand your need to research annuity providers, so we’ve put together some great tools to help you compare annuity companies before your purchase.
Our comparison data includes:
- Better Business Bureau rating information
- Links to reviews from Consumer Affairs
- Wikipedia information for company descriptions
- LIMRA reported year-end sales data
- Links to the company websites
This is publicly available data that we have pooled together in one place for your convenience.
The following information is laid out in a non-biased format to help your research. These annuity companies are listed in alphabetical order so as not to show favoritism to any specific company. With that said, we also want you to know that we are here to help assist you in your annuity purchase in any way we can. If you have questions, call us at (972) 473-4700 or request an appointment for a face-to-face meeting.
Good luck with your research. If there is anything else we can do to help, please let us know.
AIG Annuities
American International Group, Inc., also known as AIG, is an American multinational insurance corporation. As of January 1, 2019, AIG companies employed 49,600 people. The company operates through three core businesses: General Insurance, Life & Retirement, and a standalone technology-enabled subsidiary. General Insurance includes Commercial, Personal Insurance, U.S. and International field operations. Life & Retirement includes Group Retirement, Individual Retirement, Life, and Institutional Markets. According to the 2016 Forbes Global 2000 list, AIG was the 87th largest public company in the world. More from Wikipedia.*
Better Business Bureau Rating: B (As of 2020)
ConsumerAffairs: AIG Annuities Consumer Reviews and Complaints
LIMRA Sales Data:
2019 Individual Annuity Sales: $19.42 billion
2018 Individual Annuity Sales: $18.38 billion
2017 Q1 Annuity Sales: $3.87 billion
2016 Annuity Sales: $17.19 billion
2015 Annuity Sales: $20.00 billion
2014 Annuity Sales: $18.95 billion
Visit the Company Website: AIG
Allianz Life Annuities
Minneapolis-based Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America (Allianz Life) provides annuities and life insurance products in the United States in all states except for New York. In New York, annuities and life insurance products are offered by Allianz Life Insurance Company of New York (Allianz Life of NY). More from Wikipedia.*
Better Business Bureau Rating: A+ (As of 2020)
ConsumerAffairs: Allianz Life Annuities Consumer Reviews and Complaints
LIMRA Sales Data:
2019 Individual Annuity Sales: $12.37 billion
2018 Individual Annuity Sales: $11.5 billion
2017 Q1 Annuity Sales: $2.20 billion
2016 Annuity Sales: $12.25 billion
2015 Annuity Sales: $10.78 billion
2014 Annuity Sales: $14.96 billion
Visit the Company Website: Allianz Life
American Equity Investment Life
American Equity is headquartered in the heart of the Midwest. They are a retirement income provider specializing in fixed indexed annuities. American Equity’s growth and success is attributed to excellent customer service and an emphasis on building customer relationships. The company is guided by their Golden Rule approach. They are dedicated to fostering opportunity and innovation to meet the ever-changing needs and goals of retirement. More from American Equity company website.
Better Business Bureau Rating: A+ (As of 2020)
ConsumerAffairs: American Equity Investment Life Consumer Reviews and Complaints
LIMRA Sales Data:
2019 Individual Annuity Sales: $4.96 billion
2018 Individual Annuity Sales: $4.4 billion
2017 Q1 Annuity Sales: $1.08 billion
2016 Annuity Sales: $7.13 billion
2015 Annuity Sales: $7.08 billion
2014 Annuity Sales: $4.18 billion
Visit the Company Website: American Equity Investment Life Holding Company
Equitable (Formerly AXA US)
Equitable Holdings (formerly The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States and AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company, and also known as The Equitable) was founded by Henry Baldwin Hyde in 1859. In 1991, Axa, a French insurance company, acquired majority control of The Equitable.
In 2004, it officially changed its name to AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company. By 2018, the company had over 15,800 agents licensed by the State of California. In January 2020 it changed its name back to Equitable following its spinoff from AXA and the related public offerings beginning in May 2018. More from Wikipedia.*
Better Business Bureau Rating: A+ (As of 2020)
ConsumerAffairs: Not listed on ConsumerAffairs.com
LIMRA Sales Data:
2019 Individual Annuity Sales: $11.73 billion
2018 Individual Annuity Sales: $10.7 billion
2017 Q1 Annuity Sales: $2.67 billion
2016 Annuity Sales: $10.46 billion
2015 Annuity Sales: $9.88 billion
2014 Annuity Sales: $9.75 billion
Visit the Company Website: Equitable
Fidelity Annuities (Fidelity Investments)
Fidelity Investments is a multinational financial services corporation based in Boston, Massachusetts. Fidelity Investments operates a brokerage firm and manages a large family of mutual funds. They also provide fund distribution and investment advice, retirement services, wealth management, securities execution and clearance, and life insurance. More from Wikipedia.*
Better Business Bureau Rating: C- (As of 2020)
ConsumerAffairs: Fidelity Investments Consumer Reviews and Complaints
LIMRA Sales Data:
2017 Q1 Variable Annuity Sales (Fidelity Investments Life): $0.41 billion
2016 Variable Annuity Sales (Fidelity Investments Life): $1.40 billion
2015 Variable Annuity Sales (Fidelity Investments Life): $2.01 billion
2014 Variable Annuity Sales (Fidelity Investments Life): $2.05 billion
Visit the Company Website: Fidelity
Fidelity & Guaranty Life
For over 50 years, Fidelity & Guaranty Life has been a catalyst to help others plan for tomorrow. Everything they do is designed to meet your changing needs while making sure you understand your options, have an easy experience, and feel great about helping protect your family and your future retirement. More from Wikipedia.*
Better Business Bureau Rating: A+ (As of 2020)
ConsumerAffairs: Not listed on ConsumerAffairs.com
LIMRA Sales Data:
2019 Individual Annuity Sales (Fidelity & Guaranty Life): $3.6 billion
2017 Q1 Fixed Annuity Sales (Fidelity & Guaranty Life): $0.60 billion
2016 Fixed Annuity Sales (Fidelity & Guaranty Life): $2.53 billion
2015 Fixed Annuity Sales (Fidelity & Guaranty Life): $2.06 billion
2014 Fixed Annuity Sales (Fidelity & Guaranty Life): $2.52 billion
Visit the Company Website: Fidelity & Guaranty Life
Jackson National Life
Jackson National Life Insurance Company is a U.S. company that offers annuities for retail investors and fixed income products for institutional investors. Jackson subsidiaries and affiliates provide specialized asset management and retail brokerage services. Jackson is a subsidiary of the British insurer, Prudential plc, which acquired the company for $608 million in 1986. That company is unrelated to the American insurance conglomerate, Prudential Financial. More from Wikipedia.*
Better Business Bureau Rating: A- (As of 2020)
ConsumerAffairs: Not listed on ConsumerAffairs.com
LIMRA Sales Data:
2019 Individual Annuity Sales: $19.63 billion
2018 Individual Annuity Sales: $17.4 billion
2017 Q1 Annuity Sales: $4.70 billion
2016 Annuity Sales: $18.60 billion
2015 Annuity Sales: $24.50 billion
2014 Annuity Sales: $24.51 billion
Visit the Company Website: Jackson National Life Insurance Company
Lincoln Financial Group
Lincoln National Corporation is a Fortune 250 American holding company, which operates multiple insurance and investment management businesses through subsidiary companies. Lincoln Financial Group is the marketing name for LNC and its subsidiary companies. More from Wikipedia.*
ConsumerAffairs: Not listed on ConsumerAffairs.com
LIMRA Sales Data:
2019 Individual Annuity Sales: $14.84 billion
2018 Individual Annuity Sales: $12.7 billion
2017 Q1 Annuity Sales: $2.12 billion
2016 Annuity Sales: $8.65 billion
2015 Annuity Sales: $14.64 billion
2014 Annuity Sales: $15.53 billion
Visit the Company Website: Lincoln Financial Group
MassMutual Annuities
Founded in 1851, Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) is an American mutual life insurance company with headquarters in Springfield, Massachusetts. More from Wikipedia.*
Better Business Bureau Rating: B- (As of 2020)
ConsumerAffairs: MassMutual Annuities Consumer Reviews and Complaints
LIMRA Sales Data:
2019 Individual Annuity Sales: $5.54 billion
2018 Individual Annuity Sales: $5.23 billion
2017 Q1 Annuity Sales: $0.67 billion
2016 Variable Annuity Sales: $0.68 billion
2016 Fixed Annuity Sales: $1.91 billion
2015 Variable Annuity Sales: $1.06 billion
2014 Annuity Sales: $2.75 billion
Visit the Company Website: MassMutual
MetLife
MetLife, Inc. is the holding corporation for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (MLIC), better known as MetLife, and its affiliates. They are among the largest global providers of insurance, annuities, and employee benefit programs. The firm was founded on March 24, 1868. More from Wikipedia.*
Better Business Bureau Rating: A- (As of 2020)
ConsumerAffairs: MetLife Consumer Reviews and Complaints
LIMRA Sales Data:
2017 Q1 Variable Annuity Sales: $0.25 billion
2016 Annuity Sales: $7.84 billion
2015 Annuity Sales: $10.15 billion
2014 Annuity Sales: $9.06 billion
Visit the Company Website: MetLife
Midland National
Midland National is a member of Sammons Financial Group, Inc. (SFG). SFG is the parent of a group of member companies under the Insurance Holding Company Act, which is made up of several successful financial services companies. These companies offer a variety of financial and retirement products through multiple distribution channels. Some of the products consist of retirement products, annuities, and life insurance (including bank, corporate, and credit union-owned life insurance). Because they are a privately-held company, they can maintain a long-term strategic view and focus on customers rather than short-term earnings. More from Wikipedia.*
Better Business Bureau Rating: A+ (As of 2020)
ConsumerAffairs: Midland National News
2017 Q1 Annuity Sales:
2016 Annuity Sales:
2015 Annuity Sales:
2014 Annuity Sales:
Visit the Company Website: Midland National
Nationwide
Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company and affiliated companies is a group of large U.S. insurance and financial services companies based in Columbus, OH. The company also operates regional headquarters in Des Moines, IA; San Antonio, TX; Gainesville, FL; Raleigh, NC; and Westerville, OH. More from Wikipedia.*
Better Business Bureau Rating: A+ (As of 2020)
ConsumerAffairs: Nationwide Life Insurance Consumer Reviews and Complaints
LIMRA Sales Data:
2019 Individual Annuity Sales: $10.81 billion
2018 Individual Annuity Sales: $10.33 billion
2017 Q1 Annuity Sales: $2.21 billion
2016 Annuity Sales: $7.84 billion
2015 Annuity Sales: $2.48 billion
2014 Annuity Sales: $7.52 billion
Visit the Company Website: Nationwide
New York Life
New York Life Insurance Company (NYLIC) is the largest mutual life insurance company in the United States, and one of the largest life insurers in the world. NYLIC ranked #71 on the 2019 Fortune 500 list. In 2007, NYLIC achieved the best possible ratings by the four independent rating companies (Standard & Poor’s, AM Best, Moody’s and Fitch). Other New York Life affiliates provide an array of securities products and services, as well as institutional and retail mutual funds. More from Wikipedia.*
Better Business Bureau Rating: A+ (As of 2020)
ConsumerAffairs: New York Life Consumer Reviews and Complaints
LIMRA Sales Data:
2019 Individual Annuity Sales: $13.24 billion
2018 Individual Annuity Sales: $14.17 billion
2017 Q1 Annuity Sales: $3.91 billion
2016 Annuity Sales: $12.84 billion
2015 Annuity Sales: $12.02 billion
2014 Annuity Sales: $11.29 billion
Visit the Company Website: New York Life
Pacific Life Annuities
Pacific Life Insurance Company is an American insurance company providing life insurance products, annuities, and mutual funds. They offer a variety of investment products and services to individuals, businesses, and pension plans. More from Wikipedia.*
Better Business Bureau Rating: A- (As of 2020)
ConsumerAffairs: Pacific Life Annuities Consumer Reviews and Complaints
LIMRA Sales Data:
2019 Individual Annuity Sales: $9.51 billion
2018 Individual Annuity Sales: $9.26 billion
2017 Q1 Annuity Sales: $1.71 billion
2016 Annuity Sales: $6.21 billion
2015 Annuity Sales: $6.59 billion
2014 Annuity Sales: $7.02 billion
Visit the Company Website: Pacific Life
Prudential Annuities
Prudential Financial, Inc. subsidiaries provide insurance, investment management, and other financial products and services to both retail and institutional customers in the United States. Principal products and services provided include life insurance, annuities, mutual funds, pension- and retirement-related investments, administration and asset management, securities brokerage services. It provides these products and services to individual and institutional customers through distribution networks in the financial services industry. More from Wikipedia.*
Better Business Bureau Rating: NR (As of 2020)
ConsumerAffairs: Prudential Annuities Consumer Reviews and Complaints
LIMRA Sales Data:
2019 Individual Annuity Sales: $10.48 billion
2018 Individual Annuity Sales: $9.17 billion
2017 Q1 Annuity Sales: $1.52 billion
2016 Annuity Sales: $8.44 billion
2015 Annuity Sales: $9.54 billion
2014 Annuity Sales: $10.71 billion
Visit the Company Website: Prudential
TIAA-CREF
The Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America-College Retirement Equities Fund (TIAA, formerly TIAA-CREF), is a Fortune 100 financial services organization that is the leading provider of financial services in the academic, research, medical, cultural and governmental fields. TIAA serves over 5 million active and retired employees participating at more than 15,000 institutions and has $1 trillion in combined assets under management with holdings in more than 50 countries as of December 31, 2017. More from Wikipedia.*
Better Business Bureau Rating: B (As of 2020)
ConsumerAffairs: Not listed on ConsumerAffairs.com
LIMRA Sales Data:
2019 Individual Annuity Sales: $9.86 billion
2018 Individual Annuity Sales: $10.38 billion
2017 Q1 Annuity Sales: $3.24 billion
2016 Annuity Sales: $13.01 billion
2015 Annuity Sales: $12.75 billion
2014 Annuity Sales: $12.50 billion
Visit the Company Website: TIAA
Transamerica
The Transamerica Corporation is an American holding company for various life insurance companies and investment firms operating primarily in the United States, offering life and supplemental health insurance, investments, and retirement services. The company has major offices located in Baltimore, Maryland; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Denver, Colorado; Exton, Pennsylvania; Harrison, New York; Johns Creek, Georgia; Plano, Texas; and St. Petersburg, Florida. Additional affiliated offices are located throughout the United States. In 1999, it became a subsidiary of Aegon, a European financial services company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands. More from Wikipedia.*
Better Business Bureau Rating: A- (As of 2020)
ConsumerAffairs: Transamerica Consumer Reviews and Complaints
LIMRA Sales Data:
2019 Individual Annuity Sales: $4.2 billion
2018 Individual Annuity Sales: $3.45 billion
2017 Q1 Annuity Sales: $0.89 billion
2016 Annuity Sales: $4.48 billion
2015 Annuity Sales: $7.88 billion
2014 Annuity Sales: $10.20 billion
Visit the Company Website: Transamerica
* Note: This article uses material from multiple Wikipedia articles (links to each article provided above) which are released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.
Disclosure: For informational and educational purposes only. The information contained herein may contain information that is subject to change without notice. Any investments or strategies referenced herein do not take into account the investment objectives, financial situation or particular needs of any specific person. Product suitability must be independently determined for each individual investor.
Guarantees and benefits are subject to the claims paying ability of the issuing insurance company.
Indexed annuities are insurance contracts that, depending on the contract, may offer a guaranteed annual interest rate and some participation growth, if any, of a stock market index. Such contracts have substantial variation in terms, costs of guarantees and features and may cap participation or returns in significant ways. Any guarantees offered are backed by the financial strength of the insurance company, not an outside entity. Investors are cautioned to carefully review an indexed annuity for its features, costs, risks, and how the variables are calculated. A fixed annuity is intended for retirement or other long-term needs. It is intended for a person who has sufficient cash or other liquid assets for living expenses and other unexpected emergencies, such as medical expenses. A fixed or indexed annuity is not a registered security or stock market investment and does not directly participate in any stock or equity investments or index.
Please consider the investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses carefully before investing in Variable Annuities. The prospectus, which contains this and other information about the variable annuity contract and the underlying investment options, can be obtained from the insurance company or your financial professional. Be sure to read the prospectus carefully before deciding whether to invest. The investment return and principal value of the variable annuity investment options are not guaranteed. Variable annuity sub-accounts fluctuate with changes in market conditions. The principal may be worth more or less than the original amount invested when the annuity is surrendered.
Links to third-party websites are provided as a convenience. DeWitt & Dunn does not endorse nor support the content of third-party sites. By clicking on a third-party link, you will leave this website where privacy and security policies may differ from those practiced by DeWitt & Dunn.
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