Looking for the best annuity companies to secure your retirement? Our comprehensive guide examines the top annuity providers of 2025, comparing their strengths, products, and financial ratings to help you make an informed decision.
Table of Contents
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- What Are Annuities?
- 2025 Annuity Market Overview
- Top 10 Annuity Companies in 2025
- Best Annuity Companies by Category
- Top-Selling & Innovative Products (2024-2025)
- Recent Product Innovations and Industry Trends
- Popular Types of Annuities
- How to Choose the Right Annuity
- Purchasing an Annuity
- Annuity Payments and Growth
- Annuity Withdrawal Options
- Annuity Survivor Benefits
What Are Annuities?
Annuities are insurance-investment hybrid products offered by life insurance companies designed to address longevity risk – the risk of outliving your retirement savings – by providing a predictable income stream guaranteed for life.
Why Annuities Matter for Retirement: As medical treatment and technology have improved and life expectancies have increased, longevity risk has become an increasing concern in retirement planning. With private pensions becoming rare and Social Security often insufficient to meet all expenses, annuities can provide a reliable additional income source to make up the difference.
While annuities come in many varieties, the basic structure involves the individual purchasing the annuity (the “annuitant”) paying an up-front premium to the insurer in exchange for the insurer’s promise of guaranteed future payments on a defined schedule.
With traditional life annuities, the payments are guaranteed for life, similar to a private pension you purchase for yourself. For this reason, annuities are sometimes described as “reverse life insurance.”
Annuities are highly customizable and can vary considerably between insurance companies and even between specific annuity products.
An individual annuity is defined according to four chief attributes:
- how premiums are paid
- whether payments are immediate or deferred
- the schedule and terms under which payments are made
- the formula used to measure the annuity’s growth
2025 Annuity Market Overview
The annuity market continues to show strong performance in 2025, building on recent years of record-breaking growth.
Key Annuity Market Statistics for 2025:
- Record Sales: U.S. annuity sales hit all-time highs, with 2024 sales reaching $434.1 billion, up 13% year-over-year, marking the third consecutive year of record-breaking growth.
- Product Mix: Fixed, indexed, and structured annuities now account for about 80% of total sales.
- Growth Leaders: Indexed annuities and registered index-linked annuities (RILAs) set new records in 2024-2025.
- 2025 Outlook: While 2025 may see a moderation in sales (projected $364–$410 billion), the market remains robust and well above pre-pandemic levels.
The continued growth in the annuity market has been fueled by several factors:
- Retiring baby boomers seeking guaranteed income
- Historically high interest rates making certain annuity products more attractive
- Increased demand for protection-based financial products
- Demographic trends with over 4 million Americans turning 65 each year through 2027
Top 10 Annuity Companies in 2025
The following list represents our current picks for the top 10 best annuity companies. These companies represent the annuities that we believe are the best in class for various types of annuities, including fixed, indexed, and variable. Please click on a company name to find out more about each individual carrier and the products offered. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to give us a call.
| Company | Strengths & Notable Features | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Allianz Life | Leading fixed index annuity provider; Index Lock feature; A+ AM Best rating | Fixed Index Annuities |
| Athene | Top in fixed index annuity sales; new Preset Allocations; A+ AM Best rating | Fixed Index, User Experience |
| MassMutual | Exceptional financial strength (A++); high customer service; diverse products | Financial Strength, Income |
| Nationwide | Strong variable annuity lineup; low fees; robust digital tools | Variable Annuities |
| Fidelity & Guaranty | Top MYGA rates; strong customer satisfaction | Multi-Year Guaranteed Annuities |
| Lincoln Financial | Best overall; wide variety; strong agent feedback | Overall Choice |
| Corebridge Financial | Diverse offerings, strong principal protection | Principal Protection |
| Prudential | Flexible annuity types, strong balance sheet | Flexibility, Withdrawals |
| American Equity | Focus on fixed/fixed-indexed, clear fee disclosure | Reliable Payouts |
| Global Atlantic | Strong indexed annuity offerings | Indexed Annuities |
Best Annuity Companies by Category
| Category | Company (Best in Class) | Notable Feature/Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed Index Annuities | Allianz Life | Product diversity, Index Lock |
| Fixed Annuities | MassMutual | A++ rating, strong income options |
| Variable Annuities | Nationwide | Low fees, robust digital tools |
| MYGA | Fidelity & Guaranty | High rates, customer satisfaction |
| Overall | Lincoln Financial | Wide product range, agent feedback |
| Principal Protection | Corebridge Financial | Product variety, reliability |
Top-Selling & Innovative Products (2024)
| Rank | Carrier | Product Name | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aspida | Synergy Choiceâ„¢ Bonus | Fixed Index |
| 2 | Allianz Life | Allianz Benefit Control Annuity | Fixed Index |
| 3 | Aspida | Synergy Choiceâ„¢ Income | Fixed Index |
| 4 | Fidelity & Guaranty | F&G Safe Income Advantage® | Fixed Index |
| 5 | North American | Secure Horizon SM Plus | Fixed Index |
Recent Product Innovations and Industry Trends
The annuity industry continues to evolve to meet the changing needs of retirees. Here are some of the most significant trends and innovations in the annuity market for 2025:
Key Annuity Trends in 2025:
- Hybrid & Flexible Products: New annuities combine features—like fixed annuities with inflation protection or variable annuities with living benefits—to offer more customization and control.
- Liquidity & Early Access: More products allow earlier withdrawals or flexible payout patterns with fewer penalties, addressing retirees’ evolving needs.
- Digital Transformation: Companies like Athene and Jackson National have completed paperless replacement annuity transactions, reducing processing times from weeks to days. Digital portals and mobile apps are now standard among top providers.
- AI & Data Analytics: Insurers are leveraging AI for personalized product recommendations, risk modeling, and customer service enhancements.
- Index Options & Customization: There’s growing interest in annuities tied to diverse indices, including AI-driven custom indices, offering more tailored growth opportunities.
- Sustainable Investing: Some annuities now offer ESG-aligned investment options, appealing to values-driven retirees.
Popular Types of Annuities
Different types of annuities vary as to key features like how long payments continue, whether survivors have any right to payments following the annuitant’s death, and how the annuity is funded. An individual annuity can have features of more than one type of annuity (e.g., a SPIA can also be a life annuity).
Single Premium Immediate Annuity (SPIA)
A SPIA is an annuity funded with a single, lump-sum premium payment that begins paying out immediately. SPIAs are useful in converting substantial current liquidity, such as from accumulated retirement savings or proceeds of a legal-settlement, into a long-term income stream.
Life Annuity
Also referred to as a “life income annuity,” a life annuity provides guaranteed income for the life of the annuitant. Upon the annuitant’s death, payments cease, and there are no payment rights vested in survivors. Life annuities are a time-tested means of insuring against longevity risk.
Life with Premium Refund
This type of annuity works like a life annuity except that if, upon the annuitant’s death, the annuity has not yet made payments totaling at least the amount of premium paid, the remainder is refunded to a designated beneficiary or to the decedent annuitant’s estate.
Life with Period Certain
The annuity pays out for the longer of the life of the annuitant or a defined number of years. If the annuitant dies before the defined period expires, remaining payments are paid out to a designated beneficiary or to the estate.
Joint and Survivor Income Annuity
The annuity is guaranteed to pay out for the lives of two annuitants (usually spouses). Depending on the contract language, the payment amount will either stay the same or will be reduced upon the death of the first annuitant.
Multi-Year Guaranteed Annuity (MYGA)
An MYGA is a specialized deferred annuity under which the annuitant makes a lump-sum premium payment to the insurer, and the insurer retains the premium for a defined period (usually three to ten years) during which it earns interest at a fixed rate.
Structured Settlement Annuity
Legal settlements that are “structured” involve multiple payments over time – generally to reduce tax liability, preserve Medicaid eligibility, and/or to ensure a long-term income stream to the injured party. To facilitate the structured settlement, the defendant’s insurance company can purchase an annuity for the benefit of the plaintiff.
Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA)
A CGA is a contract between a donor and a large charity or non-profit organization like a university. The donor agrees to make a large contribution to the non-profit and, in exchange, the non-profit invests the money and makes annuity payments to the donor for the rest of his or her life.
How to Choose the Right Annuity
Key Factors When Selecting an Annuity:
- Protection & Growth Balance: Fixed Index Annuities (FIAs) and Registered Index-Linked Annuities (RILAs) are in high demand for their balance of principal protection and market-linked growth.
- Company Financial Strength: Financial ratings (AM Best, Moody’s, S&P) and customer satisfaction are crucial when choosing a provider.
- Fees & Transparency: Fixed annuities remain cost-effective, while variable annuities often carry higher fees and complexity—buyer beware.
- Personalization Options: The best companies now offer more tailored products and digital tools, making it easier to match annuity solutions to individual retirement goals.
- Regulatory Considerations: Ongoing changes in government policy and interest rates may affect product features and rates in 2025.
Purchasing an Annuity
Annuity premiums can either be due in full at the time of the contract (“single premium”) or paid over time via multiple payments (“flexible premium”).
Flexible premium annuities are generally set up so that the annuitant pays premiums over several years, subject to annual minimum contributions but with the option of making additional payments. The flexible structure allows you to adjust contributions based on current income and market trends and anticipated future income needs.
Single premium annuities are typically purchased using a lump-sum cash payment, whether from savings or from liquidating other assets. The premium can also come from the cash value of a life insurance policy through a 1035 Exchange.
Qualified vs. Non-Qualified Annuities:
Most annuities are “non-qualified,” which means premiums are paid using already-taxed money. Payments received from a non-qualified annuity are only taxable to the extent the payment includes growth (i.e., returned premium is not taxable).
“Qualified” annuities, by contrast, are purchased through a qualified retirement plan or IRA using pre-tax money. Qualified annuity payments are taxable income except to the extent a portion of premiums was paid using already-taxed money.
With both qualified and non-qualified annuities, growth is tax-deferred, meaning no income tax is owed until payments are actually received from the insurer.
The period during which the annuitant pays premiums to the insurer, and the annuity is growing but not yet paying out, is known as the “accumulation phase.” The accumulation phase ends when the annuity begins paying out, at which point the “annuitization phase” begins.
Annuity Payments and Growth
Immediate vs Deferred Annuities
Every annuity is either immediate or deferred.
Immediate Annuities
Immediate annuities begin paying out on the first payment period after the contract is executed. An immediate annuity purchased in January might make its first payment in February, for instance.
A single premium immediate annuity (“SPIA”) requires one lump-sum premium and then begins making annuitized payments immediately thereafter. SPIAs are popular with retirees looking to convert a portion of retirement savings into a guaranteed stream of lifetime income.
Deferred Annuities
Deferred annuities do not begin paying out until a future date identified in the annuity contract. The deferral period is generally somewhere between one and ten years, but longer deferrals are also available, particularly with flexible-premium annuities.
The advantage of a deferred annuity is that the premiums have a longer time to grow prior to annuitization and, therefore, payments are larger than an immediate annuity with a comparable premium.
The combination of premium growth, compounding, and tax-deferred treatment gives deferred annuities a notable advantage over other low-risk savings and investment strategies. Because no income tax is owed until payments are received, money that might otherwise have gone toward taxes instead continues earning interest.
Once payments commence, annuities usually pay out on a monthly, quarterly, or yearly basis. The actual payment amount depends on multiple factors, including the annuitant’s life expectancy, the amount of premium paid, and the growth earned by the annuity. Payments can be in fixed or variable amounts, depending in part on how growth is measured.
Annuity Growth Methods
There are three basic methods of measuring an annuity’s growth: fixed, variable, and indexed.
Fixed Annuities
Fixed annuities are the original form and the most predictable. A fixed annuity grows at a pre-set, guaranteed interest rate that serves as a hedge against economic downturns and market volatility.
The rate can be concrete for the life of the annuity or periodically adjusted to reflect prevailing rates, with a guaranteed minimum.
The growth potential is not as great as with variable or indexed annuities, but fixed annuities offer failsafe earnings and essentially zero risk of loss.
Variable Annuities
The growth of a variable annuity, and therefore the payment amounts, depends on the performance of investments selected by the annuitant from among multiple options offered by the insurer.
Due to changing growth over the financial cycle, variable annuities have more of the flavor of an investment than fixed annuities.
The growth potential is correspondingly higher, but there is also a risk of loss, including loss of principal.
Indexed Annuities
Indexed annuities represent an effort by insurers to find a happy medium between the higher growth potential of variable annuities and the security and stability of fixed annuities.
An indexed annuity’s growth is linked to an equity index, such as the S&P 500, allowing for increased returns during strong markets.
But most indexed annuities also come with a guaranteed minimum return, no-loss guaranty, or floor on losses in down markets.
How Indexed Annuities Work: An Example
If an indexed annuity has an annual cap rate of 6.00%, and the applicable market increases by 8.00%, the annuity’s growth rate would be 6.00%, and the other 2.00% would go to the insurance company.
Indexed annuities usually allow for some flexibility according to the risk level the purchaser is willing to assume. In general, a fixed annuity with greater growth potential in the form of a higher cap rate would also have lower guaranteed returns or allow some limited losses. On the other hand, a higher guaranteed rate of growth typically translates to a lower cap rate.
Annuity Withdrawal Options
A withdrawal occurs when the annuitant taps the value of the annuity ahead of schedule and is therefore distinct from regularly scheduled payments. Withdrawal options vary from company to company and product to product and often come with a fee. Even so, an annuitant might want to make a withdrawal in response to a large unexpected expense or emergency or for a one-time purchase.
Surrender
A “surrender” is when an annuitant cashes out the annuity for a single, lump-sum payment. Surrendering an annuity terminates the contract along with the right to receive any future payments.
Annuities usually have a surrender fee, typically measured as a percentage of the annuity’s value. However, most annuity contracts gradually decrease and phase out the surrender fee after the contract has been in place long enough.
Some annuities waive surrender fees altogether upon the occurrence of a specified event, such as a serious medical illness or injury or the annuitant’s permanent need for long-term healthcare.
Partial Withdrawal
A “partial withdrawal” is when the annuitant accesses some of the annuity’s value but allows the contract to otherwise remain in place.
Partial withdrawals often come with a fee until the annuity has been in place long enough, but some permit early withdrawals of a specified percentage of the annuity’s value without penalty.
Importantly, partial withdrawals result in a decrease in the amount of future payments, and the amount of any withdrawal which constitutes growth will be taxable income.
Additionally, premature withdrawals from a qualified annuity result in an IRS penalty.
Annuity Survivor Benefits
Traditional annuities did not offer any survivor benefits. When the annuitant died, the right to payments ceased. This arrangement created the risk of dying early and not receiving back even the premium used to purchase the annuity.
Due to this concern, most modern annuities include some form of survivor benefits allowing for payment to a designated beneficiary upon the annuitant’s death if the annuity has not yet paid out a threshold amount.
Common Survivor Benefit Options:
- A popular provision gives a surviving beneficiary the right to receive a refund of any premium left over after subtracting the total payments received by the annuitant.
- Alternatively, a life annuity might require payments to a survivor if the annuitant does not live to a specified age.
- Nearly all deferred annuities will pay the entire annuity value to a named beneficiary if the annuitant dies before payments commence.
- In most cases, a surviving beneficiary can choose between accepting the annuity’s value as a lump sum or through multiple payments over an extended period.
- If the beneficiary is a surviving spouse, he or she usually also has the option of allowing the annuity to remain in place under the same terms.
Important: IRS rules relating to a beneficiary’s receipt of annuity payments are complex, and a lot can depend on the precise language of the specific annuity contract. It is a good idea for anyone inheriting rights to an annuity to consult with an accountant or tax attorney before making any decisions about how to accept payment.
Conclusion
There are a lot of nuances when it comes to annuities, and knowing which companies offer the best annuities for your specific need is important to make sure you get the best annuity for you, based on your specific needs, goals, and objectives.
The annuity market in 2025 continues to show strong performance with record sales and innovative products being developed to meet the evolving needs of retirees. The best annuity companies are differentiated by their financial strength, product diversity, customer service, and digital capabilities.
Find the Perfect Annuity for Your Retirement
Choosing the right annuity can be complex. Let our experienced advisory team provide a tailored analysis to ensure your annuity aligns with your retirement goals, risk tolerance, and financial needs.
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- ✓ Understand potential income guarantees, growth opportunities, and tax benefits
- ✓ Receive a clear explanation of fees, withdrawal options, and survivor benefits
Schedule your complimentary 30-minute annuity consultation today and start building a secure retirement income stream.
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4 comments
Keith Leaburn
I submitted a comment July 7, 2020 relative to CGA’s. I never received a response. The Humane Society, AARP and MANY other large charities and non-profits, too numerous to list herein, aggressively market small dollar donations ($10,000+) toward a CGA purchase.
My search is for a company that will “underwrite” small dollar donors interested in CGA in support a network of three private schools. These non-profit, non-denominational, Christian orientated schools combine to provide education at the K-12 level(s).
I would think SOMEONE in the insurance industry would be interested, AM I ON A FOOLS MISSION?
Keith Leaburn
I am a private party exploring the Charitable Gift Annuity market for a friend who has a start-up non-profit. We want to know how to offer people, supportive of our growth and development, the opportunity to make low dollar donations ($10,000+ minimum) via a CGA. Thank you.
Akbar Soroush
How much is the most rate for $40.000 fixed for different times? for example 3 or 5 or 7 years.
In your opinion honestly, is it better to pay this money for my condo mortgage and pay off my mortgage faster or put it in an annuity and get monthly interest to help my monthly mortgage? my mortgage rate is 3.89 around 3.9. Thank you
Insurance&Estates
Hello Akbar,
Thanks for commenting, your question would require some further analysis. Feel free to reach out to our Pro Client Guide team by touching base with jason@insuranceandestates.com.
Best, Steve Gibbs for I&E