Top Annuity Companies: The Cream of the Crop

By Rafael Onak, InsuranceAgents.com Staff Writer

Since an annuity and a life insurance policy share similar characteristics, it should come at no surprise that annuities are offered by insurance companies. When comparing annuities, however, you shouldn’t focus all of your attention on the annuity itself. Instead, you should first look to see if the insurance company whose annuity you are considering has a respectable reputation in the industry and is regarded as one of the top annuity companies. If you are looking to get the best rates on an annuity use our quick online forms to compare offers.

Over time, annuities accumulate an income before being paid out to the annuity holder. If an insurance company doesn’t generate enough income to fund an annuity, however, the annuity holder will suffer financially. It is imperative you do business with one of the top annuity companies that you trust and believe in.  Remember, annuities are investments into insurance, so you need to go to a life insurance agent to get information on annuities.

A Few Top Annuity Companies to Choose From

There are many insurance companies that sell annuities, but only a few are considered top annuity companies because of their long and successful history:

1. John Hancock Financial. One of the most distinguishable names in the financial industry, John Hancock Financial is currently owned by Manulife, the fourth-largest life insurer in the world. If you’re a stickler for ratings, don’t worry—John Hancock is ranked highly each year by ratings services such as A.M. Best, Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s Fitch.
2. Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. Unless you’ve been living under a rock your entire life, chances are you’ve heard of MetLife. One of the world’s biggest life insurance companies, MetLife has the fifth-largest market capitalization of over $14 billion.
3. ING. On top of offering insurance services, the Dutch company also offers banking, investment and retirement services to its consumers. With a market capitalization of nearly $10 billion, ING is the ninth-largest life insurer in the world.
4. Jackson National Life Insurance Co. One of the most successful life insurers and financial firms in the United States, Jackson National is owned by England’s Prudential PLC. Why is that noteworthy? Prudential PLC is the world’s eight-largest life insurer with a market capitalization of around $10 billion.
5. New York Life Insurance Company. The largest mutual life insurer in the United States, New York Life has the privilege to say that they are one of only a few firms that has received the highest ranking from all four major insurance rating agencies (A.M. Best, Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s and Fitch).

Benefit from Top Annuity Companies

By offering a wide range of annuity products and services, these five top annuity companies are often considered the cream of the crop. Don’t waste your time with insurance companies who hold a bad track record. By doing business with a top annuities company, you can ensure your investment ends up in good hands. 

Not sure if you're ready to invest in an annuity just yet?  That's ok, you can still get the needed information by talking to one our network agents.  It's free and easy, just use our insurance agent locator to find a local agent in your area.

Published: Wednesday 21st October 2009