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Apr 10, 2020 by |

Marin County and California Annuity and Financial Elder Abuse Attorneys: Don’t Let A Bear Market Pull You To Fixed Annuities

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER

Understanding How Fixed Annuities Work

Insurance Policies Not Investments

Do Not Be Rushed Into A Fixed Annuity

Insurance agents are already using the big Dow drop to push the “safety of fixed annuities. Don’t buy it, because that is not the entire story. Our lawyers recommend avoiding annuities of any kind, including fixed annuities, especially for seniors, because sales commissions are high, policies are complex, and tie up your money for many years. Fixed index annuities are life insurance products with complicated rules for calculating value and crediting interest. Those rules benefit the carrier, not you. If you’re over 60 and live in Marin County, San Francisco, or anywhere in California and have suffered a loss due to cancellation, replacement, full or partial surrender, or high fees on any type of annuity, call the annuity attorneys at Evans Law Firm, Inc. today at 415-441-8669 (or toll free at 1-888-50EVANS) for a free review of your policy. A list of major carriers in California appears below.

Every fixed annuity has a surrender period during which penalties (possibly 10% or more) will be imposed on any withdrawals over a certain minimum amount. These surrender periods can last many years and can put any policyholder, particularly a senior, in a bind if they need their money.  Most fixed annuities are sold with a “Market Value Adjustment” (MVA) term in the contract. The MVA is designed to protect the issuer (not you) from market fluctuations occurring after you are sold your policy. The MVA will likely further reduce the amount you actually receive on a withdrawal.

Commissions, Fees and Penalties Erode Returns

Even if you leave all your money in, returns may never approach promised returns. Large upfront commissions and administrative fees will erode any real return.  If the agent sells you an “income rider” guaranteeing (theoretically) a future rate of income, the annual fee for that rider will further erode your return.  You may never live to recoup anywhere near the annual costs.  Finally, keep in mind that annuities are not insured investments like bank accounts and the insurance carrier’s promise to pay benefits is only as good as the carrier’s financial ability to do so.

Contact Us

If you or a loved one has suffered loss on a fixed annuity or any other annuity in California, contact Marin County, San Francisco and California annuity and financial elder abuse attorney Ingrid M. Evans and the other attorneys at Evans Law Firm at (415) 441-8669 (or toll free at 1-888-50EVANS) or by email at <ahref=”mailto:info@evanslaw.com”>info@evanslaw.com</a>. Our attorneys have experience with complex financial contracts and large insurance companies.  We can help guide your case through a jury trial or toward an equitable settlement.  We handle cases involving physical and financial elder abuse, qui tam and whistleblower law, nursing home abuse, whole life insurance and universal life insurance, and indexed, variable, and fixed annuities.

Annuities and life insurance produce large sales commissions for brokers but are often inappropriate products for consumers, especially seniors. Leading providers and distributors of life insurance and fixed, variable and fixed indexed deferred annuities in California are listed below.  We are not in any way suggesting that any of these carriers or distributors has done anything wrong.  Rather, the list is provided solely as a reference for our readers.

AIG/American General Life Insurance Company

Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America

American Equity Investment Life Insurance Company

American General Life Insurance Company/AIG

American International Group, Inc. (AIG)

American National Life Insurance Company

Athene Annuity & Life Assurance Company

Athene Annuity and Life Company

Athene USA

Aviva Life Insurance Company

AXA Equitable Financial Services, LLC

AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company/AXA US

AXA Advisors, LLC

Brighthouse Financial, Inc./MetLife

EquiTrust Life Insurance Company

Fidelity & Guaranty Life Insurance Company

Genworth Financial, Inc.

Genworth Life and Annuity Insurance Company

Genworth Life Insurance Company

Guggenheim Partners, LLC

Guggenheim Partners/Security Benefit Life Insurance Company

ING USA Annuity and Life Insurance Company

Jackson National Life Insurance Company

John Hancock Life Insurance Company

Lincoln Benefit Life Company

Lincoln Financial Group

Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company

Metlife/Metropolitan Life Insurance Company/Brighthouse Financial, Inc.

Minnesota Life Insurance Company

Nationwide Investor Services Corporation (NISC)

Nationwide Life and Annuity Insurance Company

Nationwide Life Insurance Company

New York Life Insurance Company

Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC

Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company

Pacific Life & Annuity Company

Pacific Life Insurance Company

PacLife

Security Benefit Corporation

Security Benefit Group, Inc.

Security Benefit Life Insurance Company/Guggenheim Partners

Security Investors, LLC

Security of Denver Life Insurance Company/Voya

Transamerica Life Insurance Company

Voya Financial Advisors

Voya/Reliastar Life Insurance Company

World Financial Group Insurance Agency, Inc.

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