How We Get Our Rates: Data Sources and Methodology

Last updated: August 22, 2026

Every rate on MyAnnuityStore.com traces to one verifiable source: the rate sheets insurance carriers file and distribute through AnnuityRateWatch. Our tables refresh from that feed automatically at least once every 24 hours, our rankings are computed from it by fixed rules, and no carrier can pay to change either. This page explains the entire pipeline.

Our data source: AnnuityRateWatch

All fixed annuity, MYGA, and fixed index annuity rates on this site come from AnnuityRateWatch, a rate aggregation platform used by independent agencies, broker-dealers, and financial publishers nationwide. AnnuityRateWatch collects rate filings directly from insurance carriers, verifies them, and distributes them as structured data.

We use the same feed that licensed professionals quote from. That means the rate you see in our tables is the carrier’s actual filed rate, not an estimate, a scraped number, or a marketing figure.

How rates get to this site

1. A carrier files a rate change. An insurance company updates its annuity rates through a new product launch, a rate increase, or a rate decrease.
2. AnnuityRateWatch verifies the filing and publishes it to its database.
3. Our tables refresh automatically at least once every 24 hours. No one retypes a number by hand at any point in the process.
4. The data populates our comparison tables, including our fixed annuity rate tables, our fixed index annuity rate tables, and our state rate pages.

What our rate tables show

Each listing includes the carrier name with a link to our carrier reviews, the product name with a link to our product review when one exists, the guaranteed rate or current cap for the stated term, the surrender period, the carrier’s A.M. Best rating, and the minimum premium.

Where a carrier files different rates at different premium levels, we show the premium bands rather than blending them into one number. A rate that only applies above a higher deposit threshold is labeled with its band, not presented as the headline.

How we sort and rank rates

MYGA and fixed annuity tables sort by highest guaranteed rate first within each term length. Fixed index annuity tables sort by the current S&P 500 one-year point-to-point cap, the single most comparable number across FIA contracts.

We do not accept payment from carriers to change a ranking position, and sort order is determined entirely by the filed rate data. Our editorial lists, such as the best fixed annuity companies, apply additional criteria beyond rate alone, described on our rankings methodology page.

How we compare a product with its peers

When we state where a product stands against comparable contracts, the comparison follows fixed rules rather than editorial judgment. Products are grouped by surrender period into four cohorts: 5 years and under, 6 to 7 years, 8 to 10 years, and 11 years and up.

Within each cohort, fixed index annuities are ranked on one benchmark: the best S&P 500 one-year point-to-point cap with no strategy fee, measured at a standard $100,000 premium. We use a single benchmark because caps on different indexes, terms, and fee structures are not comparable, and mixing them would let the strangest product win.

Ties share a rank, and standings are stated as quartiles with the date they were measured. A product that does not publish a comparable S&P 500 cap is labeled as not cap-ranked. We do not force a ranking where the data cannot support one.

The rules behind the numbers

Raw carrier data is messy, so a fixed set of rules is applied to every product before anything displays. These rules never vary by carrier.

• Exact duplicates are collapsed. The feed sometimes lists the same crediting strategy twice with identical terms. We count and display each distinct strategy once, so a product’s strategy count reflects real choices, not feed noise.
• Stale filings are excluded. A fixed index annuity whose newest filed rate is more than 400 days old is dropped from our comparison tables rather than shown at a rate the carrier may no longer honor.
• Uncapped means uncapped. Carriers file a placeholder number to signal an uncapped strategy. We display those strategies as uncapped instead of printing the placeholder as if it were a real cap.
• Fee-based and advisory products are excluded from retail rankings. Their rates are not achievable in a standard retail purchase, so ranking them against retail products would mislead.
• Participation rates carrying a spread are not ranked as clean participation. A high participation rate minus a spread is not the same offer, and we do not let it borrow the comparison.
• Premium bonuses are shown separately. A first-year bonus is never blended into a guaranteed rate or cap.

Rates inside our written content

On our major rate pages, the rate figures inside the written copy are generated from the same live feed that powers the tables. When a carrier reprices, the sentence updates with the table.

We adopted this rule because hand-typed rates go stale silently. A number in our body copy is pulled from the feed, not something someone typed and forgot.

How product reviews are built

Every product review on this site is built from a live, carrier-issued illustration run for that exact product. We do not build reviews from brochures or backtested marketing data, and we never reuse one product’s illustration for another, because caps, participation rates, spreads, and index options are product-specific.

Carrier financial strength ratings

We publish each carrier’s current financial strength rating from AM Best, the rating agency that specializes in insurers. We state the letter rating as filed and do not convert it into a score or star system of our own.

Annuity guarantees are backed by the claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company, so the carrier’s financial strength is part of every comparison we present.

Why your rate may differ

• State of residence. Not every product is approved in every state, and some carriers file different rates by state. Our state rate pages show what is available where you live.
• Premium amount. Many carriers pay higher rates on larger deposits, which is why our tables show premium bands.
• Age. Some products adjust rates or availability based on the annuitant’s age at purchase.
• Account type. Qualified money (IRA or 401(k) rollover) and non-qualified money sometimes receive different terms.
• Timing. Carriers can reprice at any time, so a rate you see today may change before you apply.

For these reasons, we recommend requesting a personalized annuity quote to confirm the exact rate available to you before making any decision.

What we do not show

• Not every product on the market. We display products available through our AnnuityRateWatch feed from the carriers we work with. Other products exist that we do not feature, and we would rather say so than imply completeness.
• No variable annuity returns. Variable annuity performance depends on subaccount investments and cannot be quoted as a fixed rate, so our tables cover guaranteed and index-linked fixed products only.
• No real-time guarantee. A carrier can reprice between our refresh cycles. A personalized quote is always the final word.
• No paid placement. There is no mechanism, disclosed or otherwise, for a carrier to buy a position in our tables.

How often annuity rates change

MYGA and fixed annuity rates follow the broader interest rate environment, particularly U.S. Treasury yields and corporate bond markets. When the Federal Reserve moves, annuity rates tend to follow within weeks to months.

Individual carriers reprice on their own schedules, sometimes weekly and sometimes quarterly. For current trends, see our annuity rates hub.

Independence and how we are paid

My Annuity Store, Inc. is an independent annuity agency licensed in 47 states, with access to 90+ top annuity companies. When you buy an annuity through us, the insurance carrier pays us a commission, and you pay nothing beyond the premium you would pay buying the same product anywhere else.

Compensation never touches the data on this site. Rates come from carrier filings, rankings come from the fixed rules above, and both would read exactly the same if our compensation were different. Our editorial policy covers this in more detail.

Frequently asked questions

Rates and rankings on this page’s linked tables come from each carrier’s filed rates in our live feed and refresh automatically. Rates vary by state, premium amount, and age. This is rate information, not a quote and not a recommendation. Annuities are not FDIC insured; guarantees are backed by the claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company.