Best A++ and A+ Rated Annuity Companies (2026)
Annuity carriers holding AM Best A++ or A+ (Superior) financial-strength ratings, ranked by strength signals first with live CANNEX product breadth as a tiebreak.
CANNEX data as of July 14, 2026 - 15 companies ranked
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What makes an annuity company best?
A carrier is not best because it has the highest rate on one contract. For long-term annuity guarantees, claims-paying ability comes first: AM Best and other agency ratings, then product breadth, then product fit for the buyer's goal.
Use this page as a financial-strength shortlist, then move to current rate comparisons by product type. The strongest company for a MYGA buyer may not be the same company for an FIA income-rider buyer.
How we rank
Financial strength first.
- AM Best tier is the primary ranking signal. A++ carriers rank ahead of A+ carriers, then A and A-.
- Additional agency ratings from carrier profiles or CMS data strengthen the financial-strength score when available.
- Live product breadth from the CANNEX/AdvisorWorld feed is only a tiebreak after financial-strength signals.
| # | Carrier | AM Best | Why it ranks | Live products |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York Life Insurance and Annuity Corporation (NYLIAC) | A++ Superior | A New York Life subsidiary issuing annuity contracts for retirement savers who want a large mutual-insurer platform, strong claims-paying ratings, and current fixed-rate, indexed, and income-oriented options. Rating source: AdvisorWorld public API and CANNEX carrier data, as of July 14, 2026; agencies: AM Best, A.M. Best: A++, Fitch, S&P Global. | 5 |
| 2 | MassMutual | A++ Superior | A policyholder-owned mutual with one of the strongest balance sheets in U.S. life insurance - and a deliberately narrow annuity shelf. The draw here is the carrier behind the guarantee, not the length of the product menu: two declared-rate MYGAs from a top-tier mutual. Rating source: AdvisorWorld public API and CANNEX carrier data, as of July 14, 2026; agencies: AM Best, Fitch, S&P, S&P Global, Moody's. | 2 |
| 3 | MassMutual Ascend Life Insurance Company | A++ Superior | A MassMutual-owned annuity specialist, formerly Great American Life, with ARHQ product pages tied to live CANNEX-backed fixed and indexed annuity data. Rating source: AdvisorWorld public API and CANNEX carrier data, as of July 14, 2026; agencies: AM Best, S&P Global. | 13 |
| 4 | Reliance Standard | A++ Superior | AM Best A++ (Superior) carrier with MYGA products in the current live feed. Rating source: AdvisorWorld public API and CANNEX carrier data, as of July 14, 2026; agencies: AM Best. | 5 |
| 5 | Prudential Financial | A+ Superior | One of the largest and oldest names in U.S. insurance and retirement services - a publicly traded company (NYSE: PRU) with more than 150 years of operating history, issuing annuities through its Prudential and Pruco Life subsidiaries. Rating source: AdvisorWorld public API and CANNEX carrier data, as of July 14, 2026; agencies: AM Best, Fitch, Standard & Poor's, S&P Global, Moody's. | 5 |
| 6 | Athene Annuity and Life Company | A+ Superior | A retirement-services carrier built around retail annuities, pension risk transfer, funding agreements, and reinsurance - with Apollo as the public-company parent since the 2022 merger. Rating source: AdvisorWorld public API and CANNEX carrier data, as of July 14, 2026; agencies: AM Best, S&P, FItch, Moody's, S&P Global. | 7 |
| 7 | Securian Financial | A+ Superior | A mutual financial-services company established in 1880 and headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota - issuing annuities through Minnesota Life Insurance Company, with high financial-strength ratings across all four major agencies. Rating source: AdvisorWorld public API and CANNEX carrier data, as of July 14, 2026; agencies: AM Best, S&P Global, Fitch, Moody's. | 3 |
| 8 | Pacific Life | A+ Superior | A Newport Beach-based life insurance and retirement company founded in 1868, with annuities, life insurance, employee benefits, structured settlements, and institutional solutions under one long-term promise brand. Rating source: AdvisorWorld public API and CANNEX carrier data, as of July 14, 2026; agencies: AM Best, Fitch, S&P, S&P Global, Moody's. | 3 |
| 9 | Midland National | A+ Superior | An A+ rated annuity carrier founded in 1906 and headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, with retirement products issued through the Sammons Financial Group family. Rating source: AdvisorWorld public API and CANNEX carrier data, as of July 14, 2026; agencies: AM Best, Fitch, Standard & Poor's, S&P Global. | 4 |
| 10 | North American Company | A+ Superior | A privately held Sammons Financial Group life-and-annuity carrier with ARHQ product pages tied to live CANNEX-backed fixed indexed and MYGA data. Rating source: AdvisorWorld public API and CANNEX carrier data, as of July 14, 2026; agencies: AM Best, S&P Global Ratings, S&P Global, Fitch. | 3 |
| 11 | Nationwide Life Insurance Company | A+ Superior | A Columbus-based mutual insurance and financial-services organization with annuities, life insurance, retirement plans, mutual funds, and broad personal and business insurance lines. Rating source: AdvisorWorld public API and CANNEX carrier data, as of July 14, 2026; agencies: AM Best, S&P Global, Moody's. | 4 |
| 12 | Mutual of Omaha | A+ Superior | A large, well-known mutual insurance and financial-services company headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska - with more than a century of history and a broad protection and retirement platform - issuing annuities through United of Omaha Life Insurance Company. Rating source: AdvisorWorld public API and CANNEX carrier data, as of July 14, 2026; agencies: AM Best, S&P Global, Moody's. | 2 |
| 13 | Integrity Life Insurance Company | A+ Superior | AM Best A+ (Superior) carrier with MYGA products in the current live feed. Rating source: AdvisorWorld public API and CANNEX carrier data, as of July 14, 2026; agencies: AM Best. | 3 |
| 14 | Protective Life Insurance Company | A+ Superior | AM Best A+ (Superior) carrier with MYGA products in the current live feed. Rating source: AdvisorWorld public API and CANNEX carrier data, as of July 14, 2026; agencies: AM Best. | 3 |
| 15 | Western-Southern Life Assurance Company | A+ Superior | AM Best A+ (Superior) carrier with MYGA products in the current live feed. Rating source: AdvisorWorld public API and CANNEX carrier data, as of July 14, 2026; agencies: AM Best. | 4 |
Disclosure and sources: rankings reflect financial strength signals first, not a personalized recommendation. AM Best ratings and live product breadth are sourced from the AdvisorWorld public API and CANNEX carrier data; additional agency ratings come from carrier profile/CMS data where available. The best annuity company for you depends on product type, state, premium, time horizon, liquidity needs, and income goals. Guarantees are backed by the issuing carrier's claims-paying ability and are not FDIC-insured.
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Turn the carrier shortlist into current rates
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Best A++ and A+ annuity companies FAQ
What is the best annuity company?
There is no single best annuity company for every buyer. This ranking starts with financial strength - especially AM Best and other agency ratings where available - then uses current product breadth as a tiebreak. The right carrier still depends on the annuity type, state, premium, liquidity needs, and income goal.
Does an A++ rating matter?
An A++ AM Best rating is a strong claims-paying-ability signal, but it does not automatically make one product best for you. Product terms, surrender schedule, rider costs, state availability, and the current CANNEX rate data still matter.
Is the highest-rated company always best for me?
No. Higher financial-strength ratings are valuable, but a carrier with the strongest rating may not offer the product type, term, rider, or current rate that fits your goal. Use this list as a trust screen, then compare current rates and contract details.