What it sounds like
The insurer gives you immediately spendable money with no offsetting condition or tradeoff.
Annuity Pitch Decoder
Decode “You get a 10% bonus.”
Decode common annuity sales claims without handing over your email or phone number. The answer comes from reviewed rules and primary evidence—not a salesperson and not an improvised AI response.
No signupNo raw pitch stored in analyticsSources included
Decoded · Bonus claim
“You get a 10% bonus.”
A bonus can be real and still have vesting, recapture, surrender, fee, crediting, or benefit-base conditions that determine its value.
What it may actually mean
- A percentage may be added to contract value, premium value, or a separate benefit base.
- The bonus may vest over time or be recaptured after an early surrender, withdrawal, death, or annuitization event.
- The bonus product may use different fees or crediting terms than a version without the bonus.
This claim does not prove
- That the bonus is immediately withdrawable in cash.
- That the full bonus survives an early exit or replacement.
- That the bonus contract produces a higher ending value than available non-bonus alternatives.
- That the bonus is added to every value used by the contract.
What the paperwork must show
- The definition of bonus, premium bonus, and benefit base
- Bonus vesting and recapture schedule
- Treatment after withdrawal, death, surrender, exchange, or annuitization
- Surrender schedule and market value adjustment
- Like-for-like crediting and rider terms for a non-bonus alternative
Take these into the meeting
Questions the sales pitch should survive
- 1Which contract value receives the bonus?
- 2What could cause part or all of it to be recaptured?
- 3What would I receive if I left after one, three, five, or seven years?
- 4Show me a comparable product without the bonus using the same assumptions.
Evidence behind this explanation
Open the primary sources
Editorially reviewed 2026-08-15
Investor.gov — U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
Variable Annuities — Bonus Credits
Explains that bonus-credit contracts can have higher expenses and may require repayment in some circumstances. Product type and contract terms still control.
Investor.gov — U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
Bonus Credits for Annuities
Defines bonus credits and warns that higher expenses can offset the apparent gain.
These sources explain the issue category. Only the issued contract, rider, data pages, illustration, and applicable law establish the terms of a specific offer.
Need the actual offer checked?
Bring the contract—not another sales pitch.
The decoder identifies what must be proven. The Annuity Second Opinion compares the offer and its documented terms.
Educational information only—not individualized investment, insurance, legal, or tax advice. A claim can be accurate for one contract and misleading for another. Review the issued contract and consult appropriately licensed professionals for your circumstances.