Variable Dollar Annuity

Definition of "Variable dollar annuity"

Irene Poole real estate agent

Written by

Irene Pooleelite badge icon

RE/MAX Select

Annuity in which premium payments are used to purchase accumulation units, their number depending on the value of each unit. The value of a unit is determined by the value of the portfolio of stocks in which the insurance company invests the premiums. At the time of the payment of benefits to the annuitant, the accumulation units are converted to a monthly fixed number of units. The variable element is the dollar value of each unit. For example, assume that the annuitant pays a monthly premium of $100. If the accumulation unit value during one month is $50, two units are purchased. In another month, if the value of the accumulation unit is $25, four units are purchased. In a third month, the value of the unit is $10, resulting in the purchase of 10 units. This allows the market use of the investment strategy of dollar cost averaging. Accumulation units are credited to the annuitant's account, a procedure that is similar to purchasing shares in a mutual fund.
When income benefits are scheduled to begin, total accumulation units are converted to assume 100 income benefit units per month. The value of the income unit will vary according to the company's stock investments; in one month the annuitant's income might be $1000, in another month $500, in another month $1200. Changes in the investment experience by the insurance company are passed on to the annuitant, but the company absorbs fluctuations in expenses and mortality experience.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Insurance Terms

Classification at death of all pension plans, profit-sharing plans, individual retirement accounts (IRAS), annuities, and installment payments to the extent to which the deceased was ...

Clause in some current ASSUMPTION WHOLE LIFE INSURANCE policies Such as UNIVERSAL LIFE insurance that allows unscheduled premiums to be paid at any time prior to the policy's maturity date, ...

Table used by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in evaluating split dollar life insurance plans as to the extent of the economic benefit that is considered taxable ordinary income to the ...

Management of premium inflow and benefit outflow. ...

Policy providing businesses with coverage for negligence based civil liability in: (1) Bodily injury and property damage liability, on an occurrence basis, resulting from the ownership, ...

Amount of insurance remaining on a ceding company's books, net of the amount reinsured. ...

Life insurance contract that combines TERM LIFE INSURANCE with WHOLE LIFE INSURANCE. The term portion of the contract expires after a stipulated time period. If the insured dies during this ...

Two basic kinds of policies sold by health insurance companies: medigap insurance (medicare supplementary insurance); and medicare wraparound ...

Model state law of the NAIC that stipulates that the prospective purchaser of a dread disease insurance policy (catastrophic illness insurance policy) must be provided a quantitative ...

Popular Insurance Questions