Variable Dollar Annuity
Definition of "Variable dollar annuity"
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.
Popular Insurance Terms
Act that established mandatory notification by manufacturers of products and the distributors of these products to the Consumer Product Safety Commission in the event they become aware of a ...
Important means of preventing accidents and injuries. Insurers take corporate safety programs into account when rating workers compensation and other business insurance policies. ...
Protecting against loss by setting aside one's own money. This can be done on a mathematical basis by establishing a separate fund into which funds are deposited on a periodic basis. ...
Coverage on real property written to have no time limit. A single deposit premium pays for insurance for the life of the risk. The insurer earns enough investment income on the deposit to ...
Method of accessing capital by the insurance industry in order to hedge against a future catastrophic occurrence. The mechanism works as follows: Primary insurance company AJAX pays a ...
Work-related accident. Occupational accidents that injure employees are the responsibility of the employer and are covered by workers compensation insurance. In recent years, the term ...
Amount received by the policyholder if the policy is canceled, benefits are reduced, or the premium is reduced. ...
Situation in which several liability insurance policies are in force to cover the same risk, thereby resulting in higher limits of coverage than is required to adequately insure the risk. ...
Tax charged to finance the old age, survivors, disability, and health insurance (OASDHI) plan. Both employer and employee share in the cost, making contributions on an equal basis. The ...
Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.