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
Policy that has an initial premium with flexible premiums thereafter. Within limits, a policy owner can select both the future amount and frequency of premiums, or can stop and start ...
Act that prohibits insurance companies, group health plans, and health maintenance organizations from establishing lifetime limits or annual limits on mental health coverage that are lower ...
Unallocated funding instrument for pension plans under which premiums are placed on deposit, and are not currently allocated to the purchase of benefits for the employee. At retirement, an ...
Statutory underwriting gain minus (or loss plus) policyholder's dividends. ...
Coverage if state or municipal law requires that a damaged or destroyed building must be rebuilt at an increased cost to comply with building code provisions that were not in effect when ...
Same as term Deposit Term Life Insurance: policy in which a premium (the deposit) is paid in the first policy year, in addition to the regular term insurance premiums required. The deposit ...
Particular type of inland marine insurance. ...
Determination that group plans offering legal services are limited to an annual tax-free benefit of $70 per employee; group plans may offer employer-provided educational assistance plans on ...
Federal law passed in 1920 that allows any seaman incurring bodily injury as the result of the performance of one or more functions of the job to bring a suit for damages against the ...
Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.