Home Life insurance Annuities articles: How to buy wisely Annuities articles: How to buy wisely Written by Insure.com | Posted on: December 10, 2009 Why you can trust Insure.com Quality Verified At Insure.com, we are committed to providing the timely, accurate and expert information consumers need to make smart insurance decisions. All our content is written and reviewed by industry professionals and insurance experts. Our team carefully vets our rate data to ensure we only provide reliable and up-to-date insurance pricing. We follow the highest editorial standards. Our content is based solely on objective research and data gathering. We maintain strict editorial independence to ensure unbiased coverage of the insurance industry. Annuities: The basics We help you understand how annuities work and whether you should buy one. Annuities: Getting out of one There may not be an easy way out. Annuity payouts: How much you’ll get We look at how payouts are calculated. Annuity waivers: Access before retirement If you become seriously disabled or need to go to a nursing home before you retire, your annuity may contain a waiver that triggers payments that are not subject to the usual surrender fees. Equity-indexed: How indexing methods work We look at how an index’s gain or loss affects your “participation rate.” Subaccounts: Variable life and variable annuity subaccounts Some subaccounts are aggressive growth funds and may produce either robust or shrunken returns. Immediate variable annuities Immediate variable annuities offer you the chance to earn money in the stock market and get a steady check, but it comes with a price. Variable annuities: Five salespitches to watch our for How to judge what you may hear. × Get Free Life Insurance Quotes Today! Zip Code Please enter valid zip Age Age 16 – 20 21 – 24 25 – 34 35 – 44 45 – 54 55 – 64 65+ Coverage Amount Coverage Amount $50,000 – $100,000 $100,000 – $200,000 $200,000 – $300,000 $400,000 – $500,000 $500,000 – $1,000,000 $1,000,000 – $2,000,000 $2,000,000 – $5,000,000 $5,000,000+ Coverage Type Coverage Type Whole Life Term Life Final Expense Not Sure Gender Gender Male Female Non-Binary Tobacco Use Yes No Compare Quotes QuickTake Annuity lifetime payouts: How much will you get? What is an annuity? What to know about the retirement income option Equity-indexed annuities: Indexing methods explained The ups and downs of immediate variable annuities Waivers provide access to your annuity before retirement Annuity Surrender: Getting out of your annuity See more > Related Articles What is term life insurance and how does it work? By Desiree Ghazi What is final expense insurance and how does it work? By Desiree Ghazi Mortgage protection insurance: Who needs it and why By Huma Naeem Best wedding insurance companies in 2025 By Danielle Dorchester The 10 largest life insurance companies By Chris Kissell What is cash value life insurance and how does it work? By Desiree Ghazi ZIP Code Please enter valid ZIP See rates