How do A.M. Best rating tiers compare?

A++ and A+ are Superior, A and A- are Excellent, and B++ and B+ are Good. All six sit inside what A.M. Best treats as the secure range, so the category tells you more than the plus or minus modifier.

What does a rating outlook mean?

An outlook — positive, stable, or negative — signals the likely direction of a rating over the medium term. It is not a downgrade, and it does not change the contractual obligations already written into a policy.

Why do some carriers show no outlook?

An outlook is only shown when one has been recorded in the AnnuityScore carrier network. Where none has been verified the table reads 'Not recorded' rather than inferring one. A.M. Best publishes the current rating and outlook.

Does a higher tier mean a better annuity?

No. Carrier strength and contract quality are separate questions. A Superior-rated company can issue a contract with a long surrender schedule and modest crediting terms, and a Good-rated company can issue a straightforward one.

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Compare carriers by tier and outlook

A.M. Best groups its secure ratings into three categories — Superior, Excellent and Good. Filter the verified carrier table by category and by recorded outlook to see how issuers sit relative to one another.

TierOutlookSort

A.M. Best rating comparison table

Showing 15 of 15 carriers recorded in the AnnuityScore carrier network.

Carrier	A.M. Best	Tier	Outlook	Primary lines
MassMutual	A++	Superior	Not recorded	Fixed and multi-year guaranteed annuities · Income annuities
Allianz Life	A+	Superior	Not recorded	Fixed indexed annuities · Registered index-linked annuities
Athene	A+	Superior	Not recorded	Fixed indexed annuities · Multi-year guaranteed annuities (MYGA)
Midland National	A+	Superior	Not recorded	Fixed indexed annuities · Multi-year guaranteed annuities
Minnesota Life (Securian)	A+	Superior	Not recorded	Fixed indexed annuities · Variable annuities
Nationwide	A+	Superior	Not recorded	Fixed indexed annuities · Registered index-linked annuities
North American Company	A+	Superior	Not recorded	Fixed indexed annuities · Multi-year guaranteed annuities
Prudential	A+	Superior	Not recorded	Registered index-linked annuities · Variable annuities
F&G Annuities	A	Excellent	Not recorded	Fixed indexed annuities · Multi-year guaranteed annuities
Lincoln Financial	A	Excellent	Not recorded	Variable annuities · Registered index-linked annuities
AmFirst (Axonic)	A-	Excellent	Not recorded	Multi-year guaranteed annuities · Fixed annuities
Delaware Life	A-	Excellent	Not recorded	Fixed indexed annuities · Multi-year guaranteed annuities
American Life	B++	Good	Not recorded	Multi-year guaranteed annuities · Fixed indexed annuities
EquiTrust Life	B++	Good	Not recorded	Fixed indexed annuities · Multi-year guaranteed annuities
Heartland National Life	B++	Good	Not recorded	Fixed indexed annuities · Multi-year guaranteed annuities

Tier by tier

A++ · A+

Superior

8 carriers in the network

A · A-

Excellent

4 carriers in the network

B++ · B+

Good

3 carriers in the network

Questions owners ask

How do A.M. Best rating tiers compare?: A++ and A+ are Superior, A and A- are Excellent, and B++ and B+ are Good. All six sit inside what A.M. Best treats as the secure range, so the category tells you more than the plus or minus modifier.
What does a rating outlook mean?: An outlook — positive, stable, or negative — signals the likely direction of a rating over the medium term. It is not a downgrade, and it does not change the contractual obligations already written into a policy.
Why do some carriers show no outlook?: An outlook is only shown when one has been recorded in the AnnuityScore carrier network. Where none has been verified the table reads 'Not recorded' rather than inferring one. A.M. Best publishes the current rating and outlook.
Does a higher tier mean a better annuity?: No. Carrier strength and contract quality are separate questions. A Superior-rated company can issue a contract with a long surrender schedule and modest crediting terms, and a Good-rated company can issue a straightforward one.

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The rating is where a review starts

The Annuity Position Score™ reads your own contract against Cost, Surrender, Riders, Rate and Fit — issuer strength is one pillar of five.

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Educational content only. AnnuityScore is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of any carrier named on this page. A.M. Best ratings and outlooks are as recorded in the AnnuityScore carrier network and are subject to change; A.M. Best is the authoritative source. Nothing here is a recommendation or a solicitation.