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
Quality of investments of insurance companies. State insurance regulators establish rules for company investments. Authorized investments vary, depending on whether a company is a life ...
Percentage of life insurance or other insurance policies remaining in force; percentage of policies that have not lapsed. The higher the percentage, the greater the persistency. Since it is ...
In ocean marine insurance, provision stipulating that upon the collision of two or more ships, when all ships are at fault, all owners and shippers having monetary interests in the voyage ...
Three types of damages can be awarded to a plaintiff: Special Damages reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses, including medical bills, legal charges, cost of repairing damaged or ...
Coverage usually provided as part of the special Multiperil insurance (smp) policy, generally replaced by the commercial package policy, through the attachment of the Blanket Crime ...
Organization of brokers and securities dealers in the over-the-counter market operating under the auspices of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Its purpose is to enforce, on a ...
Feature of property and casualty policy providing coverage without a reduction in the policy's limits after a loss is paid. For example, if the limit of coverage under a property policy is ...
Typical non qualified plans of life insurance for key employees include: permanent life insurance dividends generated by the policy are used to pay the income tax of the key employee that ...
Transportation firm that carries only select customers' goods and is not obligated to carry any particular customer's goods even if that customer is willing to pay. Contrast with common ...

Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.