Headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa, American Equity is an American-owned and operated financial services company. They are licensed to sell annuity products in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
American Equity currently serves more than 500,000 contract owners across the United States.
About American Equity
David J. Noble founded American Equity in 1995, and the company centered on two philosophies: exemplary customer service and product integrity. With only three employees at the beginning, the company has grown to more than a 800-person staff and 24,000 agents today.
Based on the information in their 2022 Earnings Press Release, American Equity is considered a leading issuer of fixed index annuities.
American Equity has three member companies, including:
- American Equity Investment Life Insurance Company
- Eagle Life Insurance Company
- American Equity Investment Life Insurance Company of New York
American Equity specializes in selling fixed index and fixed rate annuities, sharing, “We are in the business of helping individuals preserve their retirement dollars and provide a secure, predictable income they cannot outlive.”
If you’re a current annuity policyholder with American Equity, you can contact them toll-free at:
Credit Ratings
There are many annuity providers to choose from. As you compare their rates, product options and annuity fees, it is also important to review their credit ratings.
Credit ratings are agency opinions that demonstrate an insurance company’s financial strength. American Equity has the following scores among three reports:
Standard and Poor’s | Fitch | A.M. Best | |
---|---|---|---|
Insurer Financial Strength | A- | A- | A- |
The A- rating shows American Equity’s proven capacity to cover financial obligations, although the company may be more vulnerable to adverse economic conditions compared with higher-rated companies.
Annuity Products Offered by American Equity
American Equity takes pride in its personal approach to selling annuities for financial security.
The company expresses on their website, “At American Equity, we strive to provide stable annuity products backed by our company’s financial strength, disciplined investment practices and award-winning customer service.”
Current product offerings include fixed indexed annuities, fixed annuities and immediate annuities.
Fixed Indexed Annuities
Fixed indexed annuities provide premium protection with growth potential. Earnings are tied to a specific stock index, such as the S&P 500. American Equity provides several fixed indexed annuity product options:
- Destinations
- AssetShield 5
- AssetShield 7
- AssetShield 10
- IncomeShield 7
- IncomeShield 10
- Bonus Gold
- Retirement Gold
Fixed Annuities
Fixed annuities are designed to provide a reliable income stream with a guaranteed interest rate. This rate is determined at the beginning of the contract. In this category, American Equity offers the Guarantee Series and GuaranteeShield Series products.
Both fixed indexed and fixed annuities grow tax-deferred until you begin receiving payments. Your interest rate cannot fall below zero, even if the stock market experiences a downturn.
Immediate Annuities
Immediate annuities provide periodic payments for life, or a chosen timespan. American Equity’s Single Premium Immediate Annuity begins paying out within 12 months of the contract’s start date.
American Equity refers to their services as “sleep Insurance.” Instead of having sleepless nights while worrying about their retirement, policyholders can feel more secure with guaranteed annuity income.

Lock In Fixed Annuity Rates as High as 6.4%
Client Resources
At American Equity, excellent customer service is a core business philosophy. The company offers educational resources, calculators and an interactive client website. Contract owners can easily review the status of recent requests, submit online requests and access premium and withdrawal history.
If you have an annuity with American Equity, you can log into your account at:
About Annuity.org
Annuity.org has provided reliable, accurate and trustworthy financial information to readers since 2013. We partner with professionals like those from Senior Market Sales (SMS), a market leader with over 30 years of experience in the insurance industry, to offer personalized retirement solutions for consumers across the country.
Any information offered about the company above is provided free of charge and individual product offerings are verified and accurate as of publication.
Our partners work with the provider companies mentioned on our site. However, Annuity.org is not a service provider. Actual products, terms and rates offered through the above company are subject to in-state availability and a variety of other factors. Visit the Our Partners page for additional information.