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• RILA sales top $25 billion in a quarter for the first time
• 12th consecutive quarter of total sales above $100 billion
• September sales were the second-highest month on record

WINDSOR, Conn., November 6, 2026 — Total U.S. annuity sales rose 4% year over year to a record $126.3 billion in the third quarter of 2026, surpassing the previous quarterly high set in the second quarter and marking the 12th consecutive quarter of more than $100 billion in sales, according to preliminary results from LIMRA’s U.S. Individual Annuity Sales Survey, which represents 93% of the total U.S. annuity market.

Year to date, total annuity sales reached $355.0 billion, 2% higher than the first nine months of 2025. September sales were the second-highest monthly total on record, trailing only September 2025.

“Annuity sales set another all-time quarterly record, the 12th consecutive quarter above $100 billion,” said Bryan Hodgens, senior vice president and head of LIMRA research. “Higher crediting rates following the Federal Reserve’s September rate increase, along with strong equity markets, lifted fixed-rate deferred, registered index-linked and traditional variable annuity sales as investors sought both principal protection and market growth.”

Registered Index-Linked Annuities

Registered index-linked annuity (RILA) sales set a new quarterly record of $25.3 billion in the third quarter, topping $25 billion for the first time. Sales were up 8% from the second quarter and 22% higher than the third quarter of 2025. Year to date, RILA sales totaled $69.7 billion, 21% above the same period in 2025. September RILA sales were up slightly from August and 15% higher than a year earlier, making it the second-highest sales month ever recorded for RILA, behind July 2026.

“RILA sales crossed the $25 billion mark for the first time, extending their run of quarterly records,” said Keith Golembiewski, assistant vice president and head of LIMRA Annuity Research. “Investors continue to value RILA’s combination of upside market participation and downside protection.”

Fixed-Rate Deferred

Fixed-rate deferred (FRD) annuity sales were $44.5 billion in the third quarter, up 7% from the second quarter and 2% higher than the third quarter of 2025. Through the first nine months of 2026, FRD sales were $121.9 billion, 6% lower than the same period last year. On a monthly basis, September FRD sales rose more than 7% from August as crediting rates inched higher following the Federal Reserve’s rate increase.

Fixed Indexed Annuities

Fixed indexed annuity (FIA) sales were $30.7 billion in the third quarter, level with the second quarter and 8% lower than the third quarter of 2025. Year to date, FIA sales were $88.1 billion, down 6% from the same period in 2025. September FIA sales were level with August and 13% lower than a year earlier. The Federal Reserve’s recent rate increase has not yet lifted FIA sales, as these products face competitive pressure from FRD, which tend to respond more quickly to rising rates, and from RILA.

Traditional Variable Annuities

Traditional variable annuity (VA) sales were $18.2 billion in the third quarter, up 3% from the second quarter and 11% higher than the third quarter of 2025. Year to date, traditional VA sales reached $53.0 billion, 17% above the same period in 2025. Despite periods of volatility, overall positive equity performance supported the market as investors looked to VA products to capture some of the market’s record growth. On a monthly basis, September VA sales rose nearly 10% from both August and a year earlier.

Income Annuities

Single premium immediate annuity (SPIA) sales were $4.1 billion in the third quarter, level with the second quarter and 6% higher than the third quarter of 2025. Year to date, SPIA sales were $12.0 billion, up 14% from the same period in 2025. Deferred income annuity (DIA) sales were $1.3 billion, 1% lower than a year earlier and down 2% from the second quarter. Year to date, DIA sales totaled $3.5 billion, 4% higher than the first nine months of 2025.

For more detail on third quarter results, visit Annuity Sales Estimates (Third Quarter 2026) in LIMRA’s Fact Tank. The top 20 rankings of total, variable and fixed annuity writers will be available following the completion of participating carriers’ earnings calls.

Note

Beginning with the January 2026 report, LIMRA updated its sales definition. The new definitions are:

Sales: all money paid into an individual annuity. This includes money paid into new contracts (with initial purchase occurring in the quarter) and existing contracts (where initial purchase occurred prior to the current quarter). Includes internal transfers.

Internal transfers/exchanges should be from sales of all product types (variable, fixed-rate, indexed). Internal exchanges are annuity-to-annuity exchanges in which both the original contract and the current/new contract are within the same company. These include contract renewals — however, it would exclude auto-renewals. Excludes products that trigger a surrender. Internal exchanges do not require a commissionable sale/transaction.

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