Allianz Life Adds Variable Annuity Rider with Increasing Income Payments

Income Focus Rider on Select Variable Annuities Provides Increasing Lifetime Income that can be accessed at Any Time

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America (Allianz Life^®), and in New York, Allianz Life Insurance Company of New York (Allianz Life^® of NY) today announced the launch of the optional Income Focus rider on Allianz Vision^SM, Allianz Vision^SMNew York and Allianz Connections^SM variable annuities, a new, innovative way to offer clients increasing income in retirement. Available today in 48 states, this optional rider offers payment percentage increases of 1% every year the contract experiences positive performance, no matter the size of the increase. There is no limit on the number of income increases, up to age 91, whether the contract holder takes income today or in the future.

“With the current economic uncertainty, Americans’ concerns about having sufficient income to maintain their standard of living in retirement has taken on a new urgency,” said Robert DeChellis, president of Allianz Life Financial Services, LLC. “Whether people are looking for income now or later, our variable annuities with the optional Income Focus rider can change the way they plan for retirement income.”

This optional rider is designed for investors that seek a greater risk/reward tradeoff. The Income Focus rider provides income that is not driven by how high the contract value grows, but by how many times it grows. Additionally, there are no guaranteed annual increases in accumulation, so with Income Focus, if you select at issue and make no additional purchase payments, you only need to keep track of two numbers – the amount put in (Total Income Value) and the payment percentage. The rider is powered by the Allianz Managed Volatility Portfolio (AZL^® MVP) of investment options, which are unique to Allianz Life and Allianz Life of NY.

The current annual cost of the Income Focus rider is 1.30% calculated on the purchase payments adjusted for withdrawals (Total Income Value) for both single and joint life payout, and is subject to change on each quarterly anniversary, but will never be less than the minimum charge of 0.50% or exceed the maximum of 2.75% for single or 2.95% for joint.

“Another great feature of the Income Focus rider is that the rider fees are always based on the purchase payments, so as the value of the contract goes up, the fees as a percentage of the contact value decrease,” added DeChellis. This fee calculation can help lower the overall costs for this rider.

For more information about the Income Focus rider, visit www.allianzincomefocus.com.

For more complete information about Allianz Life and Allianz Life of NY variable annuities and variable investment options, call Allianz Life Financial Services, LLC at 800.542.5427 for a prospectus. The prospectuses contain details on investment objectives, risks, fees, and expenses, as well as other information about the variable annuity and the variable investment options, which your clients should carefully consider. Encourage your clients to read the prospectuses thoroughly before sending money.

All contract and rider guarantees, including optional benefits and any fixed subaccount crediting rates or annuity payout rates, are backed by the claims-paying ability of Allianz Life and Allianz Life of NY. They are not backed by the broker/dealer from which this annuity is purchased, by the insurance agency from which this annuity is purchased, or any affiliates of those entities and none makes any representations or guarantees regarding the claims-paying ability of Allianz Life and Allianz Life of NY. Guarantees do not apply to the performance of the variable subaccounts, which will fluctuate with market conditions.

Not FDIC insured. May lose value. No bank or credit union guarantee. Not a deposit. Not insured by and federal government agency or NCUA/NCUSIF.

Products are issued by Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America, 5701 Golden Hills Drive, Minneapolis, MN 55416-1297, and in New York, by Allianz Life Insurance Company of New York, One Chase Manhattan Plaza, 38th Floor, New York, NY 10005-1422, and distributed by their affiliate, Allianz Life Financial Services, LLC, member FINRA, 5701 Golden Hills Drive, Minneapolis, MN 55416-1297. 800.542.5427, www.allianzlife.com.

About Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America
Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America, one of FORTUNE’s 100 Best Companies to Work For in 2012, has been keeping its promises since 1896. Today, it carries on that tradition, helping Americans achieve their retirement income and protection goals with a variety of annuities and life insurance products. As a leading provider of fixed index annuities, Allianz Life is part of Allianz SE, a global leader in the financial services industry with 150,000 employees worldwide. More than 75 million private and corporate customers rely on Allianz knowledge, global reach, and capital strength to help them make the most of financial opportunities.

Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America offers insurance and annuities in all states except New York. In New York, products are issued by Allianz Life Insurance Company of New York, New York, NY.

Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America Sara Thurin Rollin
763-765-6703
[email protected]

Source: Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America