Guardian Insurance & Annuity Supplies Investors Access to Alternative Investments

The Guardian Insurance & Annuity Company, Inc. (GIAC), a subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian), introduced Guardian Investor ProFreedom Variable Annuity (B Share) (ProFreedom VA), its first deferred variable annuity product to offer alternative investment options.

ProFreedom VA provides the opportunity for investors to go beyond traditional portfolio diversification, which may help offset market volatility and reduce market correlations, potentially leading to better portfolio performance.

According to a release, ProFreedom VA offers investors the ability to create an optimal portfolio, blending investment options managed by boutique brands (such as ALPS/Alerian, Mariner Hyman & Beck, and Merger (Westchester Capital Management, LLC)) with options managed by highly recognizable brand names (such as Fidelity Investments, MFS and PIMCO), across different investment strategies, such as traditional, risk managed, sector focused and alternative investment options. These investment vehicles were identified through GIAC's rigorous five-step evaluation and selection process aimed at meeting a diverse range of investment objectives.

As a deferred variable annuity, ProFreedom VA offers investors the opportunity to accumulate assets over time and then to receive guaranteed payments for as long as they live or for a set period of time.

"With increasingly high correlations among asset classes, investors are looking for more effective diversification strategies. ProFreedom VA goes beyond traditional portfolio diversification by offering risk managed, alternative investment options alongside conventional asset classes, within a tax-deferred investment vehicle," said Douglas Dubitsky, Vice President of Product Management & Development for Retirement Solutions at Guardian.

"Through the annuity's broad array of investment strategies, you can create an optimal portfolio that may help reduce the impact of market volatility and risk, enabling you to better meet your long- term investment needs with guaranteed income. ProFreedom VA underscores GIAC's commitment to provide a wide range of annuity products to meet the diverse investment goals and risk tolerances of our clients."

For income-minded investors, the annuity can be issued with a deferred income rider called the Guardian SecureFuture Income Rider, which allows contract owners to turn current investment gains and premiums into a future stream of guaranteed lifetime income unaffected by any market condition.

With a minimum initial premium payment of $10,000 ($5,000 for qualified monies), ProFreedom VA offers a relatively low annual base contract fee. All taxes on earnings from interest and capital gains are deferred until those gains are withdrawn from the annuity. Variable annuity guarantees, including annuity payments, death benefits and any optional benefits, are backed exclusively by the claims-paying ability of GIAC, which has received exemplary ratings from the four major credit rating agencies.

A mutual insurer founded in 1860, The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian) and its subsidiaries are committed to protecting individuals, business owners and their employees with life, disability income and dental insurance products, and offer funding vehicles for 401(k) plans, annuities and other financial products.

More information:

GuardianLife.com

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