Annexus and Americo Announce Strategic Partnership with Launch of Americo Benchmark Flex Fixed Indexed Annuity Suite

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., March 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Annexus, a leading designer of innovative retirement solutions, today announced a new strategic partnership with Americo Financial Life and Annuity Insurance Company (Americo), a leading provider of insurance and annuity products. Together they launched the Americo Benchmark Flex and Americo Benchmark Flex Plus with premium bonus fixed index annuities (FIAs). This new suite of FIAs features an industry-first stable benchmark index, industry-first crediting strategies, and an unparalleled growth opportunity through a suite of benchmark indices from S&P DJI.

The Americo Benchmark Flex FIAs will include a suite of benchmark indices including the S&P 500® Index, the S&P PRISM® Index and the S&P 500® Distance Stabilizer Index.1 The first S&P DJI index utilizing a distance timer strategy, developed in collaboration with Société Générale, may on occasion adjust its exposure to the S&P 500® based upon a variance budgeting process. The structure of the S&P 500® Distance Stabilizer Index facilitates Americo Benchmark Flex FIAs ability to provide higher participation rates and more stable strategy renewal rates.

"Annexus strives to provide our distribution partners with the most innovative solutions on the market that are designed to provide greater consumer value," said Ron Shurts, Annexus Co-founder and CEO. "Benchmark Flex FIAs are precisely that—the next evolution in FIAs designed to provide a highly competitive growth opportunity. One of the most exciting things about this new FIA suite is the S&P 500 Locked Cap Ladder Strategy, which provides higher S&P 500 cap rates and unprecedented transparency and predictability for clients."

The Americo Benchmark Flex series introduces the S&P 500® Locked Cap Ladder Strategy, a first-of-its-kind feature that allows for higher cap rates that are guaranteed for up to 10 years. This innovative crediting strategy provides clients with long-term visibility into their potential returns, while also eliminating the concern of renewal rate uncertainty.

The FIA suite will also offer a wide variety of other index crediting strategies, including the Performance Trigger Strategy and the Blended Performance Strategy. The Performance Trigger strategy provides the opportunity to earn guaranteed interest credits every year if the S&P 500® Index performance is greater than or equal to 0% each year. The Blended Performance Strategy will provide an annual fixed interest rate of 5% on 50% of the strategy allocation, and the other 50% will benefit from up to a 200% participation rate on the S&P PRISM® Index.2 The rates are guaranteed for 5 years.

Jeremy Thornton, Senior Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer at Americo, commented on the significance of the launch. "This partnership with Annexus represents a significant milestone for Americo as we expand our footprint in the fixed indexed annuity market. The Americo Benchmark Flex FIA suite reflects our shared commitment to putting the customer first and providing robust, flexible solutions. By offering both a competitive accumulation product and an enhanced bonus option, we are empowering individuals to tailor their retirement strategies to their specific financial objectives."

Advisors, Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs), and insurance professionals seeking access to this product should contact their Annexus-affiliated Independent Distribution Company. If you are a consumer interested in learning more about the Americo Benchmark Flex FIA suite, ask your insurance professional for more information and visit www.AmericoBenchmarkFlex.com.

About Annexus

Annexus designs solutions to help Americans grow and protect their retirement savings. As a leading independent product design and distribution company, Annexus has developed market-leading fixed indexed annuities, registered index-linked annuities, and indexed universal life insurance products. The company partners with top insurance carriers and world-renowned index designers to provide innovative solutions that deliver better client outcomes. For more information, please visit www.annexus.com.

About Americo

For over 100 years, Americo Life, Inc.'s family of insurance companies has been committed to providing the life insurance and annuity products you need to protect your mortgage, family, and future.3 We listen to what you want from an insurance policy and do our best to provide a proper solution for your individual situation. Innovative thinking has helped us build a strong financial foundation for our business. Americo Financial Life and Annuity Insurance Company (Americo) is a member of the Americo Life, Inc. family of companies. Americo Life, Inc., is one of the largest, independent, privately held insurance groups in the United States.4 For more information, visit www.americo.com.

1 The full name of the S&P 500® Distance Stabilizer Index is S&P 500® Distance Stabilizer TCA Index (USD) ER. The Index is an excess return index which reduces the performance of the S&P 500® Total Return Index by short-term interest rates. As a result, the index could generate negative returns in high-interest rate environments. In extreme prolonged volatile markets, the index could not have any exposure to the S&P 500® and could underperform, including in periods where markets are trending upwards.

2 Americo Benchmark Flex FIA with the S&P PRISM Blended Performance Strategy. Rates are effective as of publication date and are subject to change.

3 Americo Life, Inc. is a holding company and is not responsible for the financial condition or contractual obligations of its affiliate insurance companies.

4 "Admitted Assets, Top Life Writers-2026," A.M. Best Co., as of January 2026.

Americo Financial Life and Annuity Insurance Company is authorized to conduct business in the District of Columbia and all states except NY.

Americo Benchmark Flex FIA Series (Policy Series: 426, 426-10 DP, 426-B, 426-10B DP, 2533, 2533 DP, 2547 PTP LCL, 2547 PTPC, 2547 PTPP, 2547 PTPTR, 2547 MYGIA. Forms ICC25 426, ICC25 426-10 DP, ICC25 426-B, ICC25 426-10B DP, ICC24 2533, ICC24 2533 DP, ICC25 2547 PTP LCL, ICC25 2547 PTPC, ICC25 2547 PTPP, ICC25 2547 PTPTR, ICC25 2547 MYGIA. AAA426, AAA426-10 DP, AAA426 B, AAA426-10B DP, AAA2533, AAA2533 DP, AAA2547 PTP LCL, AAA2547 PTPC, AAA2547 PTPP, AAA2547 PTPTR, AAA2547 MYGIA) is underwritten by Americo Financial Life and Annuity Insurance Company (Americo), Kansas City, MO, and may vary in accordance with state laws. Some products and benefits may not be available in all states. Certain restrictions and variations apply. Consult the contract and riders for all limitations and exclusions. Annexus and their affiliated agencies are independently contracted with Americo.

The S&P 500®, S&P PRISM®, and S&P 500® Distance Stabilizer TCA Index (USD) ER ("the Indices") are products of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC or its affiliates ("SPDJI"), and have been licensed for use by Americo Financial Life and Annuity Insurance Company ("Americo"). S&P®, S&P 500®, US 500, The 500, S&P PRISM®, iBoxx®, iTraxx® and CDX® are trademarks of S&P Global, Inc. or its affiliates ("S&P"); Dow Jones® is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC ("Dow Jones"). Americo's Products are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by SPDJI, Dow Jones, S&P, or any of their respective affiliates (collectively, "S&P Dow Jones Indices"). S&P Dow Jones Indices does not make any representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the Americo's Products or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in Americo's Products particularly or the ability of the Indices to track general market performance. Past performance of an index is not an indication or guarantee of future results. S&P Dow Jones Indices' only relationship to Americo with respect to the Indices is the licensing of the Indices and certain trademarks, service marks and/or trade names of S&P Dow Jones Indices and/or its licensors. The Indices is determined, composed and calculated by S&P Dow Jones Indices without regard to Americo or the Americo's Products. S&P Dow Jones Indices has no obligation to take the needs of Americo or the owners of Americo's Products into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the Indices. S&P Dow Jones Indices has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of Americo's Products. There is no assurance that investment products based on the Indices will accurately track index performance or provide positive investment returns. S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC is not an "investment adviser, commodity trading advisory, commodity pool operator, broker dealer, fiduciary, promoter" (as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended), "expert" as enumerated within 15 U.S.C. § 77k(a) or tax advisor. Inclusion of a security, commodity, crypto currency or other asset within an index is not a recommendation by S&P Dow Jones Indices to buy, sell, or hold such security, commodity, crypto currency or other asset, nor is it considered to be investment advice or commodity trading advice. SPDJI provides indices that use environmental, social and/or governance (ESG) indicators (including, without limit, business involvement screens, conformance to voluntary corporate standards, GHG emissions data, and ESG scores) to select, weight and/or exclude constituents. ESG indicators seek to measure a company's, or an asset's performance, with respect to E, S and/or G criteria. ESG indicators are derived from publicly reported data, modelled data, or a combination of reported and modelled data. ESG indicators are based on a qualitative assessment due to the absence of well-defined uniform market standards and the use of multiple methodologies to assess ESG factors. No single clear, definitive test or framework (legal, regulatory, or otherwise) exists to determine labels such as, 'ESG', 'sustainable', 'good governance', 'no adverse environmental, social and/or other impacts', or other equivalently labelled objectives. Therefore, the exercise of subjective judgment is necessary. Different persons may classify the same investment, products and/or strategy differently regarding the foregoing labels.

NEITHER S&P DOW JONES INDICES NOR THIRD PARTY LICENSOR GUARANTEES THE ADEQUACY, ACCURACY, TIMELINESS AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE INDICES OR ANY DATA RELATED THERETO OR ANY COMMUNICATION, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ORAL OR WRITTEN COMMUNICATION (INCLUDING ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS) WITH RESPECT THERETO. S&P DOW JONES INDICES SHALL NOT BE SUBJECT TO ANY DAMAGES OR LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR DELAYS THEREIN. S&P DOW JONES INDICES MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE OR AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY AMERICO, OWNERS OF THE AMERICO'S PRODUCTS, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE INDICES OR WITH RESPECT TO ANY DATA RELATED THERETO. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT WHATSOEVER SHALL S&P DOW JONES INDICES BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LOSS OF PROFITS, TRADING LOSSES, LOST TIME OR GOODWILL, EVEN IF THEY HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBLITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE. S&P DOW JONES INDICES HAS NOT REVIEWED, PREPARED AND/OR CERTIFIED ANY PORTION OF, NOR DOES S&P DOW JONES INDICES HAVE ANY CONTROL OVER, THE LICENSEE PRODUCT REGISTRATION STATEMENT, PROSPECTUS OR OTHER OFFERING MATERIALS. THERE ARE NO THIRD-PARTY BENEFICIARIES OF ANY AGREEMENTS OR ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN S&P DOW JONES INDICES AND AMERICO, OTHER THAN THE LICENSORS OF S&P DOW JONES INDICES.

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