North American, Annexus enhance Secure Horizon Plus fixed index annuity

North American Company for Life and Health Insurance^®(North American), a member company of Sammons^® Financial Group and one of the largest issuers of fixed index annuities (FIAs) in the U.S.,¹ and Annexus, a leading independent insurance retirement product design company, announce two major enhancements to the Secure Horizon^SM Plus FIA. The changes include an increase to the premium bonus and the addition of a new index from Research Affiliates.

Since its launch in 2021, Secure Horizon Plus has gained traction with the first-of-its-kind built-in Retirement Benefits Rider that provides a benefit if one of four common retirement risks is triggered. Those risks include health-related expenses, a reduction to Social Security benefits, a legacy shortfall for heirs, and the risk of outliving one's money in retirement. ² T he rider has c reated an innovative retirement-protection planning opportunity for Financial Professionals and their clients — and these added enhancements make it an even stronger solution in retirement planning.

Two of the most popular rider benefits continue to be the PlanGap^® Benefit, the only solution within an FIA that helps mitigate a reduction in Social Security benefits, and the 2 of 6 Activities of Daily Living (ADL) Benefit, which can be used in the event 2 out of the 6 ADL's cannot be performed for any expense including in-home care.³

"We help clients prepare for the top four retirement risks," says Ron Shurts, CEO and co-founder of Annexus. "We have quickly surpassed $1 billion in sales with Secure Horizon Plus, a great indication of how this solution is gaining traction with Financial Professionals and their clients."

Immediate Premium Bonus Increased to 20%

The premium bonus on Secure Horizon Plus has been raised to 20% and provides an immediate boost to clients' retirement savings.⁴ This can especially help hard-working Americans offset any losses they experience during a tumultuous year in the markets.

"We're thrilled to enhance this immediate premium bonus to help meet the needs of those facing retirement," says Rob TeKolste, president, Sammons Independent Annuity Group. "The retirement benefits rider is simply a key differentiator for North American. We are proud to build upon our Annexus partnership and share a mutual commitment to innovation and exceptional client outcomes."

First FIA to Feature a Research Affiliates Index

North American and Annexus also announced the addition of another index to the Secure Horizon Plus lineup: the Research Affiliates^®️ Global Multi-Asset Index. The Index provides diversified exposure to global stocks, bonds, and commodities, while using a proprietary risk management process to manage volatility.

"We are excited to bring our first index in an FIA to North American Secure Horizon Plus," says Rob Arnott, Research Affiliates founder and a pioneer in global tactical asset allocation strategies and alternative index approaches. "With our deep experience in forecasting returns and expertise in multi-asset investing, we believe the addition of this index is another opportunity to create value for clients over the long-term."

The Research Affiliates Index will also be available with the North American Secure Horizon^SM FIA.

¹ Wink's Sales & Market Report and LIMRA/Secure Retirement Institute

² The Retirement Benefits Rider includes a rider charge that is deducted from the accumulation value annually. Only one benefit may be elected under the rider. Once a benefit is elected, no other benefits are available. Not all rider benefits are available in all states.

³ The PlanGap^® Benefit is known as the Income Gap Benefit in the contract. PlanGap^® is a registered trademark of PlanGap, LLC and is used pursuant to a license. The PlanGap^® Benefit is not a replacement for Social Security benefits but provides a benefit designed to mitigate a reduction. The ADL Benefit is not long-term care insurance nor is it intended to replace long-term care insurance. At contract issue, you must be able to perform all six activities of daily living to qualify for the benefit. For benefit qualifications and definitions, please refer to the product disclosure.

⁴ Premium bonus may be subject to a premium bonus recapture. Products that have premium bonuses may offer lower credited interest rates, lower index cap rates, lower participation rates and/or greater index margins than products that don't offer a premium bonus. Over time and under certain scenarios the amount of the premium bonus may be offset by the lower credited interest rates, lower index cap rates, lower participation rates and/or greater index margins.