Corebridge Financial annuities

Overview

Corebridge Financial, the former life and retirement business of AIG, is one of the two largest writers of individual annuities in the United States. Because the NAIC still filed its companies under AIG's group for 2024, the group ranked #2 among U.S. groups by 2024 individual annuity direct premiums written, according to NAIC market share data, with $25.64 billion in premiums and a 6.08% market share.

Its annuities are issued by American General Life Insurance Company (AGL) of Houston in every state except New York, where The United States Life Insurance Company in the City of New York (US Life) issues them. Some workplace annuities are issued by The Variable Annuity Life Insurance Company (VALIC), which serves school, nonprofit and public-sector retirement plans. Securities products are distributed by Corebridge Capital Services, Inc. Corebridge's life insurance profile covers its term and indexed universal life, history and death claims.

Corebridge sells through independent agents, banks and broker-dealers rather than to consumers directly. It is known for offering nearly every kind of annuity under one roof, and on the institutional side for pension risk transfer. The biggest news for buyers is ownership: Corebridge and Equitable Holdings agreed in March 2026 to merge, and the combined company will use the Equitable name.

Annuities it sells

Corebridge's annuity pages, checked in October 2026, list these product lines:

• Fixed and multi-year guaranteed annuities. Corebridge Pathway Choice, a newer fixed annuity, lets you pick among interest rate options. American Pathway is a single premium deferred fixed annuity with guaranteed interest and income options. See our guides to fixed annuities: how they work, what they cost, who they suit and MYGAs.
• Fixed annuity with built-in income. Assured Edge Income Builder is a fixed annuity designed to grow a future income amount each year until you start lifetime payments, which continue even if the contract value falls to zero.
• Fixed indexed annuities. The Power Series Index Annuity can be paired with the Lifetime Income Max or Lifetime Income Plus Multiplier Flex income riders. Corebridge's page describes income credits added to an "income base" for each year you defer. The income base is not cash you can withdraw; it is only used to calculate lifetime withdrawals. Our guide to lifetime withdrawal riders explains the difference.
• Registered index-linked annuity. Corebridge MarketLock Annuity offers 1-, 3- and 6-year strategy terms, including Lock strategies that lock in index gains when a growth target is reached before the term ends. Like any RILA, it limits but does not remove losses, so you can lose principal. It is sold by prospectus only.
• Variable annuities. Polaris variable annuities invest in subaccounts and can carry the Polaris Income Plus Daily Flex lifetime income benefit. See variable annuities: how they work, what they cost, who they suit and annuity fees, explained for the layers of charges these contracts carry.
• Income annuities. Corebridge services single premium immediate annuities and Deferred income annuities (DIAs): longevity insurance explained through a separate fixed-annuity service line.

Rates, caps and rider payout percentages change often and are not listed here. The trade-off across the lineup is the same: the more growth potential or income guarantee a contract offers, the more you give up in fees, liquidity or simplicity. Most deferred contracts carry multi-year withdrawal charges; see annuity surrender charges and free withdrawals.

Ownership and reinsurance

Corebridge went public in 2022 as AIG sold down its stake; Japan's Nippon Life bought 21.6% in December 2024, and AIG agreed in May 2026 to sell its remaining shares. On March 26, 2026, Corebridge and Equitable Holdings announced an all-stock merger. Stockholders approved it on July 30, 2026, and it is expected to close by year-end 2026, subject to regulatory approval. The combined company will be based in Houston and use the Equitable name. Your contract stays with the company that issued it; see when your life insurance policy is sold to another company for what usually changes after a merger.

In June 2025 Corebridge agreed to reinsure all the variable annuities in its Individual Retirement business, about $51 billion of account value, to CS Life Re, a subsidiary of Venerable Holdings. The AGL portion closed in August 2025 and the New York portion on January 5, 2026. New variable annuities issued by AGL are reinsured to Venerable under an ongoing flow agreement, and Corebridge keeps administering the contracts, so owners still deal with Corebridge. Venerable is a run-off specialist backed by an investor group that includes Apollo affiliates.

Why this matters: reinsurance moves the financial risk of the guarantees to another company, but AGL or US Life remains legally responsible for paying you.

One regulatory matter touches its retirement-plan arm: in July 2020 VALIC Financial Advisors agreed to pay about $40 million to settle two SEC actions over undisclosed conflicts, including payments for preferred-provider status in Florida K-12 teachers' retirement programs.

Financial strength

Corebridge's investor ratings page, last updated April 8, 2026, lists the same ratings for AGL, US Life and VALIC: A (Excellent) from AM Best, which affirmed it in January 2026; A+ (Strong) from S&P; A2 (Good) from Moody's; and A+ (Strong) from Fitch. After the Equitable merger was announced, AM Best placed the ratings under review with developing implications and S&P placed them on CreditWatch negative, so they may change when the deal closes.

If an insurer fails, your state guaranty association covers annuity values up to a limit, commonly $250,000 per person per insurer, though limits vary. Check yours with the state guaranty association coverage lookup.

Who it suits

Corebridge suits buyers working with an adviser who want to compare fixed, indexed, buffered and variable annuities from a single large issuer, or who want a fixed annuity with a built-in growing income amount. It suits less well buyers who want the highest-rated issuer, a direct purchase, or an insurer whose ownership and ratings are not in flux.

• Strengths: One of the broadest annuity lineups in the market; the second-largest individual annuity writer by 2024 NAIC premiums; separate New York company; ratings in the A to A+ range from four agencies.
• Weaknesses: AM Best A and Moody's A2 are a notch below the strongest competitors, and ratings were under review in 2026; the Equitable merger will change the brand; variable annuity guarantees now reinsured to Venerable; income riders and RILAs are complex.

How to contact Corebridge Financial