Nationwide
Nationwide is a Fortune 100 mutual company celebrating its centennial in 2026. Its INCOME Promise Select SPIA stands out for a low $10,000 minimum, COLA options up to 5%, and a rare emergency-liquidity feature.
Products Offered
Nationwide offers 4 annuity product types. We quote only the first one, the single premium immediate annuity (SPIA); the rest are listed so you know what a Nationwide agent may also pitch. See our types of annuities guide for the differences.
About Nationwide
Nationwide was founded in 1926 by the Ohio Farm Bureau to get farmers a fair deal on auto insurance — and celebrates its centennial in 2026 as a Fortune 100 company (#72 on the 2025 Fortune 500) with $359.8 billion in total assets and record capital levels. It remains a mutual company, owned by policyholders.
Nationwide is a top-ten annuity house: #7 in LIMRA's 2025 rankings at $21.9 billion, with balanced strength across fixed, indexed, and variable lines. Its life insurance companies — the entities behind its annuities — carry an A+ (Superior) from AM Best, affirmed November 2025.
Financial Strength Ratings
| Rating Agency | Rating | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| AM Best | A+ (Superior) | Second-highest of 16 ratings — life/annuity companies, affirmed November 2025 |
| S&P Global | A+ (Strong) | Fifth-highest of S&P's ratings |
| Moody's | A1 | Fifth-highest of Moody's 21 ratings |
Nationwide Immediate Annuities (SPIA)
Nationwide's SPIA is INCOME Promise Select, with one of the lowest entry points among major carriers: a $10,000 minimum premium. Income can start immediately or be deferred up to 365 days, with single life, joint life, term certain, and life-with-cash-refund options.
Two features distinguish it. The optional cost-of-living adjustment is the widest we track — 1% to 5% compounded annually (availability varies). And a built-in liquidity feature allows emergency access to funds during the liquidity period, something very few SPIAs offer at all; withdrawals reduce future payments, but the option exists. The contract also includes Medicaid eligibility provisions relevant to long-term-care planning.
Key Strengths
- Low $10,000 SPIA minimum — accessible entry point
- Widest COLA range we track (1%–5% compounded annually)
- Rare emergency liquidity feature on a SPIA
- Fortune 100 mutual company with record capital entering its centennial
Honest Considerations
Immediate annuities are a small line for Nationwide — it ranked just #10 in LIMRA's 2025 payout-annuity category at $811 million, versus New York Life's $7.1 billion — so its SPIA pricing isn't always as sharp as the income-annuity specialists. Note also that the A+ rating belongs to Nationwide's life companies; the property-casualty parent was downgraded to A in 2023, which doesn't affect annuity guarantees but occasionally confuses headlines. S&P (A+) and Moody's (A1) grade it a notch below the top-tier mutuals.
Best For
Buyers who want SPIA flexibility — low minimum, wide COLA choices, and emergency liquidity — from a Fortune 100 mutual.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nationwide a good annuity company?
Yes — Nationwide's life insurance companies carry an A+ (Superior) AM Best rating, it's a policyholder-owned mutual and Fortune 100 company with $359.8 billion in assets, and it ranked #7 in US annuity sales in 2025. Its INCOME Promise Select SPIA offers a low $10,000 minimum and unusually flexible features.
What is the minimum for a Nationwide immediate annuity?
Nationwide's INCOME Promise Select has a $10,000 minimum premium — among the lowest of any major SPIA carrier — with income starting immediately or within 365 days.
Does Nationwide's SPIA have inflation protection?
Yes — an optional cost-of-living adjustment of 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, or 5% compounded annually, the widest COLA range among the carriers we track. Electing a COLA lowers your starting payment in exchange for growing income.
Nationwide vs. All Carriers — Male Rates
Compare Nationwide's men's figures against the other carriers we publish. Monthly income per $100,000 SPIA, single life with a 5-year period certain, from our rate tables as of October 1, 2026.
Male Monthly Income Rates
Updated| Carrier | Rating | Age 55 | Age 60 | Age 65 | Age 70 | Age 75 | Age 80 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York Life | A++ | $616/mo | $649/mo | $693/mo | $767/mo | $893/mo | $1,046/mo |
| Nationwide | A+ | $577/mo | $609/mo | $669/mo | $751/mo | $873/mo | $1,041/mo |
| Western & Southern | A+ | $587/mo | $625/mo | $676/mo | $737/mo | $852/mo | $1,013/mo |
| Athene | A+ | $590/mo | $634/mo | $688/mo | $763/mo | $872/mo | $1,037/mo |
| Penn Mutual | A+ | $571/mo | $604/mo | $664/mo | $732/mo | $836/mo | $960/mo |
| Pacific Life | A+ | $539/mo | $578/mo | $629/mo | $706/mo | $830/mo | $998/mo |
| Mutual of Omaha | A+ | $530/mo | $545/mo | $601/mo | $677/mo | $795/mo | $942/mo |
| Lincoln Financial | A | $492/mo | $515/mo | $573/mo | $654/mo | $769/mo | $926/mo |
Source: LifeAnnuities.us quote surveys run for real clients. 54 base survey runs received and 52 used for pricing (July 14 to September 14, 2026), checked against 7 new survey runs (September 18 to 29, 2026): 1 of 8 published carriers repriced, 7 held. Joint figures at ages 65 and 70 are calibrated to a direct same-age joint quote. Single life or joint (100% to survivor), 5-year period certain, per $100,000. How we build these figures.
How this table was built. Ages 60, 65 and 80: read at a surveyed age in an earlier round, then repriced. Ages 55, 70 and 75: interpolated between surveyed ages in an earlier round, then repriced. Your exact figure depends on your age, state, premium and payout option: request a personalized quote.
Nationwide vs. All Carriers — Female Rates
Compare Nationwide's women's figures against the other carriers we publish. All women's figures are derived from each carrier's own ratio to its men's quote at surveyed ages, then repriced. They are not quoted directly.
Female Monthly Income Rates
Updated| Carrier | Rating | Age 55 | Age 60 | Age 65 | Age 70 | Age 75 | Age 80 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York Life | A++ | $602/mo | $634/mo | $658/mo | $724/mo | $839/mo | $986/mo |
| Nationwide | A+ | $553/mo | $584/mo | $632/mo | $697/mo | $804/mo | $962/mo |
| Western & Southern | A+ | $581/mo | $618/mo | $644/mo | $706/mo | $810/mo | $966/mo |
| Athene | A+ | $564/mo | $605/mo | $648/mo | $705/mo | $800/mo | $956/mo |
| Penn Mutual | A+ | $563/mo | $595/mo | $631/mo | $698/mo | $794/mo | $914/mo |
| Pacific Life | A+ | $529/mo | $568/mo | $600/mo | $671/mo | $784/mo | $946/mo |
| Mutual of Omaha | A+ | $515/mo | $530/mo | $570/mo | $636/mo | $743/mo | $883/mo |
| Lincoln Financial | A | $472/mo | $493/mo | $541/mo | $607/mo | $709/mo | $856/mo |
Source: LifeAnnuities.us quote surveys run for real clients. 54 base survey runs received and 52 used for pricing (July 14 to September 14, 2026), checked against 7 new survey runs (September 18 to 29, 2026): 1 of 8 published carriers repriced, 7 held. Joint figures at ages 65 and 70 are calibrated to a direct same-age joint quote. Single life or joint (100% to survivor), 5-year period certain, per $100,000. How we build these figures.
How this table was built. All women's figures: derived from each carrier's own ratio to its men's quote at surveyed ages, then repriced. Your exact figure depends on your age, state, premium and payout option: request a personalized quote.
What a $100,000 Immediate Annuity Pays: Nationwide vs. the Best in Our Tables
If you are weighing a Nationwide income annuity, the number that matters is the monthly check. In our rate tables as of October 1, 2026, across the 8 A-rated carriers we publish, $100,000 buys a 65-year-old:
| Age 65, per $100,000 | Nationwide | Best of the 8 carriers we publish |
|---|---|---|
| Man, single life | $669/mo | $693/mo |
| Woman, single life | $632/mo | $658/mo |
| Couple, 100% to survivor | $578/mo | $608/mo |
Single life (or joint, 100% survivor) with a 5-year period certain, income starting next month. The man's figure is read at a surveyed age in an earlier round, then repriced. The woman's figure is derived from each carrier's own ratio to its men's quote at surveyed ages, then repriced. The couple's figure is derived by ratio, then calibrated to a direct same-age joint quote (both spouses 66) from the latest round. Guarantees rest on the issuing insurer's claims-paying ability.
Source: LifeAnnuities.us quote surveys run for real clients. 54 base survey runs received and 52 used for pricing (July 14 to September 14, 2026), checked against 7 new survey runs (September 18 to 29, 2026): 1 of 8 published carriers repriced, 7 held. Joint figures at ages 65 and 70 are calibrated to a direct same-age joint quote. Single life or joint (100% to survivor), 5-year period certain, per $100,000. How we build these figures.
- See the payout for your premium: $100,000 · $250,000 · $500,000 · $1,000,000
- Rates at your age: 60 · 65 · 70 · 75 — and the month-over-month SPIA Payout Index
- Life only vs. cash refund vs. period certain: how each payout option changes the check
- Buying with IRA or 401(k) money? What changes (and what doesn't)
Should You Choose Nationwide?
Nationwide is a strong choice if you value financial stability — their A+ rating indicates superior financial strength. With 100 years in business, they have a proven track record of meeting their obligations to policyholders.
However, we always recommend comparing rates from multiple carriers. A carrier with a slightly lower brand profile may offer a meaningfully better rate for your specific age and situation. The rate tables above make it easy to compare Nationwide against 7 other A-rated carriers.
View all 8 carriers we track, or compare current rates side by side.
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