Brighthouse Financial, Inc. (Nasdaq: BHF) has added enhancement to its line of registered index-linked annuities (RILAs), known as Shield Level Annuities. They have no explicit fees; all fees are built into the crediting rates.
RILAs are structured products that pay out a bracketed rate of return based on the performance of options purchased on equity or hybrid indexes. Policyowners get all or part of the index gains and protection from the index losses up to a “buffer.”
The enhancements include a “Performance Lock.” Clients who select a crediting option with a cap on upside returns of a specific index can lock in the value of the index at the close of any business day once during their term. The Locked Index Value will be used for the remainder of the term to calculate the index performance for the Shield Option. Once it takes effect, the Performance Lock is irrevocable.
Brighthouse has also announced new 1-Year Shield Options, offering protection against the first 15% or 25% of market losses during the crediting term. In another enhancement, the maximum age for issuing the Return of Premium Death Benefit has been increased from 75 to 80.
Brighthouse Shield Level Select 6-Year Annuity and Brighthouse Shield Level Select Advisory Annuity, both part of the Shield annuity product suite, were recently named among Barron’s 2021 “Best Annuities,” in the registered indexed-linked annuities category, marking the fourth time Shield annuities have been included in the annual ranking since 2017.
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Brighthouse enhances its registered index-linked annuities
Brighthouse has announced new 1-Year Shield Options, offering protection against the first 15% or 25% of market losses during the crediting term. In another enhancement, the maximum age for issuing the Return of Premium Death Benefit has been increased to 80 from 75.
