Clear Spring Annuity Review (2026)

Who is Clear Spring Life and Annuity Company?

Few carriers have risen through the MYGA rankings as quickly as this Fort Worth, Texas insurer, and it has managed the climb without leaving the A- rating tier behind. Clear Spring keeps landing near the top of multi-carrier rate comparisons at that grade, which is exactly why its name keeps coming up whenever buyers shop guaranteed rates in 2026.

Clear Spring's financial strength ratings

An A- grade from AM Best signals a carrier well positioned to pay claims as they come due, with only modest vulnerability if the broader economy turns rough. What sets Clear Spring apart is pairing that grade with rates that frequently outrun carriers sitting a step or two higher on the ratings ladder.

AM Best took a fresh look at Clear Spring in the summer of 2026 and kept the A- in place, but flipped its outlook from positive to negative. The trigger was an accounting shift, not a new problem inside the carrier: a big chunk of what parent company Group 1001 holds in private credit got reclassified as tied to an affiliate rather than counted as fully independent assets. Clear Spring did not get downgraded, and it still sits comfortably inside the range most advisors want to see before writing new business, but the shift bears watching over the rest of the year.

What annuities does Clear Spring sell?

Clear Spring's whole strategy comes down to one thing done well: multi-year guaranteed annuities. The company built its reputation on offering strong guaranteed rates while staying inside the A- tier, and every sale runs through an independent agent or an IMO (an independent marketing organization that wholesales products to those agents) rather than a direct-to-consumer channel.

Terms typically run from 3 to 10 years, with the rate locked in from the day you fund the contract. There is no market exposure and no crediting formula to decode, just a fixed number for a fixed period.

Clear Spring MYGA features

Standard features across the lineup: a penalty-free withdrawal of up to 10% each year once your first policy year is behind you, a death benefit that pays out at least what you put in, and nothing charged up front just to open the contract. The $10,000 minimum keeps the door open to most buyers, and putting in more can unlock a better rate band, so it is worth asking your agent where a specific deposit lands.

How does Clear Spring compare to other A- MYGA carriers?

A handful of other A- rated carriers chase the same MYGA buyers Clear Spring does: F&G, Delaware Life, Aspida, and Ibexis among them.

Clear Spring and Ibexis trade the top spot in A- rated MYGA comparisons often enough that both deserve a look whenever you are shopping this tier.

Who is Clear Spring best for?

• MYGA buyers who will not go below A- but still want a top-tier rate. Clear Spring is built for exactly that combination.
• IRA and 401(k) rollover money. The straightforward, tax-deferred structure and $10,000 minimum make it an easy fit for most rollovers.
• Buyers laddering annuities across carriers. An A- rated, rate-competitive option like Clear Spring slots in well alongside other terms and carriers in a laddered plan.

Clear Spring is a weaker fit if you need a fixed index annuity or a guaranteed income rider alongside your MYGA. The company does not sell either, so look at a carrier like Athene or Midland National if you want both product types under one roof.

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