Is National Integrity Life a good annuity company?
Yes, especially if you live in New York. National Integrity Life Insurance Company holds an A+ (Superior) rating from AM Best, plus strong grades from S&P, Moody's and Fitch, all flowing from its ultimate parent, Western and Southern Financial Group. The carrier exists mainly to bring that financial strength to New York, Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, states where its sister company Integrity Life cannot sell. If you want A+ rated MYGA options and live in one of those four states, National Integrity belongs on your short list.
National Integrity Life at a glance
| Legal name | National Integrity Life Insurance Company |
|---|---|
| Parent company | Integrity Life Insurance Company (Cincinnati, Ohio) |
| Ultimate parent | Western and Southern Financial Group, Inc. |
| Founded | 1968 |
| Headquarters | White Plains, New York |
| States licensed | Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont |
| Total assets | More than $4 billion |
| AM Best rating | A+ (Superior) |
| What it sells | MultiVantage and SPDA Series II MYGAs |
Where National Integrity Life sits on the AM Best scale
A+ is grade 2 of 13. Most buyers look for A- or better for a long-term contract.
- A++
- A+National Integrity Life
- A
- A-
- B++
- B+
- B
- B-
- C++
- C+
- C
- C-
- D
Today's rates for National Integrity Life
Rates change often and vary by state, term and deposit size. Get today's numbers for your state, side by side with other top-rated carriers. Free, with no obligation.
National Integrity Life's ownership and financial strength
The state charter behind National Integrity Life Insurance Company dates to 1968, and the company is based in White Plains, New York. Its whole reason for existing comes down to state rules: New York requires many annuity issuers to hold a license and a domicile inside the state, a bar plenty of national carriers never clear. So this entity was set up as the New York-based counterpart to Integrity Life Insurance Company, which handles the same core lineup everywhere outside New York.
Trace the ownership far enough and you land on the same group both times. National Integrity sits under Integrity Life, which sits under The Western and Southern Life Insurance Company, which in turn answers to the ultimate parent, Western and Southern Financial Group, Inc. That parent, headquartered in Cincinnati and dating back to 1888, oversees an asset base north of $70 billion, a scale that ranks it alongside Northwestern Mutual and MassMutual on institutional heft.
| Rating agency | Rating | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| AM Best | A+ | Superior |
| S&P Global | AA- | Very strong |
| Moody's | Aa3 | High quality |
| Fitch | AA- | Very strong |
That is a rare four-agency spread of strong ratings, and it reflects the strength of Western and Southern rather than National Integrity alone. Very few insurance groups earn strong marks across all four major agencies at once. Your state's guaranty association adds a further backstop up to a state-set limit, on top of the carrier's own financial strength. Always verify the current rating at AM Best's site before finalizing a purchase.
What annuities does National Integrity Life offer?
National Integrity's shelf mirrors what Integrity Life sells elsewhere, adjusted to meet New York's rules.
- MultiVantage, the flagship MYGA. Deposit a single premium and lock in a fixed, tax-deferred rate for a guarantee period you choose, anywhere from 4 to 10 years. A 10% yearly free withdrawal comes standard, and the product takes both IRA and non-qualified dollars.
- SPDA Series II, a shorter-term deferred annuity funded with a single premium. Guarantee periods top out at 5 years, with 1 and 3 year options also on the shelf, for buyers who want their rate locked in without signing up for MultiVantage's longer commitment.
- SmartSelect and SmartStep, two additional fixed annuity products, each with its own term structure. Availability and details on these are best confirmed directly with a licensed agent who represents National Integrity.
Because rates move often, current numbers for these products aren't printed here. Use the quote box on this page to see today's rates by term and deposit size.
New York shoppers get one extra consumer protection worth knowing about: the state generally requires a longer free look period than most other states, often 20 days after your contract is delivered, giving you more time to review the paperwork before it's final.
Who is National Integrity Life best for?
National Integrity is the go-to option for New York residents who specifically want A+ rated MYGA access, since New York's rules leave fewer carriers able to compete there than in most other states. A retiree in New York with a sizable sum to place in a 5-year MYGA, and who insists on A+ or better, will find a short list of credible choices, and National Integrity is one of them.
The Western and Southern connection also matters to buyers who care about who ultimately stands behind their guarantee. Western and Southern isn't backed by Wall Street buyout capital; it has operated as a policyholder-owned mutual since the 1880s, surviving the 1930s downturn and every recession that followed. A conservative saver who is fine trading a bit of yield for that kind of staying power will find National Integrity a comfortable fit.
It's a weaker fit outside its four licensed states, where buyers should look at Integrity Life instead, and for anyone chasing the single highest MYGA rate on the market regardless of carrier strength, since National Integrity typically prices as a strong A+ carrier rather than a rate leader.
How to buy this annuity
You won't find National Integrity's contracts sold directly to the public. They move through W&S Financial Group Distributors and through independent agents holding an appointment with the company. From there the steps look like most annuity purchases: pick the product and term, work out the deposit size with your agent, name your beneficiaries on the paperwork, and submit funding.
For an IRA rollover, your agent handles the direct transfer paperwork with your existing custodian. Remember that New York's free look period runs longer than the typical 10-day minimum elsewhere, often around 20 days, and that surrender charges on both MultiVantage and SPDA Series II step down gradually until they reach zero at the end of the guarantee period.
How to compare National Integrity against other New York carriers
New York's annuity market is smaller than most, since the state's licensing rules keep several national carriers out entirely. That makes a careful side-by-side comparison worth the extra effort. A few things to check before you sign anything:
- The rating date, not just the letter grade. Ratings can be affirmed, upgraded or downgraded, so confirm the most recent action on AM Best's site rather than relying on a number you saw elsewhere.
- Which entity actually issues your contract. If you're outside the four states National Integrity serves, your paperwork will come from Integrity Life instead, and it helps to know that going in.
- The surrender charge schedule for your chosen term, since a longer guarantee period usually carries a longer surrender schedule too.
- How the free look period in your state compares. New York's extended window is a real consumer protection, but it also means the contract isn't fully final until that period closes.
A licensed strategist can walk through National Integrity's current rate alongside other A-rated options open to New York residents, so you see the full picture before committing any money.
Other annuity companies to consider
- Integrity Life: the same products and rating, available to buyers outside New York
- Western and Southern: the ultimate parent, worth reviewing for its full family of products
Pros and cons
Pros
- A+ (Superior) from AM Best, the second-highest tier the agency assigns
- Also rated by S&P, Moody's and Fitch, all at a very strong level
- Backed by Western and Southern Financial Group, a mutual holding company with roots going back to 1888
- More than $4 billion of its own balance sheet on top of the parent's strength
- Licensed and domiciled specifically in New York, a state many national carriers can't fully serve
- MYGA terms ranging from 1 year up to 10 years across its two product lines
- Rates that often hold up well against other A+ rated carriers thanks to Western and Southern's investment platform
Cons
- Licensed in only four states, so most buyers nationwide will use Integrity Life instead
- A less familiar name than its parent, so the Western and Southern connection isn't obvious on the surface
- New York's stricter insurance rules can mean a narrower set of product features than other states allow
- Only available through a licensed agent, not as a direct purchase
Frequently asked questions
How does National Integrity Life relate to Integrity Life Insurance Company?
They are sister companies under the same ultimate parent, Western and Southern Financial Group. National Integrity Life is domiciled in New York and licensed to sell there along with Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. Integrity Life, based in Ohio, handles Washington D.C. and every other state. Both carry the same AM Best A+ (Superior) rating, since both roll up to the same financial strength.
Why isn't National Integrity Life a more familiar name?
It operates a level removed from the public eye, as a subsidiary of a subsidiary. Western and Southern distributes its products through agents and financial professionals rather than marketing directly to consumers, so the parent company relationship usually comes up in conversation with your agent rather than in advertising. The result is a carrier with strong financials but limited name recognition on its own.
What terms are available on the MultiVantage MYGA?
MultiVantage is National Integrity's flagship multi-year guaranteed annuity. You fund it with one premium and pick a term length, and the choices span 4, 5, 6, 7 and 10 years depending on what's currently open. Each year you can withdraw up to 10% of the account with no charge, and the product will accept either IRA money or funds outside a retirement account.
How safe is my money in a National Integrity Life annuity?
National Integrity holds an A+ (Superior) rating from AM Best, backed by Western and Southern Financial Group, which also carries strong ratings from S&P, Moody's and Fitch. On top of that, your state's guaranty association provides a backstop up to a state-specific limit if an insurer were ever to become insolvent. For a New York buyer, that combination puts the risk of non-payment near the low end of what the annuity market offers.
Written and reviewed by
James Forren Warren
Licensed Retirement Income Strategist · License #20551202
James Forren Warren is a licensed Retirement Income Strategist with Tax Free Wealth Plan. For the past five years he has helped individuals and families turn their savings into retirement income they can count on. He writes and reviews the annuity research on this site and keeps it plain: what a product does, what it costs you, and who it actually fits.
Sources
Educational only, not investment, tax or legal advice. Tax Free Wealth Plan LLC is a licensed insurance agency, not a registered investment adviser or broker-dealer. Annuities are not bank deposits, are not FDIC insured and are not guaranteed by any government agency. Guarantees are backed solely by the claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company. Features, rates and availability vary by state and change over time; the contract and disclosure documents govern.
