Is The Standard a good annuity company?
Yes, if institutional staying power matters more to you than chasing the top rate. Standard Insurance Company has operated continuously since 1906 and carries an A (Excellent) grade from AM Best plus an A+ from S&P, backed by parent Meiji Yasuda, one of Japan's largest insurers. Its annuity shelf is narrower than a dedicated MYGA specialist's, and its declared rates do not always lead the market, but the company's history and diversified business give it real staying power. Buyers hunting for the single highest rate should still compare it against specialist carriers first.
The Standard at a glance
| Legal name | Standard Insurance Company |
|---|---|
| Brand name | The Standard |
| Parent company | StanCorp Financial Group, a subsidiary of Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Company |
| Headquarters | Portland, Oregon |
| Founded | 1906 |
| AM Best rating | A (Excellent) |
| S&P rating | A+ (Strong) |
| Total assets | More than $30 billion |
| Parent assets (Meiji Yasuda) | More than $400 billion |
| Main business | Group disability and life insurance, retirement plans, annuities |
| States available | All 50 states |
Where The Standard sits on the AM Best scale
A is grade 3 of 13. Most buyers look for A- or better for a long-term contract.
- A++
- A+
- AThe Standard
- A-
- B++
- B+
- B
- B-
- C++
- C+
- C
- C-
- D
Today's rates for The Standard
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.
Who is Standard Insurance Company?
Most people know this carrier simply as The Standard, and most of them know it for group benefits, not annuities. Founded in Portland, Oregon in 1906, the company built its reputation insuring workers through employer-sponsored disability and life plans. Fixed annuities and structured settlement products sit alongside that core business rather than in front of it, which shapes both its strengths and its limits as an annuity carrier.
This page walks through how strong The Standard is financially, what it actually sells in the annuity space, and where it lands compared with carriers that build their whole business around annuities.
The Standard's financial strength ratings
Standard Insurance Company carries an A (Excellent) grade from AM Best and an A+ (Strong) grade from S&P Global. That combination puts it inside the band most licensed strategists treat as a reasonable floor for a conservative annuity purchase.
Ownership adds another layer of support. Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Company, one of Japan's oldest and largest insurers, bought parent StanCorp Financial Group in 2016 for roughly $5 billion. With more than $400 billion of its own assets, Meiji Yasuda gives The Standard a capital base well beyond what its standalone rating already reflects.
The company has kept its doors open through more than a century of disruption, including both World Wars, the Great Depression, the 2008 financial crisis and multiple swings in interest rates, without ever becoming insolvent. That kind of track record carries real weight for someone weighing where to park long-term retirement money. Consider a hypothetical buyer, age 64, moving $150,000 into a fixed annuity who cares more about the issuing company's staying power than about squeezing out the last basis point of rate. A carrier with this history and rating combination fits that priority well.
What kinds of annuities does The Standard offer?
Compared with full-lineup carriers like Athene or Midland National, The Standard's annuity shelf is narrow and purpose-built:
- Fixed annuities and MYGAs: Rate-locked contracts for a set term, sold through the independent agent channel and included in most multi-carrier rate comparisons.
- Structured settlement annuities: The Standard is one of the more active carriers funding legal settlements, personal injury awards and workers' compensation cases through structured payout contracts, a specialty market separate from retail MYGA shopping.
- Group retirement plan annuities: Annuity contracts built into employer-sponsored plans, including 403(b) plans common at schools and nonprofits, plus government retirement plans.
Why The Standard's size in group insurance matters to annuity buyers
Group disability and group life insurance for employers is the engine of this company, not consumer annuities. The Standard covers upward of 8 million Americans through workplace benefit plans, which means its financial health rides mainly on the broader employer benefits market rather than on annuity sales alone. That gives it a form of diversification a pure-play annuity carrier simply does not have.
The tradeoff shows up in rate. Because annuities are not the main event here, The Standard's declared rates do not always keep pace with carriers such as Oceanview or Ibexis, which build their entire pricing strategy around the MYGA market. Anyone shopping primarily for the highest available rate should put The Standard side by side with those specialists before committing.
Who is The Standard best for?
- Buyers who weigh institutional history heavily. Over 115 years without interruption is a real point of difference, and it matters most to buyers who value stability over squeezing out extra basis points.
- Existing customers of The Standard. Millions of Americans already carry disability or group life coverage through this company via their employer, which can make an annuity conversation more comfortable simply through familiarity.
- People settling a legal claim. Anyone reviewing annuity options tied to a legal settlement will find The Standard among the more active carriers in that specific space.
If your top priority is squeezing out the highest MYGA rate on the market, this may not be the strongest fit. Ask for a side-by-side rate comparison against other carriers before deciding either way.
How The Standard stacks up against other carriers
The annuity market in 2026 has dozens of carriers competing for your business, so it is worth lining up three to five before signing anything. A few things worth weighing carrier to carrier:
- AM Best financial strength rating: many buyers set A- or better as their floor
- Guaranteed rate and term length: even a small rate gap compounds meaningfully across a 5 to 10 year contract
- Surrender charge schedule: know exactly when your money becomes accessible without a penalty
- Free withdrawal terms: most contracts permit withdrawing 10% annually with no charge
We can run The Standard's current numbers next to other top-rated carriers so you see the real gap, if any, before you decide.
How to buy a Standard Insurance Company annuity
Standard Insurance Company sells fixed annuities through independent insurance agents, so a licensed professional can walk you through current terms and complete your application. Structured settlement and group retirement plan annuities typically move through the specific channel tied to that need, such as a settlement planner or an employer's plan administrator.
For a standard fixed annuity purchase: confirm the product, term and premium, complete the state-specific paperwork, fund the contract by check, wire or a 1035 exchange, and use your state's free look period to review the contract once it arrives.
We can quote The Standard alongside other top-rated fixed annuity and MYGA carriers so you can weigh institutional strength against rate with real numbers in hand.
Other annuity companies to consider
- Mutual of Omaha: A+ rated with a similar multi-line business mix
- Oceanview: a rate-focused MYGA specialist worth comparing on price
- Athene: A+ rated with a much broader annuity product shelf
Pros and cons
Pros
- A (Excellent) from AM Best paired with an A+ from S&P Global, both comfortably in the range conservative buyers look for
- Backed by Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance, a Japanese insurer with over $400 billion in assets
- More than 115 years of continuous operation, including two World Wars and the 2008 financial crisis, without insolvency
- A diversified business (group disability, group life, retirement plans and annuities) that spreads risk beyond the annuity book alone
- A genuine leader in structured settlement annuities, a specialty niche outside the retail MYGA market
Cons
- Rarely the top rate in a MYGA comparison against dedicated specialist carriers
- Annuities are a secondary line of business behind group disability and life coverage
- Less brand recognition among retail annuity shoppers than carriers that focus solely on annuities
Frequently asked questions
Is Standard Insurance Company a solid pick for an annuity?
From a financial strength view, yes. It carries an A grade from AM Best and an A+ from S&P Global, and its parent, Meiji Yasuda, adds a deep capital cushion behind it. Where it is less competitive is on declared rate: buyers focused purely on the highest MYGA or FIA number typically find better pricing at carriers built specifically around the annuity market.
What annuities does The Standard sell?
Three categories: fixed annuities and MYGAs sold through independent agents, structured settlement annuities used to fund legal and workers' compensation payouts, and annuities embedded inside employer retirement plans such as 403(b) accounts. There is no fixed index or variable annuity in the current lineup.
How financially strong is Standard Insurance Company?
Quite strong. AM Best rates it A (Excellent) and S&P Global rates it A+ (Strong). The company has run continuously since 1906 and holds more than $30 billion of its own assets, with parent Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance adding over $400 billion more behind it. The Standard also insures millions of Americans through group benefit plans, which diversifies its business away from annuities alone.
Can I buy a Standard Insurance annuity through an independent agent?
Yes. Unlike a captive carrier, The Standard distributes its fixed annuities through independent agents, and its products show up in multi-carrier rate comparisons. Its structured settlement and group retirement plan annuities are typically arranged through those specific channels rather than a retail agent.
Are Standard Insurance annuity rates competitive?
Not usually at the very top. The Standard's core business is group disability and life insurance, not chasing MYGA rate leadership, so its declared rates can trail specialist carriers built around the annuity market. Buyers who care most about maximizing rate should compare The Standard against several dedicated MYGA carriers before choosing.
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.
