Updated November 2026
Short answer: The annuity marketing that works best is education-led and repeatable: retirement income workshops and webinars, CD-maturity and rollover campaigns, partnerships with CPAs and estate attorneys, a referral system for existing clients, and a simple local search and content presence. Every piece of advertising must follow state insurance advertising rules, which are based on the NAIC model regulation, and most carriers require you to get materials that mention their products approved first.
Our job is to beat your current annuity commission.
Stuck at your current commission level, or simply want higher commission? Our sole purpose is to scale your business by beating your current commission levels. No matter your current commission level, if you meet our minimum requirements (solo producers have none), you automatically get higher commission than where you are today. Starting comp is for every producer, including new producers with no experience — there is no production minimum. If you have strong production to show, we contract you above our starting comp. Established agencies, financial advisors and financial firms, and healthcare agencies can earn much higher too. Submit your application, schedule a Zoom, and we review your current commission levels carrier by carrier and contract you above them — with full back office support, case management, carrier contracting and sales tools included.
1. Retirement income workshops and webinars
Educational events on topics such as Social Security timing, required minimum distributions or turning savings into income attract people who are actively planning. Keep the content educational, disclose that you are an insurance producer who may offer annuities, and follow carrier and state rules for invitations. Webinars cost far less than dinner events and can be recorded for follow-up.
2. CD-maturity and rate-comparison campaigns
When CDs mature, savers look for a better guaranteed rate. A simple campaign comparing CD and MYGA features (term, guarantee, liquidity, tax deferral and surrender charges) reaches a large, conservative audience. Be precise: a MYGA is not a bank deposit and is not FDIC insured, and guarantees are backed by the issuing insurer's claims-paying ability.
3. Retirement rollover outreach
People leaving employers or retiring decide what to do with a 401(k) or 403(b). Content and conversations about rollover options, guaranteed income and income riders fit this moment. Present annuities as one option among several and document why your recommendation is in the client's interest.
4. CPA and estate attorney partnerships
Centers of influence see clients at the exact moments annuities matter: tax planning, RMDs, inheritances and estate plans. Offer to be a resource on topics like RMD rules, Roth conversions and 1035 exchanges. Check state rules before paying anyone for referrals; many states restrict sharing commission with unlicensed people.
5. A referral system for your existing clients
Satisfied clients are the cheapest source of new annuity business. Build referrals into your service calendar: annual reviews, RMD reminders and MYGA renewal conversations are natural moments to ask who else would benefit from the same review.
6. Local search and a Google Business Profile
People search for annuity help near them. A complete, accurate Google Business Profile, a simple website with your licensing information and clear explanations of the products you offer help you appear in local results. Keep claims factual and avoid superlatives you cannot support.
7. Educational content that answers real questions
Short articles and videos answering the questions clients actually ask, such as how surrender charges work, what an income rider costs or how annuities are taxed, build trust and search visibility over time. Any content that names a carrier or product generally needs carrier approval.
8. Email newsletters to your book
A monthly email with rate updates, RMD deadlines and a short planning tip keeps you top of mind with clients and prospects who were not ready to buy yet. Track replies and booked reviews, not just opens.
9. Cross-selling your existing life or health book
Agencies with life insurance or Medicare clients already have trust and contact information. Annuity conversations can follow, but Medicare marketing has its own CMS rules, including keeping non-Medicare products out of Medicare appointments unless the client asks. See Medicare agencies adding annuities.
10. Purchased leads and inbound calls, measured properly
Bought leads and live transfers can fill a calendar quickly, but only if you call fast, follow up for weeks and measure cost per issued case. Our annuity leads guide covers lead types, consent and follow-up.
The annuity advertising rules you have to follow
Most states base their insurance advertising rules on the NAIC Advertisements of Life Insurance and Annuities Model Regulation (#570). The core principles:
- Advertising must be truthful and not misleading, by what it says or by what it leaves out.
- Do not describe an annuity as a bank product, a savings account or an investment it is not, and do not call a fixed annuity "risk-free" or imply guarantees beyond what the contract provides.
- Identify the product as an annuity and, where required, the issuing insurer.
- Get carrier approval for materials that mention a carrier or product. Most carriers have an advertising review process and require approval codes on the final piece.
- Be careful with senior-specific titles. Many states restrict designations that imply special expertise in advising seniors unless they meet set standards.
- Variable annuities and RILAs are securities, so their communications also fall under FINRA's rules and broker-dealer review.
Keep copies of every piece of advertising you use and when you used it; regulators can ask for them.
How to measure annuity marketing
Track each channel through to issued premium: contacts, appointments set, appointments held, applications, issued cases and first-year commission. Then compare it with what the channel costs. Your contract level is the other half of the equation, because the same marketing spend produces more profit at a higher commission level. Compare your current levels with the starting comp on our annuity carrier list.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best way to market annuities?
Education-led marketing tends to work best: retirement income workshops or webinars, CD-maturity and rollover campaigns, and partnerships with CPAs and estate attorneys, supported by a referral system for existing clients.
Do annuity ads need approval?
Materials that mention a specific carrier or product generally need that carrier's approval, and all insurance advertising must follow state rules based on the NAIC advertising model regulation. Variable annuity and RILA materials also need broker-dealer review under FINRA rules.
Can I call a fixed annuity safe or risk-free in marketing?
Avoid it. Fixed annuity guarantees are backed by the issuing insurer's claims-paying ability, annuities are not FDIC insured, and surrender charges can apply. Describe the actual guarantees instead of using absolute terms.
Are annuity seminars still effective?
Yes, when they are educational and targeted. Many producers now pair smaller in-person workshops with webinars to lower the cost per attendee.
Can BetterAnnuityComp.com beat my current annuity commission?
That is our sole job: no matter your current commission level, if you meet our minimum requirements (solo producers have none), you automatically get higher commission than where you are today. Starting comp is for every producer, including new producers with no experience, and there is no production minimum. If you have strong production to show, we contract you above our starting comp, and established agencies, financial advisors and financial firms, and healthcare agencies can earn above it too. Submit your application, schedule a Zoom and share your current commission levels by carrier. We compare them carrier by carrier and contract you above them, with full back office support, case management, carrier contracting and sales tools included.
Sources
- NAIC — Advertisements of Life Insurance and Annuities Model Regulation (#570)
- FINRA — Variable Annuities
- NAIC — Suitability in Annuity Transactions Model Regulation (#275)
Marketing pays off faster at a higher commission level. BetterAnnuityComp.com, powered by BetterLifeQuotes.com, works to beat your current annuity commission — starting comp has no experience requirement and no production minimum, and strong producers are contracted higher — plus case management and carrier contracting. Solo producers and advisors can apply here, agencies can use the agency application, and anyone can browse the annuity carrier list. See how we beat your current commission.