The issuer behind the guarantee.
An annuity guarantee is a promise from one company, sometimes lasting forty years. The product matters less than the balance sheet standing behind it.
| AM Best rating | A++ (Superior), affirmed July 2025 |
|---|---|
| Issuer credit rating | aaa (Exceptional) |
| Outlook | Stable |
| Membership | US military, veterans, and eligible family |
| Lineup | Fixed and income annuities; no FIA/RILA emphasis |
| Headquarters | San Antonio, Texas |
Checked against public sources on 19 August 2026. Ratings change without notice — a rating without a date is not a rating.
Three things to understand about USAA.
The lineup is short on purpose, and that is mostly a feature
USAA's annuity shelf centers on fixed deferred contracts and guaranteed income annuities rather than complex indexed products with rider stacks. For a buyer who wants principal protection or lifetime income without decoding caps, spreads, and benefit bases, a short menu of simple contracts from an A++ carrier is a genuinely good starting point.
Membership is the gate, and it extends further than people assume
Eligibility covers serving members, veterans, and eligible family members. If you qualify through a parent or spouse, you may have access you did not know about. If you do not qualify, the rest of this page is academic — which is itself worth knowing before you spend an evening researching.
A++ does not exempt the rates from comparison
The trust USAA has earned in the military community is deserved and also does work in the sales process that price comparison would otherwise do. Before placing a premium, quote the same term against two or three other strong carriers. If USAA wins, buy with confidence. If it trails meaningfully, the membership loyalty is costing you a knowable number per year.
How to read any carrier.
Palm Wealth Capital publishes independent annuity research and education. No carrier pays for placement on this site. Nothing here is individualized investment, tax, or legal advice, and no page on this site is a recommendation to buy or avoid any contract. Annuity guarantees rely on the financial strength and claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company.
Holding an USAA contract — or being shown one?
Send the illustration or statement. We will check USAA’s current AM Best rating and outlook against the date on this page, read the surrender schedule and any market value adjustment, price the riders, and tell you what the guaranteed terms are rather than the illustrated ones. If the answer is that you don’t need it, that is the answer you get — there is nothing here for us to sell you.