What are the best FIA rates today? Cap, participation, and spread are different rules. Ranking them in one column is how people pick the wrong product. The snapshot below is this month's declared cap ceiling on a strong index year — not a guaranteed return.
Local Life Agents compares FIA illustrations across 30+ A-rated carriers on the same premium, index, and allocation before clients sign. A cap only pays if the index goes up. A down year credits 0% on the indexed strategy.
Key Takeaways
- Five-year cap. Prudential at 11.00% (A+, $100,000 minimum) on this snapshot.
- Seven-year cap. Minnesota Life (Securian) at 11.20% (A+).
- Ten-year cap. Reliance Standard at 10.75% (A++). We skipped a weaker-rated name with a premium bonus.
- Not a guarantee. A cap, participation rate, or spread only pays if the index goes up. A down year credits 0%.
- Term is surrender. Five or seven years is usually how long you are locked in — not how long the cap lasts. Most caps reset every year.
This Month's Best FIA Rates
These are declared cap rates — the ceiling for a strong index year, not a locked return. You can rank them like MYGA rates. The number is still a rule, not a guarantee.
September 2026 FIA Cap Snapshot — Methodology
Local Life Agents compiled declared cap rates from our quoting platform as of September 10, 2026. Product, index, and crediting method vary by carrier and state. Tables show a representative cap at 5-, 7-, and 10-year surrender periods from A-rated issuers. Confirm on an illustration.
- Data source
- Local Life Agents live quoting platform
- Carriers
- 30+ A-rated carriers
- Date range
- September 10, 2026
- States
- All 50 states (product availability varies)
The table below is the monthly cap snapshot.
| Term | Cap | Carrier | AM Best | Min premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 years | 11.00% | Prudential | A+ | $100,000 |
| 7 years | 11.20% | Minnesota Life (Securian) | A+ | — |
| 10 years | 10.75% | Reliance Standard | A++ | — |
Some lists lead 10-year with a weaker-rated carrier and a premium bonus. We show Reliance Standard instead. A slightly lower cap from a stronger carrier is usually the better contract.
Send your term, premium, and state. We rerun the design and tell you where you land.
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How the Best FIA Rates Pay
A fixed indexed annuity quotes a cap, a participation rate, or a spread. Do not rank those in one column. They are different math.
| Rate | What you get | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Cap | A ceiling | Index +18%, cap 10% → you get 10% |
| Participation | Your share of the gain | Index +14%, 75% participation → you get 10.5% |
| Spread | The index minus a fee | Index +10%, 2% spread → you get 8% |
Index down? All three credit 0%. Your principal stays put on the indexed strategy. That floor is the product. The cap is not.
Participation on a plain S&P 500 strategy and participation on a volatility-controlled index are not the same offer. The second one often shows 200% or 400% because the index itself is built to move less. Do not put that number next to an 11% S&P cap.
Some contracts also have a fixed account — a guaranteed rate inside the FIA. It pays less than a standalone MYGA. If you want the lock, use the MYGA rates page.
The Term Is Not a Rate Lock
A 7-year FIA is usually a 7-year surrender schedule. The cap on the sheet is for this crediting period. Most products reset that cap every year, inside a contractual minimum that is often 1%–2%.
Some products lock the cap for the full surrender period. The day-one number is usually lower. Ask which one you are looking at before you compare two “7-year” rates.
Larger premiums often buy a better cap. Six figures is a common breakpoint.
Expert Tip: The day-one cap is marketing
I ask how the carrier renewed in-force caps for the last five years. That history is the product. The number on the illustration is the ad. Opening caps market well; renewal behavior is what you actually own after year one.
—Ryan Wood
Who Should Use Which Page
Use this page when you want floor-plus-upside and need to read the crediting rule. Use a different page when you want a locked yield or a carrier shortlist.
| If you want | Use |
|---|---|
| A locked rate for a set number of years | MYGA rates |
| Floor plus index upside | This page, then an illustration |
| Who to buy | Best FIA companies |
Carrier shortlists live on the best FIA companies page. For product mechanics, see the FIA product guide.
Who FIA Rates Are Not For
Skip an FIA cap chase if you need a locked yield for a defined term, if you want uncapped equity exposure, or if you will be frustrated when a strong index year credits only to the cap. If you need income starting within a year, compare SPIA payouts instead.
Conclusion
The pattern we see: people treat the best FIA rates like a MYGA lock. The cap on this snapshot is not a guaranteed return. A captive illustration shows one carrier's rule. Local Life Agents shops the cap, participation, or spread across the carriers we can illustrate in your state, then reads how often that rule can change before you fund. Return to the annuity rates hub or the annuities hub for product context.
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