EquiTrust

What EquiTrust does

EquiTrust Life Insurance Company is a privately held, Illinois-domiciled life insurance carrier founded in 1996 and headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa, with $37.8 billion in assets under management as of 2025. The company is controlled by Magic Johnson Enterprises (60% ownership, acquired in 2015) and operates primarily through Eric Holoman as President and CEO. EquiTrust designs and issues fixed index annuities (FIAs), fixed annuities, single premium immediate annuities (SPIAs), and indexed life insurance products distributed exclusively through independent insurance agents and independent marketing organizations (IMOs) — products are not available for direct consumer purchase. Its product portfolio spans accumulation annuities (MarketEdge Bonus Index, MarketPower Bonus Index, MarketTen Bonus Index, MarketValue Index, MarketSeven Index, MarketFive Index, MarketEarly Income Index, MarketFuture Bonus Income Index), the SmartBoost Index FIA with a 40% patent-pending BOOST, the Bridge LTC FIA with a Long-Term Care Rider plus the Assured Allies NeverStop Health Coaching program, the WealthMax Bonus Life indexed life policy, plus Certainty Select, ChoiceFour, and Confidence Income. Multiple index strategies underpin the FIA lineup, including S&P 500 1-Year Point-to-Point, Monthly Average, Daily Average, Performance Trigger, Barclays Focus50, and S&P MARC 5% Excess Return.

Revenue is generated from annuity premiums, life insurance premiums, and investment income on a conservative portfolio (90% bonds, mortgages, and cash), supported by A- financial strength ratings from Fitch (March 2024) and S&P (July 2024) and ten consecutive years (2017–2025) on the Ward's 50 Top Life and Health Insurance Companies list. The company is licensed in 49 states plus the District of Columbia (excluding New York) and supports its agent channel with an Agent Gateway digital portal, a mobile application, structured training and continuing education, and pre-approved advertising materials.

Name

EquiTrust

Legal name

EquiTrust Life Insurance Company

Website

https://www.equitrust.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

EquiTrust Life Insurance Company is a privately held life insurance carrier managing $37.8 billion in assets, offering fixed index annuities, fixed annuities, SPIAs, and indexed life insurance distributed exclusively through independent insurance agents and IMOs across 49 states and DC.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Life Insurance and Annuities

NAICS

Direct Life Insurance Carriers (524113), Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (52421)

SIC

Life Insurance (6311)

akta.pro primary industry

Group Variable Universal Life (GVUL) (FSAIADAD)

Keywords

• Fixed index annuities
• Life insurance products
• Retirement income planning
• Wealth transfer solutions
• Long-term care annuities

Headquarters

HQ city

Des Moines

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Annuity Premiums: EquiTrust issues fixed and fixed index annuities purchased in the form of contracts. Two broad categories: accumulation annuities and payout (or income) annuities. Revenue generated through premiums paid by policyholders.
2. Life Insurance Premiums: Single premium indexed life insurance policy (WealthMax Bonus Life) designed for wealth transfer and accumulation. Revenue from life insurance premiums.
3. Investment Income: EquiTrust's conservative investment strategies are anchored by a disciplined and diversified management style. 90% of the portfolio is made up of bonds, mortgages and cash. Returns on invested assets contribute to company profitability.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

EquiTrust is a U.S. life insurer that issues and distributes fixed index annuities, fixed annuities, a single premium immediate annuity, and indexed life insurance. Products are sold exclusively through independent insurance agents and independent marketing organizations, with target use cases including retirement accumulation, guaranteed retirement income, long-term care protection, and tax-free wealth transfer. The company manages $37.8 billion in assets and is licensed in 49 states plus the District of Columbia.

Product overview

EquiTrust is a life insurance company offering a comprehensive portfolio of annuity products and indexed life insurance solutions. The product lineup centers on fixed index annuities (FIAs) including SmartBoost Index (with 40% patent-pending BOOST feature), Bridge LTC (FIA with Long-Term Care Rider and NeverStop wellness program), and WealthMax Bonus Life (indexed life insurance). The broader FIA portfolio includes MarketEdge Bonus Index, MarketPower Bonus Index, MarketTen Bonus Index, MarketValue Index, MarketSeven Index, MarketFive Index, MarketEarly Income Index, and MarketFuture Bonus Income Index. Fixed annuity offerings include Certainty Select and ChoiceFour, while Confidence Income is a single premium immediate annuity. Products are distributed exclusively through independent insurance agents and are not available for direct purchase.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SmartBoost Index: Fixed index annuity with 40% patent-pending BOOST providing guaranteed growth and day-one BOOST to the value of legacy.
• Bridge
• WealthMax Bonus Life

Products and services

• SmartBoost Index A fixed index annuity (FIA) featuring a patent-pending 40% BOOST delivered through the contract's Enhanced Accumulation Value, providing 40% guaranteed growth over 10 years and a day-one 40% BOOST on the death benefit, with no fee for the BOOST feature. Designed for pre-retirement and retirement individuals seeking guaranteed accumulation and legacy protection.
• Bridge LTC A fixed index annuity with a Long-Term Care Rider paired with the NeverStop Health Coaching & Rewards Program from Assured Allies, offering personalized wellness plans based on the science of aging, dedicated coaching support, and Wellness Credits that increase LTC coverage. Designed for individuals planning for potential long-term care needs and protecting retirement assets from extended care expenses.
• WealthMax Bonus Life A single premium, indexed life insurance policy designed for wealth transfer and accumulation. Provides tax-free legacy for heirs, living benefits for medical expenses, return of premium guarantees, and is paired with the RightNow digital underwriting platform for immediate decisions without medical exams. Aimed at high-net-worth individuals seeking tax-efficient legacy planning.
• MarketEdge Bonus Index A fixed index annuity with bonus features for retirement accumulation.
• MarketPower Bonus Index A fixed index annuity with bonus features for retirement accumulation.
• MarketTen Bonus Index A 10-year fixed index annuity with bonus features for retirement accumulation.
• MarketValue Index A fixed index annuity product for retirement accumulation.
• MarketSeven Index A 7-year fixed index annuity product for retirement accumulation.
• MarketFive Index A 5-year fixed index annuity product for retirement accumulation.
• MarketEarly Income Index An income-focused fixed index annuity designed for earlier access to retirement income.
• MarketFuture Bonus Income Index An income-focused fixed index annuity with bonus features for retirement income planning.
• Certainty Select A fixed annuity product for retirement accumulation with a guaranteed interest rate.
• ChoiceFour A four-year fixed annuity product for retirement accumulation.
• Confidence Income A single premium immediate annuity (SPIA) providing guaranteed income starting shortly after purchase.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40% guaranteed growth over 10 years with SmartBoost Index
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Genesis Development Group, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndependent product development firm that works with insurance companies to develop and distribute retirement products. Genesis developed the SmartBoost Index product with EquiTrust and holds patents and patents pending covering elements of the product. Not affiliated with EquiTrust.
• Assured AlliescoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides the NeverStop Health Coaching & Rewards Program for Bridge LTC product. Offers personalized wellness plans based on the science of aging, dedicated coaching support, and wellness credits that increase LTC coverage. Partnership enables science-based wellness program integrated into annuity product.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Corebridge Financial: Corebridge Financial (formerly AIG Life & Retirement) is a top-five U.S. annuity and retirement carrier with a broad portfolio of FIAs, fixed annuities, and life products distributed through financial professionals and advisors. It overlaps with EquiTrust's core market but operates at meaningfully larger scale and across more product lines.

Direct peers

• Brighthouse Financial: Brighthouse Financial is an annuity-focused carrier offering Shield, Bright Choice, and other FIAs through financial professionals. Its annuity-centric model and focus on retirement income place it in direct competition with EquiTrust for agent placement.
• Sammons Financial Group: Sammons Financial, operating through North American Company for Life and Health Insurance, sells FIAs, fixed annuities, and life insurance primarily through independent agents—mirroring EquiTrust's distribution model and product focus.
• Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America: Allianz Life is one of the largest U.S. fixed index annuity issuers, distributing primarily through independent agents and IMOs—the same channel EquiTrust relies on. Its product breadth (FIAs, RILAs, fixed annuities, life) makes it a head-to-head competitor for agent placement and consumer retirement dollars.
• Athene Annuity & Life Company: Athene is a top-tier FIA and annuity reinsurance specialist owned by Apollo. It competes with EquiTrust for independent agent FIA placement and uses an investment strategy that includes meaningful alternative-asset allocation—relevant for benchmarking EquiTrust's more conservative portfolio.
• Global Atlantic Financial Group: Global Atlantic (majority-owned by KKR) is a major FIA, fixed annuity, and life carrier distributing through independent advisors. Its mid-tier AUM scale, FIA focus, and agent-distribution model closely match EquiTrust's positioning.
• Symetra Life Insurance Company: Symetra is a mid-sized life and annuity carrier specializing in fixed indexed annuities, indexed universal life, and retirement products distributed through financial institutions and independent producers—overlapping directly with EquiTrust's FIA and indexed life portfolio.
• Jackson National Life Insurance Company: Jackson is a leading independent-agent-distributed FIA and life carrier. Its Elite/Jackson advisory platform and FIA product lineup directly overlap with EquiTrust's accumulation and income annuity portfolio.
• F&G Annuities & Life: F&G is a publicly traded annuity and life insurer focused on indexed annuities, multi-year guaranteed annuities, and life products distributed through independent agents. Its FIA and indexed life lineup directly mirrors EquiTrust's product strategy.
• Security Benefit Corporation: Security Benefit is a mid-tier annuity and retirement carrier with a strong FIA lineup (Total Value, Secure Income) distributed through financial professionals. Its focus on indexed and income annuities places it in direct competition with EquiTrust's accumulation and income FIA products.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights8 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/equitrust
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/equitrust

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments4 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about EquiTrust