W&S Financial Group

What W&S Financial Group does

W&S Financial Group Distributors, Inc. is a private life insurance and annuity distribution agency that operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Western & Southern Financial Group, Inc., a diversified financial services conglomerate headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio with origins tracing to 1888. The company distributes a comprehensive portfolio of retirement and protection products—including fixed annuities, income annuities (IncomeSource), fixed indexed annuities (Indextra), variable annuities, the "Stretch Annuity" estate-planning strategy, and life insurance (Legacy Forward II)—issued through affiliated carriers Western-Southern Life Assurance Company, Integrity Life Insurance Company, and National Integrity Life Insurance Company (the latter domiciled in White Plains, New York).

The company's go-to-market is a B2B-centric multi-channel distribution model: it reaches end consumers through five distinct intermediary segments—financial institutions and banks, broker-dealers (including a strategic relationship with Cincinnati-based Touchstone Securities, LLC for securities distribution), independent insurance agents, independent marketing organizations (IMOs), and registered investment advisors/fee-only advisors—with segment-dedicated online portal access, plus a direct-to-consumer online portal for contract holders and clients. Underlying the distribution is a digital engagement layer built around interactive financial planning calculators (Immediate Income, Deferred Income, Retirement Confidence, and Legacy Forward II Beneficiary Calculators) and a value-add educational program suite (Retirement Income Matters, Social Security Know How, Financial Plan B, Generational Reach, Survivor Support, Term Talks).

Revenue mechanics are subscription/recurring in nature, driven by premiums paid into annuity and life insurance policies issued by the affiliated carriers; product pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The company's claims to durability are anchored in top-tier financial strength ratings from all four major agencies—A+ (Superior) from A.M. Best since June 2009, AA- (Very Strong) from S&P since August 2018, AA (Very Strong) from Fitch since June 2009, and Aa3 (Excellent) from Moody's since February 2009—producing a Comdex composite ranking of 95 out of 100. Geographic reach is United States-only and wide (DC plus 49 states for Western-Southern Life and Integrity Life; ME, NH, NY, RI, VT for National Integrity Life), with no global footprint disclosed.

Name

W&S Financial Group

Legal name

W&S Financial Group Distributors, Inc.

Website

https://wsfinancialpartners.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1888

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

W&S Financial Group Distributors is the Cincinnati-based wholesale distribution arm of Western & Southern Financial Group, selling annuities and life insurance through financial institutions, broker-dealers, independent agents, IMOs, and RIAs across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Insurance and Annuity Distribution

NAICS

Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (524210), Insurance Carriers (5241), Direct Life Insurance Carriers (524113)

SIC

Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411), Life Insurance (6311)

akta.pro primary industry

Annuities & Investment-Linked Insurance Solutions (Retail) (FSAAAAAM)

Keywords

• Fixed annuity products
• Income annuity solutions
• Indexed annuity products
• Life insurance products
• Retirement income planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Cincinnati

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Annuity Products: Revenue generated from various annuity products including fixed annuities, income annuities, indexed annuities, and variable annuities. Policyholders pay premiums which are then invested and returned as income or lump-sum payments.
2. Life Insurance Products: Revenue from life insurance products including term life and universal life policies. Policyholders pay premiums in exchange for death benefit coverage.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

W&S Financial Group Distributors is the affiliated distribution arm of Western & Southern Financial Group that sells carrier-issued annuities (fixed, income, indexed, variable, and "Stretch Annuity" strategies) and life insurance (term and universal, including Legacy Forward II) to individual consumers and through financial institutions, broker-dealers, independent agents, IMOs, and RIAs. Named proprietary products include the IncomeSource single premium immediate annuity, the Indextra fixed indexed annuity, and the Legacy Forward II single premium life insurance policy for legacy/estate planning. Products are backed by A+ Superior A.M. Best, AA- S&P, AA Fitch, and Aa3 Moody's ratings and distributed across most U.S. states (with NY restrictions for certain carriers).

Product overview

W&S Financial Group Distributors offers a comprehensive portfolio of insurance and retirement products through its family of companies. The core offerings include Fixed Annuities, Income Annuities (featuring IncomeSource®), Indexed Annuities (featuring Indextra®), Variable Annuities, and Life Insurance (featuring Legacy Forward® II). These products are designed for retirement income planning, beneficiary protection, and legacy planning purposes. Additionally, the company provides a suite of financial planning calculators (Immediate Income, Deferred Income, Retirement Confidence, and Legacy Forward II Beneficiary Calculators) and value-added programs including Retirement Income Matters, Social Security Know How, Financial Plan B, Generational Reach, Retirement Talks, Survivor Support, and Term Talks. The company also offers tax reference materials and educational video content for clients and financial professionals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• IncomeSource: Single Premium Immediate Annuity issued by Integrity Life Insurance Company and National Integrity Life Insurance Company.
• Legacy Forward II
• Indextra

Products and services

• Fixed Annuities Fixed annuity contracts offering growth opportunities and income flexibilities for retirement planning, issued through the Integrity Life and Western-Southern Life carriers and distributed to individuals and via financial professional channels.
• Income Annuities Income annuity products that convert retirement savings into retirement income, including the IncomeSource single premium immediate annuity, issued by Integrity Life Insurance Company and National Integrity Life Insurance Company.
• Indexed Annuities Fixed indexed annuities that pursue potential growth while providing protection of a guaranteed minimum account value, including the Indextra single premium deferred annuity with indexed interest options, issued by Integrity Life Insurance Company.
• Variable Annuities Annuity products with variable investment options subject to market risk, distributed through broker-dealers and securities partners such as Touchstone Securities, LLC.
• "Stretch Annuity" Strategy A specialized annuity strategy designed for legacy and estate planning purposes, structuring payouts over an extended period to support beneficiary and heir financial outcomes.
• Life Insurance Life insurance products providing beneficiary protection and death benefits, including term and universal life coverage, with the Legacy Forward II single premium life insurance offering asset transfer advantages for legacy planning.
• IncomeSource Single Premium Immediate Annuity sub-brand that converts retirement savings into guaranteed retirement income that cannot be outlived, issued by Integrity Life Insurance Company and National Integrity Life Insurance Company.
• Indextra Single Premium Deferred Annuity with Indexed Interest Options offering potential growth with guaranteed minimum account value protection, issued by Integrity Life Insurance Company.
• Legacy Forward II Guaranteed life insurance product with asset transfer advantages for legacy planning, issued by National Integrity Life Insurance Company and Western-Southern Life Assurance Company.

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Touchstone Securities, LLCcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTouchstone Securities, LLC is a registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA/SIPC, based in Cincinnati, OH. They handle securities distribution for W&S Financial Group, specifically for variable annuity products and other securities-related offerings. This is a critical channel partnership for distributing regulated securities products.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Athene Holding: Athene is a leading U.S. retirement services company specializing in fixed, fixed indexed, and registered index-linked annuities distributed through banks, broker-dealers, and independent advisors. Comparable annuity-centric product portfolio and institutional distribution strategy.
• Lincoln Financial Group: Lincoln Financial is a major U.S. provider of annuities (fixed, indexed, variable) and life insurance distributed through financial advisors, RIAs, and independent producers. Highly comparable product mix and multi-channel distribution model to W&S Financial Group Distributors.
• Brighthouse Financial: Brighthouse Financial specializes in annuity and life insurance products (Shield, Smart Money) distributed through financial advisors and RIAs. Closely mirrors W&S's annuity-led product suite and fee-advisor channel focus.
• Fidelity & Guaranty Life (FGL): FGL Holdings is an annuity and life insurance provider focused on fixed indexed annuities and indexed universal life, distributed through independent agents, IMOs, and broker-dealers. Comparable product and distribution profile at similar scale to W&S.
• Equitable Financial: Equitable offers variable annuities, fixed index annuities, and life insurance distributed through financial professionals and RIAs. Similar product mix and emphasis on legacy/income planning as W&S, and comparable advisor-channel strategy.
• Securian Financial: Securian Financial is a mid-sized mutual insurance company offering annuities, life insurance, and retirement solutions distributed through financial advisors, broker-dealers, and institutional partners. Highly comparable scale and product mix to W&S Financial Group Distributors.
• Corebridge Financial: Corebridge Financial is a leading U.S. retirement solutions and life insurance company spun out of AIG, with a heavy focus on fixed and fixed indexed annuities and group retirement. Directly comparable in product mix and distribution via financial institutions, broker-dealers, and advisors.

Broad incumbents

• Nationwide Financial: Nationwide offers a broad portfolio of annuities (fixed, indexed, variable), life insurance, and retirement plans distributed through financial advisors, banks, and employer channels. Larger and more diversified than W&S, but directly comparable in product lines and multi-channel approach.
• Prudential Financial: Prudential is one of the largest U.S. life insurers and a major annuity provider (fixed, indexed, variable) distributed through Prudential Advisors, broker-dealers, and banks. Overlapping product offering at much larger scale than W&S.
• MetLife: MetLife is a global insurance and financial services leader offering annuities, life insurance, and retirement products through brokers, financial institutions, and employer groups. Comparable product breadth and distribution channels, but operates at far greater scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC0MwsTlnDoFJyvZ57ngLW1A

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about W&S Financial Group