Did you know that smoking can get you up to 30% higher annuity rates?

Indeed, there is such a thing as smoker annuity rates, which, basically, are a type of enhanced rates that apply to smokers.

This is a good thing for your retirement income, but before you jump up and down – considering it’s probably the only good thing you’ll get from smoking – you should keep in mind that the reason for this increased rate is because studies show that smokers have a shortened life expectancy, which means if you smoke, you are more likely to die sooner than others.

Annuity rates are based largely on life expectancy, since how long you live determines how long the company will have to provide for you. Currently, the average life expectancy in the UK is 79 years old – 77 years for men and 81 years for women.

If you are a smoker, studies show that you can live only up to 65, or 70 at most, depending on your smoking habits.

If you are 60, then, you only have about a decade to live, which is why companies are willing to give you very high rates.

To qualify for a smoker annuity, you have to be smoking at least ten cigarettes per day for the past ten years. Cigars and pipes usually do not qualify.

Smoker annuity rates can also apply to joint-life annuities, taking both the health and smoking habits of the investor and the spouse or financial dependent into consideration.

Enhanced Annuity Rates

Even if you are not smoking, if you are already suffering from cardiovascular and respiratory ailments, you can qualify for enhanced annuity rates, which are even higher than smoker annuity rates.

Here are some of the medical conditions that qualify for an enhanced annuity:

- Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome
- Alzheimer’s Disease
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
- Angina
- Arrhythmias
- Asbestosis
- Atherosclerosis
- Atrial fibrillation
- Bi-polar Disorder
- Bladder disease
- Brain haemorrhage
- Bronchiectasis
- Cancer
- Cardiomyopathy
- Cerebrovascular – Subarachnoid haemorrhage
- Chronic Asthma
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
- Chronic Bronchitis
- Crohn’s disease
- Deep Vein Thrombosis
- Dementia
- Diabetes
- Digestive disorders
- Emphysema
- Endocarditis
- Heart attack
- Heart block
- Heart valve disorders
- Heart rhythm disorders
- Ischemic heart disease
- Kidney disease/Renal failure
- Liver disease
- Lymphoma
- Peripheral vascular disease
- Rheumatic heart disease
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Schizophrenia
- Sleep apnea
- Stroke
- Tachycardia
- Tuberculosis
- Ulcerative colitis

To see if you qualify for an enhanced annuity rate please fill in our free no-obligation annuity form. Indeed, by taking a few seconds to provide us with some information, we can arrange for an annuity adviser to contact you and give you free quotes and advice on how to find the best annuity rates.

A post from: eAnnuity Rates

Are you looking for good annuity rates in the UK?

In order to do this, you have to learn all about UK annuities. Annuities are investment policies designed to provide a steady source of income, and they are especially popular in the UK, so you can easily find a lot of information about them.

There are several types of UK annuities, each with a different rate of return. These include:

Immediate annuities – Annuities where the payment phase begins as soon as possible, for those with immediate expenses.

Deferred annuities – Annuities where the payments begin at a pre-agreed future date, giving investments time to grow.

Fixed annuities – Annuities that have a fixed rate throughout the duration of the contract, meaning the first payment is the same as the last.

Escalating annuities – Annuities wherein the rate increases by a certain percent each year or in line with the Retail Price Index (RPI).

Enhanced annuities – Annuities that are reserved for those with a shortened life expectancy. These offer some of the highest annuity rates in the UK.

Joint-life annuities – Annuities that provide for the investor and a financial dependent, usually a spouse.

Investment-linked annuities – Annuities that are linked directly to the performance of certain other investments.

Annuities also come with different features and options so you can personalize them to suit your financial needs and circumstances exactly. Some examples are:

- Inflation protection – usually applies to fixed annuities
- Guaranteed period – wherein the investor’s beneficiaries will receive an income within a certain amount of time even after his death
- Stepped-up death benefit – wherein the value of the annuity is ‘frozen’ at a certain time and becomes the amount passed on to heirs after the investor’s death
- Frequency of payment – payment can be monthly, quarterly, twice a year or once a year
- Payment timing – payments can be made in advance or in arrears

In order to find the right type of annuity, or one with all the features you need, as well as to get the best annuity rates in the UK, it is recommended that you use your Open Market Option.

The Open Market Option was introduced in the UK in 1975 by the Financial Services Authority and simply provides investors with the option to shop around the market before buying an annuity.

It is also recommended that you consult a financial broker or consultant. In fact, some UK annuity providers will only work with you if you have one, especially in the case of enhanced and investment-linked annuities.

To see if you qualify for an enhanced annuity rate please fill in our free no-obligation annuity form. Indeed, by taking a few seconds to provide us with some information, we can arrange for an annuity adviser to contact you and give you free quotes and advice on how to find the best annuity rates.

A post from: eAnnuity Rates