Why Are Variable Annuities Bad? 
Variable annuities are not bad , Whether they are right for you depends on your individual situation . In Canada variable deferred annuities -LRB- during investment accumulation phase -RRB- are often referred to as segregated funds or seg funds . Seg funds are similar to mutual funds so your investment is at risk , but since they are issued by an insurance company they have minimum maturity and death guarantees typically 75 % or 100 % . Some companies also offer resetting or locking in of investment gains . In order to determine if , or which , investment funds are right for you , a risk tolerance questionnaire should be completed . In addition , before you purchase you are to receive an information folder in the interest of complete disclosure . You will find more information on segregated funds at my web site www.jpw.ca Immediate variable payout annuities have a portion or all of the income dependent on the performance of a fund or index . An independent insurance agent / broker will be able to assist you with options from a number of companies . If you have further questions , or feel that I could be of assistance , please do not hesitate to contact me . If you would like to work with a local life insurance broker , you could start with a Google search . For example , if you search for : life insurance broker Halifax or life insurance agent Halifax , my name , along with several others , will come up . You can use the same method to find a life insurance broker in your community . 