The money that an individual pays to an insurance company in exchange for a financial instrument that provides a stream of payments for a given length of time. An annuity consideration may be made as a lump sum or a as a series of gradual payments.
Also referred to as a "premium".
The payments provided by the annuity can be distributed monthly, quarterly, semiannually or annually. Payment amounts are based on a number of factors, including the amount of the annuity consideration, the age at which the annuitant begins receiving payments, the annuitant's life expectancy, the annuity's anticipated investment returns and whether the annuity is fixed or variable.