Annuities are built for the way women invest

Women approach risk deliberately

Women tend to stay the course with their portfolios even when markets swing, sticking to a long-term, goals-based plan rather than reacting to short-term swings.⁴ A Warwick Business School study of the FTSE 100 found women's portfolios outperformed the index by 1.94% annually, compared with 0.14% for men — a gap researchers attributed largely to lower trading frequency.⁵

These facts all fly in the face of the outdated “risk-averse” label. It can be more accurate to think of women as risk-balanced, not averse. Since annuities are insurance products designed for long-term planning that can help manage certain retirement income risks, they may align well with that long-term discipline.

Women excel at the long game, and they play it a bit longer

Women aged 65 can expect 2.4 additional years of life on average, compared with men.⁶ Those added years raise the possibility of depleting savings, which can only strengthen the case for products built for the long game.

Guaranteed income matters to women planning for retirement

One look at the calendar helps accentuate this point. Equal Pay Day, observed on March 26 in 2026, marks how far into the next year the average woman must work to match what the average man was paid the year before.⁷ This shortfall compounds long after the working years end.

Even though women are more likely to face wage gaps, require catch-up savings, and deal with career interruptions, their median weekly earnings were only 84% of men’s in 2023.⁸ Caregiving, which can often fall to women, could lead to reduced hours, interrupted employment or leaving the workforce. This can affect long-term earnings and retirement savings. Annuities are designed to help address that gap.

For women who already invest with discipline and conviction, guaranteed income in retirement is a foundation they can build on.

Taken together, these findings highlight the importance of understanding women investors. Women have a wide variety of goals and retirement needs, and many take a thoughtful, research-driven approach to financial decisions. A wide range of annuity products can complement that big-picture plan.

Annuities are part of the big picture

As you work with more women investors, take time to understand their individual financial priorities and long-term goals. Help them on their financial journeys by incorporating all the tools at their disposal. Annuities may have a place in each toolkit.

Here are a few things to consider:

• Start with the client’s individual goals and what they want their money to do.
• Outline the risks that may be relevant to their retirement goals. These may include longevity, market volatility and the timing of withdrawals.
• Show the specific role an annuity can play if suitable for the client's needs, such as helping fill an income gap or providing protection against market downturns.
• Keep the conversation situational and revisit it as life stages change.
• Frame the discussion around the client's goals, using relevant product benefits - such as guaranteed lifetime income, or protecting from market downturns.

Serving women well starts with understanding their individual goals, needs and preferences. Use direct language. Don’t assume risk is off the table. And make sure to connect any recommendation to the client’s personal priorities, showing how the financial product works alongside other assets, not in competition with them.