Our Clear Spring ViStar Annuity Review (Overall)
The Clear Spring ViStar is a fixed indexed annuity that combines index-linked growth with an optional lifetime income rider. The rider provides a guaranteed roll-up to the value used to calculate your future income, and it can pay lifetime withdrawals even if the account value is exhausted under the rider terms.
We like the guaranteed income roll-up, but we would not buy ViStar based on a big income bonus or illustrated payment. The bonus goes to a calculation value, the rider has a cost, and access to your money is restricted during the surrender period. Compare the actual guaranteed paycheck and the company behind it with other options before making a decision.
- Insurance company: Clear Spring Life and Annuity Company
- Product type: Fixed indexed annuity
- Issue ages: Generally 0–80; rider eligibility may differ
- Deposits: One initial deposit, with additional deposits allowed in the first contract year under the contract rules
- Income rider: Optional at issue for an annual fee; includes a benefit-base bonus and a guaranteed compounded roll-up during the specified period
- Free withdrawals: One withdrawal of up to 10% of account value annually beginning in the second contract year, subject to the contract terms
- Death benefit: Generally the account value, with an eligible spouse able to continue the contract under its terms
Clear Spring ViStar Annuity Alternatives
Not all annuities are created equal. Compare ViStar with the best annuities for your retirement plan. Fill out the form below or call us at (770) 755-1565 for a free comparison.
Our Professional Opinion on Clear Spring ViStar
ViStar has a feature we want in a future income annuity: a guaranteed roll-up to the income benefit base. You do not have to cross your fingers and hope the index performs well just to build the value used to calculate your future income. That is a lot more useful for planning a retirement paycheck than a rider where future income depends entirely on market-linked interest.
But do not get sucked in by the bonus. It is added to the income benefit base, not to money you can withdraw whenever you want. The bigger number also is not the amount your family automatically receives when you die. What matters is the guaranteed income ViStar will actually pay you compared with competing annuities for the same age, deposit, and income start date.
We are cautious about the company behind the income promise. Clear Spring Life and Annuity Company has an A− (Excellent) financial strength rating from AM Best, which meets our minimum. But in July 2026, AM Best changed its outlook from positive to negative while affirming the rating. That was an outlook change, not a rating downgrade. AM Best cited the reclassification of group private-credit investments from unaffiliated to affiliated, lower group risk-adjusted capitalization, and financial-reporting control concerns. That gives us pause when someone may rely on this company for income for decades, so we would compare stronger alternatives.
For pure accumulation, we would look harder at competitive multi-year cap locks before choosing ViStar. Its renewal caps and participation rates can change within the contract’s guarantees, and a long commitment to a cap that becomes less attractive is not our idea of a great deal.
What We Like
- Guaranteed income-base growth: The optional rider provides a compounded roll-up during its specified period instead of relying entirely on index performance.
- Income for life: Eligible rider withdrawals can continue even if the account value reaches zero, subject to the rider’s terms.
- Single or joint income: You can compare coverage for one person with coverage for a qualifying couple.
- Protection from negative index credits: A falling index does not itself cause a negative index credit.
- Health waivers: Qualifying nursing-home confinement or terminal illness can provide access to the account under the rider rules.
What We Don’t Like
- The insurer’s negative outlook: We want to be comfortable with the company expected to pay income for decades, not just the annuity illustration.
- The bonus is not cash: The income benefit base is not your account balance or death benefit.
- The income rider costs extra: Its annual charge comes out of the account value, even in a year with little or no interest credited.
- First-year access is limited: The annual free-withdrawal allowance does not begin until the second contract year.
- Renewal terms can change: A cap or participation rate that looks attractive at purchase can change at renewal within its guarantees.
- Too much out early can cost you: Surrender charges and a market value adjustment can reduce what you receive.
How ViStar’s Lifetime Income Rider Works
The optional lifetime withdrawal rider must be selected when you buy the annuity. It uses a separate benefit base to calculate how much you can withdraw for life. The base starts with your premium, receives a rider bonus, and grows by a guaranteed compounded roll-up during the applicable roll-up period, which can last up to 12 years or until income is elected.
Let’s say you deposit $100,000 and an illustration assumes a hypothetical 8% benefit-base bonus and an 8% annual compounded roll-up. With no withdrawals or additional deposits, the initial benefit base would be $108,000. After one year of eligible roll-up, it would be $116,640. That is the value used to calculate income, not $116,640 you can withdraw. The actual bonus, roll-up and payout terms depend on the offer and contract you purchase.
When you start income, the benefit base and your applicable payout factor determine your annual withdrawal. Your age, the age of the younger covered person for joint income, and whether you choose single or joint coverage matter. Take more than the allowed rider amount and you may reduce future benefits. Ask for the guaranteed income in actual dollars instead of buying the biggest-looking roll-up.
The rider carries an annual charge deducted from the account value. That charge can leave less for withdrawals or beneficiaries, especially if index credits are low. The rider can be terminated after the first contract anniversary, but once terminated it cannot be reinstated. Do not add it unless you intend to use its income guarantee.
Contact us for a free income heat map using your age, state, deposit, and income start date. We can compare the actual guaranteed payments from multiple insurance companies instead of guessing which bonus is best.
How ViStar Credits Interest
You can divide your money among the available index strategies and a fixed-interest strategy. Index-linked interest depends on the index and the chosen method, including any cap or participation rate. You are not buying the index or receiving dividends.
We like familiar indexes that are easy to understand. A huge participation rate on an engineered index does not tell you what your annuity will earn. Look at how the index works and do not assume an attractive backtest will repeat. Clear Spring can change future caps and participation rates, subject to the minimums in the contract.
A negative index result does not itself create a negative index credit, but withdrawals, rider fees, and applicable early-exit charges can reduce your account. For accumulation, we would compare options such as Oceanview CapLock and Sagicor Sage Accumulator and look for a competitive cap locked for multiple years. A cap lock does not guarantee a positive return.
Withdrawals, Surrender Charges, and Market Value Adjustment
Beginning in the second contract year, ViStar generally allows one annual free withdrawal of up to 10% of the account value. The allowance is helpful, but the ordinary free-withdrawal allowance is not available during the first year. This is a lousy place for money you might need in a hurry.
If you take more than the free allowance during the surrender period, a surrender charge and a market value adjustment may apply. The adjustment can increase or reduce the payout. The surrender period, schedule, and rules vary by contract and state, so review them before committing your money.
Nursing Home and Terminal Illness Waivers
Qualifying nursing-home confinement or terminal illness may allow access to the full account value without surrender charges or an applicable MVA. The nursing-home provision has age, waiting-period and confinement requirements and is not available everywhere. The terminal-illness provision also has specific eligibility rules. These are useful features, but do not assume every health problem qualifies.
These waivers let you access your own money. They do not create a separate pool to pay for care. If that is your concern, compare long-term care insurance and other care options.
What Happens When You Die?
Your named beneficiaries generally receive the account value, not the income benefit base. If you have taken withdrawals or paid rider charges, that account value may be lower than it otherwise would have been. Do not assume the income rider bonus is an extra inheritance for your family.
If your spouse is the sole primary beneficiary, they may be able to use spousal continuation and continue the annuity. Ask how continuation affects the income rider and your family’s choices.
ViStar Pros and Cons Compared With Other Annuities
- Compared with a MYGA: A fixed-rate annuity guarantees a rate for a set term and is simpler if predictable interest is the goal. ViStar offers index-linked growth and an optional lifetime withdrawal guarantee, but the rider costs extra and interest credits are not a fixed multiyear return.
- Compared with other fixed indexed annuities: We like ViStar’s guaranteed income roll-up, but other products may pay more guaranteed income or offer a locked cap. Compare the actual contract terms and company backing them.
- Compared with a RILA: A registered index-linked annuity can expose your account to market losses beyond its buffer or floor. ViStar avoids negative index credits, though charges and withdrawals can still reduce the account.
- Compared with a variable annuity: A variable annuity offers direct investment options and the possibility of market losses. ViStar limits index-linked earnings but avoids direct market losses from a negative index credit.
Who Might Consider ViStar?
Someone planning for future lifetime income may like the rider’s guaranteed roll-up and the choice between single and joint income. That does not make ViStar the best choice. Compare its guaranteed income, rider fee, surrender restrictions, and the insurer with the alternatives before buying.
If you need most of your money available soon, want an upfront cash bonus, or want the highest potential death benefit, we would look elsewhere. The income-base bonus does not solve any of those problems.
What We Recommend
ViStar’s guaranteed roll-up is a feature we like, but a good-looking income base does not guarantee the best retirement paycheck. Compare the actual guaranteed income from multiple financially strong insurers and pay attention to the rider fee and the money that may be left to your family.
Contact The Annuity Expert for a free, no-obligation comparison. We will help you compare income, growth potential, and access to your money so you can decide what belongs in your retirement plan. Call (770) 755-1565 or use the form below.
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