Goldstein Scorecard: D (dated October 4, 2026). See how it is graded.
Sentinel Security Life Personal Choice MYGA Review: C+ Rating, Current Rates
Written & reviewed by Hans Goldstein, EA, Independent Licensed Insurance Producer · CA license 4273294 · NPN 20602398Admitted to practice before the IRS
Facts verified against Sentinel Security Life’s rate page, Personal Choice brochure and AM Best’s rating disclosure on October 4, 2026 · Updated
CD vs MYGA, after tax
What $100,000 earns in 5 years: CD vs MYGA, after tax
Rates used: CD 5.00%, the top nationally available 5-year CD (Bankrate, October 14, 2026); change it to the rate you are offered. MYGA 5.95%, the best A-rated rate we track as of October 13, 2026: Delaware Life Pinnacle Plus 5-year (AM Best A-, negative outlook, 7/31/2026), $100,000 and up, effective October 6, 2026 (Delaware Life rate sheet).
| CD, interest taxed every year | $121,081 |
|---|---|
| MYGA, tax-deferred, before tax | $133,507 |
| MYGA after paying tax on all the interest at withdrawal | $126,136 |
| Tax deferral alone adds about | $674 |
| MYGA ahead of the CD, after tax | $5,055 |
Assumes 22% federal and 0% state income tax, no withdrawals, rates held for the whole term. MYGA interest is taxed as ordinary income when you withdraw it, not as capital gains. Gains taken before age 59 1/2 can owe a 10% IRS penalty, and cashing out early can cost a surrender charge.
In an IRA both grow tax-deferred, so the edge there is the rate alone. Bank and credit union deposits are FDIC or NCUA insured up to the limits; a MYGA is backed by the issuing insurer's claims-paying ability and your state's guaranty association up to its limits, not the FDIC. General education, not tax, legal or financial advice.
| Personal Choice term | Most states | CA | FL | MN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3-year | 6.00% | 5.70% | 5.90% | 5.70% |
| 5-year | 6.25% | 6.05% | 6.20% | 5.95% |
| 7-year | 6.25% | 6.05% | 6.20% | 5.95% |
| 10-year | 6.25% | 6.05% | 6.15% | 5.95% |
Source: Sentinel Security Life Current Rates page, read October 4, 2026. Base rates before optional rider reductions. CA and FL contracts include the Death Benefit Feature, priced into those rates; MN contracts have no MVA. A posted rate says nothing about the insurer’s ability to pay it: AM Best rates Sentinel C+ (Marginal), under review with negative implications, effective September 22, 2026.
Sentinel Security Life reviews in one line: the rates are high, the rating is low. Sentinel Security Life Insurance Company (Salt Lake City, Utah) posts Personal Choice Annuity MYGA rates of 6.00% for 3 years and 6.25% for 5, 7 and 10 years (5.70% and 6.05% in California), effective March 23, 2026.
AM Best rates the insurer C+ (Marginal), under review with negative implications, effective September 22, 2026. I do not recommend new money with this insurer until that changes.
Rating watch (checked October 4, 2026): AM Best rates Sentinel Security Life Insurance Company C+ u (Marginal), downgraded from B (Fair) and kept under review with negative implications, as of September 22, 2026 (AM Best press release, September 22, 2026).
The same action cut the issuer credit rating to b- (Marginal) from bb+ (Fair) and covered its affiliate Atlantic Coast Life Insurance Company; AM Best refers to the two together as A-CAP Group (same press release).
What it means: an annuity’s values and any contractual guarantees are backed by the claims-paying ability of Sentinel Security Life Insurance Company.
If an insurer fails, state guaranty associations cover annuity values up to set limits (in California, 80% of value up to $250,000 per owner per insurer; see California guaranty coverage and guaranty limits by state). A rating action is not a default.
It is a reason to keep the amount per insurer within your state’s limit and to read the latest rating before you buy.
Correction (October 4, 2026): an earlier version of this page took its rate table from a third-party rate site, dated the rates to a 4/11/2026 rate change and listed a $2,500 minimum premium.
Sentinel’s own rates page shows the Personal Choice rates effective 03/23/2026 (4/11/2026 is the date on a different product, the Accumulation Protector Plus), and Sentinel does not publish a Personal Choice minimum premium.
Weiss, COMDEX, “Renewal Rate Integrity” and “Customer Service” badges and an unsourced NAIC complaint figure were removed because they could not be verified at a primary source today.
Personal Choice Annuity: contract basics (verified October 4, 2026)
| Feature | What Sentinel publishes |
|---|---|
| Product | Sentinel Plan® Personal Choice Annuity, a multi-year guaranteed annuity (Sentinel calls it the “Personal Choice MYGA”) |
| Issuer | Sentinel Security Life Insurance Company, Salt Lake City, UT; a member of the A-CAP family |
| Guarantee periods | 3, 5, 7 or 10 years |
| Rate, 5-year, most states | 6.25% (CA 6.05%, FL 6.20%, MN 5.95%), effective 03/23/2026 |
| Contractual minimum rate | 2.40% for the life of the policy, including renewal rates, for contracts issued in 2026 |
| Interest | Compounded daily, credited yearly |
| Surrender charge schedule by year | Not publicly disclosed for Personal Choice. Ask for the schedule in writing; it is in the contract and the disclosure |
| Market value adjustment | Yes, except Minnesota contracts (no MVA) |
| Free withdrawal | None in the base contract. Optional Preferred 10% Free Withdrawal rider (from contract year 2, greater of 10% or RMD, first withdrawal per year) costs 0.08% of rate |
| Other optional riders (rate reduction) | RMD waiver 0.16%; Accumulated Interest Withdrawal 0.08%; Terminal Illness/Nursing Home Care 0.15% (not in CA, FL, PA); 72(t) withdrawals 0.05%; Death Benefit Feature 0.35% |
| Issue ages | Up to 90. Owners 86 to 90 must add the Death Benefit Feature (built into CA and FL contracts) |
| Minimum / maximum premium | Not publicly disclosed |
| End of term | Renewal letter about 60 days before the end of the guarantee period; funds can be withdrawn without penalty at the end of the period |
| State availability | Not available in all states; Sentinel’s availability map is at sslco.com/product-availability |
Get an independent read on Sentinel Security Life MYGA before you sign.
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Goldstein Scorecard (dated October 4, 2026)
| Dimension | Grade | Basis (sourced fact) |
|---|---|---|
| Financial strength | D | AM Best FSR C+ u (Marginal), downgraded under review with negative implications, effective 9/22/2026. |
| Rate competitiveness | A | 5-year 6.25% (6.05% CA) vs about 5.50% to 6.05% from A-rated-or-better insurers on 10/14/2026. The extra yield is pay for a weaker balance sheet. |
| Guaranteed floor | B | 2.40% lifetime contractual minimum, including renewals, for 2026 issues (published on the rates page). |
| Liquidity | C | No free withdrawal unless you buy a rider; MVA applies (not in MN); surrender schedule by year not published. |
| Costs | B | No annual fee in the base contract; each optional rider lowers the rate by 0.05% to 0.35%. |
| Transparency | B | Rates, rider costs and the lifetime minimum are public with an effective date; surrender schedule and premium limits are not. |
| Complexity | A | Fixed rate, no index crediting, a la carte riders. |
| Overall | D | Weighted toward financial strength and the contractual minimum, since a fixed rate is only as good as the insurer paying it. |
Pros and cons
Pros
- Posted rates of 6.00% to 6.25% (most states) sit above the 5.50% to 6.05% range A-rated-or-better insurers paid on 5-year MYGAs on October 14, 2026.
- A published 2.40% lifetime contractual minimum, including renewal rates, for 2026 contracts.
- Riders are optional and priced as a stated rate reduction, so you can see what each feature costs.
- Rates and rider costs are posted publicly with an effective date.
Cons
- AM Best rates the insurer C+ (Marginal), under review with negative implications (September 22, 2026). For a fixed rate, the insurer’s ability to pay is the whole product.
- No penalty-free withdrawal unless you pay for a rider, and an MVA applies outside Minnesota.
- The surrender charge schedule and premium limits are not published, so you need the contract disclosure to see the cost of leaving early.
Who it’s for, and when to look elsewhere
Fits: existing owners deciding what to do at the end of a guarantee period, who need the facts in one place. Before any change, confirm your state guaranty association limit at nolhga.com and compare surrender cost against what you would gain elsewhere. See is my MYGA protected if the carrier goes bankrupt.
Look elsewhere if: you are placing new money. A MYGA locks a declared rate for the term, so the insurer behind it matters more than the last tenth of a percent.
For comparison, A-rated-or-better insurers were paying about 5.50% to 6.05% on 5-year MYGAs and the best nationally available 5-year CDs about 4.70% to 5.00% APY (MYGAs: public carrier rate sheets, October 14, 2026; CDs: Bankrate and Popular Direct, October 18, 2026).
Current rates: MYGA rates. Run your numbers with the MYGA growth calculator and the MYGA vs CD after-tax calculator.
Questions to ask your agent
- What is the contractual minimum rate on my contract, and what renewal rate applies after the term? Please put both in writing (Sentinel publishes 2.40% for 2026 issues).
- What is the full surrender charge schedule by year for my term and state, how does the MVA work, and is any free withdrawal included without a rider?
- Which riders are on this application, and what is my net rate after each rider reduction?
- What is my state guaranty association’s annuity limit, and how much of my premium sits above it?
- How are you paid on this product? Agents are paid a commission by the insurer, built into pricing and not deducted from your premium. Ask the percentage and whether a longer term pays more. See how annuity commissions work.
From my desk
When a Sentinel quote crosses my desk, I check the insurer before the rate. AM Best’s September 22, 2026 action took Sentinel to C+ with a negative under-review status, and that rating, plus your state guaranty association limit, decides how much of your money I would ever want in one contract.
Then I check which state the contract is issued in, because the California and Florida rates already carry the Death Benefit Feature and run lower than the headline.
The number buyers most often misread on a MYGA like this is the rate itself. The posted 6.25% is before riders; adding the RMD waiver and the 10% free withdrawal rider takes it down by 0.24%, and without them there is no penalty-free access at all.
On a MYGA, the rate is only half the comparison. The other half is who pays it, which is why I compare any Sentinel number against A-rated MYGAs for the same term, not against bank CDs.
Hypothetical: a California buyer choosing the 5-year term at 6.05% and adding the RMD and Preferred 10% riders would be credited 5.81% (6.05% minus 0.16% minus 0.08%), inside the A-rated range on the same date, with a C+ insurer behind it.
Frequently asked questions
What is Sentinel Security Life's AM Best rating?
C+ (Marginal), with an issuer credit rating of b-, both under review with negative implications. AM Best downgraded Sentinel from B (Fair) effective September 22, 2026, per its rating disclosure read October 4, 2026.
What does the Sentinel Personal Choice MYGA pay?
Per Sentinel's rates page, effective March 23, 2026: 6.00% for 3 years and 6.25% for 5, 7 and 10 years in most states; 5.70% and 6.05% in California; 5.90% to 6.20% in Florida; 5.70% and 5.95% in Minnesota. Optional riders reduce the rate.
What is the minimum rate after the guarantee period?
Sentinel publishes a 2.40% minimum fixed rate for the lifetime of the policy, including renewal rates, for contracts issued in 2026, backed by the claims-paying ability of Sentinel Security Life Insurance Company.
Can I withdraw money without a surrender charge?
Not from the base contract. Sentinel says that without liquidity riders, withdrawals are charged surrender charges and a market value adjustment. The optional Preferred 10% Free Withdrawal rider (0.08% rate reduction) allows one withdrawal a year from contract year 2.
What happens at the end of the term?
Sentinel mails a renewal options letter about 60 days before the end of the guarantee period. You can renew, apply the value to a settlement option, or withdraw some or all funds without penalty at the end of the period. A direct transfer to another annuity can be done as a 1035 exchange.
Is a Sentinel MYGA FDIC insured?
No. Annuities are not bank deposits. If an insurer fails, state life and health insurance guaranty associations provide coverage up to limits that vary by state.
Sources (checked October 4, 2026)
- AM Best, Rating Disclosure Report, Sentinel Security Life Insurance Company (AMB #007040): FSR C+ u (Marginal), effective September 22, 2026.
- AM Best press release via Business Wire, September 22, 2026: AM Best downgrades credit ratings of A-CAP Group members.
- Sentinel Security Life, Current Rates: Personal Choice Annuity rates effective 03/23/2026, rider costs, 2.40% minimum for 2026 issues.
- Sentinel Security Life, Personal Choice Annuity client brochure, form SSLPCABR-OT 020426.
- Sentinel Security Life, Frequently Asked Questions (Personal Choice MYGA).
- MYGA and CD benchmark: public carrier rate sheets (MYGAs, October 14, 2026) and DepositAccounts (CDs, September 24, 2026); see MYGA rates.
Related: Atlantic Coast Life Safe Harbor 5-year MYGA (A-CAP affiliate) · Is a MYGA from a PE-owned carrier still safe? · Are annuities FDIC insured? · Annuity second opinion
Get a second opinion before you sign
Talk to Hans Goldstein, a licensed independent insurance producer.
MYGAs lock in your rate for the full term. Before you commit, is this carrier's rate actually competitive vs. the full market? Is the rating tradeoff worth it? Before signing, get an independent review of the rate, surrender schedule, and carrier strength.
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Hans Goldstein · 213-414-2808 · NPN 20602398, independent licensed insurance producer appointed with multiple A-rated carriers
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Disclosure
This review is based on the carrier's public product materials and rates as of the date shown above. Annuity rates, caps, participation rates, payout factors, crediting methods, and long-term care benefit structures change often, sometimes monthly. Confirm current figures in the latest carrier disclosure and the contract before you buy. This is general education, not a personal recommendation or an offer of any product. Hans Goldstein is an independent licensed insurance producer (CA license 4273294, NPN 20602398) appointed with several A-rated carriers. His appointment with the carrier reviewed here may vary, and this review is not an endorsement. No carrier paid for this review. Always read the actual contract and consult a licensed advisor before purchasing any annuity or long-term care insurance product. Past index performance does not predict future credited interest. Annuities and hybrid life+LTC policies are long-term contracts with surrender charges; they are not suitable for funds you may need before the end of the surrender period. AM Best ratings and tax treatment are subject to change. Tax discussion of IRC §7702B, §1035, and the Pension Protection Act of 2006 reflects law as of 2026 and is subject to change.