Delaware Life Momentum Growth Plus – Lock in Growth with Flexibility and Control
Delaware Life Momentum Growth Plus – Lock in Growth with Flexibility and Control
At Diversified Insurance Brokers, we guide retirement-focused investors toward annuity strategies that balance accumulation, income security, and long-term flexibility without exposing principal to direct market losses. The Delaware Life Momentum Growth Plus Fixed Indexed Annuity, issued by Delaware Life Insurance Company, is designed for individuals who want enhanced growth potential combined with structural downside protection. Delaware Life holds an AM Best A- (Excellent) rating with Positive Outlook — assigned October 2024, with the outlook revised upward in October 2025 — placing it in the same A- tier as Aspida, GILICO, and GBU Life, and reflecting a trajectory of strengthening financial position. In today’s volatile environment — where traditional bonds have faced pressure and equities can swing dramatically — many retirees are seeking alternatives that preserve capital while still allowing participation in index-linked upside. Momentum Growth Plus addresses that need with a premium bonus, diversified index options, and the VersaGain™ customizable gain control mechanism. For clients comparing contracts across carriers, reviewing current fixed annuity rates and analyzing the most competitive current bonus annuity rates is a critical first step — but product structure ultimately matters as much as headline numbers.
Ensure you are receiving the absolute top rates
Current Fixed Annuity Rates
Compare today’s best fixed annuity rates from top carriers.
Current Bonus Annuity Rates
See which annuities offer the highest upfront bonus today.
Request an Annuity Quote
Submit our annuity request form to get personalized rate options.
Momentum Growth Plus: Key Product Specifications
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Carrier and Financial Strength | Delaware Life Insurance Company, Zionsville, Indiana. Founded 2013 (acquired Sun Life Financial US annuity business). Subsidiary of Group 1001 Insurance Holdings, LLC, $72.9B combined AUM. AM Best: A- (Excellent), Positive Outlook — affirmed October 2025. S&P: A- (Stable) — upgraded December 2024 from BBB+. Fitch: A- (Strong) — assigned July 2024. $56.2B in total invested assets. 324,000+ active policies. NAIC complaint index: 0.32 (well below 1.00 average). Not authorized in New York. Available in most other states. No riders on this product — Momentum Growth Plus is an accumulation FIA only. |
| Premium Bonus | Premium bonus applied to the accumulation value at contract issue. Delaware Life’s current product page lists up to 15% — the exact bonus percentage has varied across promotional periods (10% at product launch January 2025; 13% at other points; 15% currently per Delaware Life’s website). Confirm the current bonus percentage at application. The bonus enhances the starting accumulation value, immediately increasing the compounding base. Bonus is subject to vesting and potential recapture — confirm the specific vesting schedule and recapture provisions in the contract. Our resource on understanding annuity bonuses explains the difference between accumulation value bonuses and income base bonuses, and how vesting works. |
| VersaGain™ and Index Lock | Defining product feature. At contract issuance, buyer elects a Protected Auto-Credit Percentage (adjustable annually): 0%, 50%, or 100% of Available Gain. 100% = all gains locked in and secured (traditional FIA approach). 50% = half the credits locked in; remaining half reallocated for potentially higher cap/participation rates in the subsequent year. 0% = no gains locked in from prior year; all reallocated for maximum crediting rates. Each index account is managed independently. Index Lock allows gain capture at any time during the year — locked-in gains are secured regardless of subsequent market performance. Locking before term end means you won’t realize credits up to the full cap/participation rate. A new index term begins on the contract anniversary following a lock-in; the starting value for the new term is unaffected by the locked value. |
| Index Crediting Strategies | Multiple index options including S&P 500, Barclays Aries Index, Nasdaq-100 VC 12%, and the Dynamic Intraday TCA Index. Delaware Life also announced the addition of the BlackRock U.S. Equity Bitcoin Balanced Risk 12% Index in January 2026 — the first FIA with cryptocurrency exposure. Each index uses participation rates, caps, or spreads. 0% floor protects against negative index performance on all strategies. Confirm current crediting parameters at application. Our guide on FIA crediting methods and how cap rates work explains how each mechanism affects credited interest. |
| Liquidity and Health Waivers | 10% penalty-free withdrawal of premium in year one; 10% of account value annually thereafter. RMDs accommodated. Two health waivers: (1) Nursing home/hospital confinement: one-time penalty-free withdrawal after first contract anniversary, for 90+ consecutive days — contract must be purchased before age 76. (2) Hospice care: one-time withdrawal after one year — contract must be purchased before age 70. Both are one-time provisions, not ongoing annual access. MVA applies to non-exempt withdrawals. No riders of any kind. Subsequent premiums not accepted after age 80. Confirm specific free withdrawal terms at application. |
| No Income Riders — This Is an Accumulation Product | Important correction: Momentum Growth Plus has no riders of any kind — confirmed in contract documentation. This product has no Guaranteed Lifetime Withdrawal Benefit (GLWB) or income rider. For buyers whose primary objective is guaranteed lifetime income from Delaware Life, the Delaware Life DualTrack Income™ FIA features a GLWB with performance-based and guaranteed growth paths. Momentum Growth Plus accumulates value; income conversion at maturity comes through annuitization or repositioning into an income product. Our resource on how GLWBs work explains the income rider structure that this product does not include. |
The defining feature of this annuity is its premium bonus, which is applied to the accumulation value and vests over time. This immediately enhances the compounding base, effectively giving policyholders a head start on long-term accumulation. While bonuses should never be evaluated in isolation — since vesting schedules and surrender periods must be considered — they can significantly amplify growth when structured properly. For investors rolling over IRA or 401(k) assets, this enhanced base can improve accumulation outcomes over the surrender period. Momentum Growth Plus is particularly attractive for individuals who want the bonus leverage, flexible crediting controls through VersaGain™, and downside protection under one contract. If you are exploring repositioning qualified funds, our resource on savings rollovers to annuities explains the mechanics, tax deferral considerations, and timing strategies involved.
Beyond the bonus structure, Momentum Growth Plus distinguishes itself with diversified index crediting strategies. Policyholders can allocate among benchmarks such as the S&P 500, Barclays Aries Index, Nasdaq-100 VC 12%, and the Dynamic Intraday TCA Index. These options allow investors to diversify across volatility-controlled and performance-based indices, each designed to manage risk differently. The contract maintains a 0% floor — meaning negative index performance will not reduce previously credited gains. For readers who want a detailed explanation of how participation rates, caps, and volatility controls function, our guide on how fixed indexed annuities work breaks down the mechanics in depth.
VersaGain™: How the Gain Protection Election Works in Practice
One of the most innovative aspects of Momentum Growth Plus is the VersaGain™ feature. VersaGain gives policyholders the ability to determine what percentage of each year’s index credits to lock in — choosing 0%, 50%, or 100% at the start of each contract year. This is fundamentally different from a traditional FIA, which automatically locks in 100% of credited gains at each annual reset. The VersaGain model gives the owner an active choice annually.
Here is how the three elections work in practice. Electing 100% protection: the full credited interest is locked in at the annual reset, exactly as in a traditional FIA. The gains are secured and cannot be reduced by subsequent market movements. Electing 50%: half the credited interest is locked in and secured; the remaining half is reallocated by the carrier to potentially increase the cap rate or participation rate on that index account for the subsequent year. The reallocated 50% is not permanently lost — it is exchanged for a higher crediting parameter that may generate more interest in the next year. Electing 0%: no credits from the prior year are locked in; the full credited amount is reallocated for maximum possible crediting rates in the next year. This is the highest-risk, highest-potential approach within the 0% floor structure — gains not yet locked in are more susceptible to market reversals before the anniversary date. The Index Lock feature provides a partial remedy: at any time during the year, the owner can lock in the current Available Gain for any specific index account, securing it regardless of what the market does between that date and the anniversary. Our resource on bonus annuity pros and cons covers the trade-off analysis for this type of product structure.
Delaware Life and Group 1001: A Rapidly Ascending Carrier
Delaware Life’s financial strength trajectory is among the most notable in this review series. The company received its initial AM Best A- (Excellent) rating in October 2024 — a meaningful upgrade from its prior sub-A standing — followed by S&P’s upgrade from BBB+ to A- in December 2024, Fitch’s A- assignment in July 2024, and AM Best’s revision to Positive Outlook in October 2025. All three major rating agencies now place Delaware Life at A- with improving momentum. For a company founded in 2013 (when it acquired the Sun Life Financial US annuity business), achieving three concurrent A- ratings within roughly a decade is a significant institutional achievement. The NAIC complaint index of 0.32 — well below the 1.00 national average — indicates that actual policyholder experience aligns with the financial strength story.
Group 1001 Insurance Holdings, Delaware Life’s parent, manages $72.9B in combined AUM and includes Gainbridge (direct-to-consumer platform), Clear Spring brands, and RVI Group. The Positive Outlook from AM Best reflects the parent’s demonstrated financial support for its operating units and the Group’s risk-adjusted capitalization trajectory. Delaware Life was also the first insurance carrier to offer an index with cryptocurrency exposure when it launched the BlackRock U.S. Equity Bitcoin Balanced Risk 12% Index in January 2026 — a noteworthy signal about the carrier’s appetite for product innovation, even though conservative retirees may not elect a Bitcoin-linked crediting strategy within Momentum Growth Plus. The Momentum Growth Plus family also includes the standard Momentum Growth FIA (same VersaGain feature, no premium bonus) and PrimeStart Bonus 10™ (14% bonus, different crediting approach).
Liquidity provisions are important in retirement planning. Momentum Growth Plus allows a 10% penalty-free withdrawal of premium in year one and 10% of account value annually thereafter, including required minimum distributions. If you are nearing RMD age or evaluating updated withdrawal timelines, our guide to RMD rules after SECURE 2.0 outlines how annuities interact with federal distribution requirements. Additionally, the contract includes nursing home confinement and hospice care waivers — but both have age restrictions at purchase (76 and 70 respectively) and are one-time provisions, not ongoing annual access. For a broader understanding of liquidity provisions across carriers, review our overview of annuity free withdrawal rules.
Income planning is a central objective for many investors, but Momentum Growth Plus has no income riders — it is a pure accumulation FIA. For guaranteed lifetime income from Delaware Life, the DualTrack Income™ FIA is the appropriate product — it features a GLWB with both performance-based and guaranteed growth pathways. If you want to understand how riders work across income FIAs before deciding, our resource on lifetime income riders provides additional clarity on the mechanics. When evaluating Momentum Growth Plus within a diversified retirement portfolio, it is best viewed as one accumulation component in a broader income strategy — some clients combine it with shorter-term MYGAs for laddering purposes, while others allocate separately toward income-specific solutions. Our broader annuities resource center outlines how different contract types complement each other in layered retirement planning.
Want to see how the bonus and VersaGain™ features impact your retirement income?
Request Your Personalized Momentum Growth Plus Quote
Lifetime Income Calculator
Use our calculator to see how much guaranteed income your annuity can provide.
Protect your principal. Capture growth. Create income that lasts.
Start Your Custom Annuity Analysis
Financial Protection Essentials
Compare insurance rates, retirement tools, and business protection strategies that help strengthen long-term financial planning.
Talk to an Advisor or Request Your Annuity Quote
Ready to explore this annuity in more detail—or compare it with other carriers to see if even higher rates are available? With guaranteed income, principal protection, and long-term growth potential on the line, making the right choice is essential. The experienced advisors at Diversified Insurance Brokers will guide you through the options and design a strategy tailored to your retirement goals.
Schedule here:
calendly.com/jason-dibcompanies/diversified-quotes
Licensed in all 50 states • Fiduciary, family-owned since 1980
The source says the bonus is 13% but the Delaware Life website shows 15% — which is correct?
Both figures have been accurate at different points, and neither is permanently “correct” — the premium bonus is a promotional element that Delaware Life adjusts over time. When the product launched in January 2025, the press release stated a 10% bonus. The diversifiedquotes.com page was written when the bonus was at 13%. Delaware Life’s own product page currently reflects 15%. This variability is not unique to Delaware Life — bonus percentages across the FIA market are frequently adjusted based on rate environment, capital capacity, and competitive positioning. The practical implication for buyers: the bonus percentage that applies to your contract is whatever Delaware Life has declared at the time your application is approved and your contract is issued. Request a current illustration that clearly shows the exact bonus percentage applicable to your premium amount and confirm it on the issued contract. Our resource on roll-up rates vs. payout rates and how benefit base bonuses interact with long-term income is a useful companion guide once you have the current illustration in hand.
If VersaGain lets me elect 0% protection, what happens to my prior year’s credited interest?
Electing 0% protection does not mean your prior year’s interest disappears — it means the credited interest from the prior year is reallocated by Delaware Life to potentially increase the cap rate or participation rate on your index accounts for the coming year. Think of it as trading locked-in gains for higher crediting rates. Under the 0% election, the gains from the prior year are used as “credit” to enhance the following year’s crediting parameters. If the index performs well in the subsequent year, you may earn more in that year than you would have under 100% protection. The risk: if the subsequent year produces low or zero index returns, you gained nothing from the reallocation and gave up the certainty of locking in the prior year’s gains. The 0% election is most appropriate for buyers who have a strong view that favorable index performance will continue and who prioritize maximizing long-term compounding over year-to-year stability. For most conservative retirees for whom this product is designed, the 50% or 100% election provides a more predictable accumulation experience. The Index Lock feature provides a middle path: you can lock in gains at any point during the year rather than waiting for the anniversary, protecting against a market reversal after a strong run-up even if you haven’t elected 100% protection at the annual reset.
The page mentioned income riders — but the product has no riders. How do I get lifetime income from this annuity?
Momentum Growth Plus has no optional riders of any kind — including income riders. It is a pure accumulation product. To convert accumulated value into lifetime income from this contract, your options are: (1) annuitization at any time — converting the contract to structured income payments; or (2) surrendering at maturity and repositioning into an income product. For buyers who want Delaware Life’s carrier quality alongside guaranteed lifetime income from the outset, the DualTrack Income™ FIA is the appropriate Delaware Life product — it features a GLWB with both performance-based and guaranteed growth pathways. The distinction between Momentum Growth Plus and DualTrack Income™ is: Momentum Growth Plus gives you the VersaGain customization and the premium bonus for pure accumulation; DualTrack Income™ gives you the income guarantee but does not have VersaGain. Choosing between them depends on whether income security or accumulation control is the primary objective. Buyers who want both on separate tranches can allocate to each product independently. Our resource on how income benefit bases work explains the structural mechanics for the income rider decision.
Delaware Life has only held an A- rating since 2024 — is that recent history a concern for a 10-year commitment?
The rating recency is worth acknowledging — Delaware Life received A- from AM Best in October 2024 and S&P’s A- in December 2024. Before that, it was sub-A by both agencies. For buyers making a 10-year commitment, the carrier’s financial position needs to remain sound through the mid-2030s, and the two-year history at A- is shorter than what long-tenured A+ carriers like Integrity Life or North American can point to. What provides context: the AM Best Positive Outlook (as of October 2025) is forward-looking — it signals AM Best expects the rating to improve further, not decline. The parent Group 1001’s $72.9B AUM and consistent capital contributions to its subsidiaries support the trajectory. The NAIC complaint index of 0.32 indicates operational quality. Delaware Life sold $7.1B in annuity premiums in 2024 — meaningful scale for a company that only received its A- ratings in mid-2024. The combination of improving financial strength, operational quality, strong parent, and positive rating trajectory makes Delaware Life a credible A- choice. Buyers who want the longest institutional track record should consider Integrity Life (A+, continuous since 1928) or North American (A+, same Sammons parent). Buyers comfortable with the A- trajectory and Group 1001 backing will find Delaware Life a competitive choice, particularly given the VersaGain feature and current bonus structure.
The nursing home waiver requires purchase before age 76 and the hospice waiver before age 70 — why do these age caps exist?
These age restrictions exist for actuarial reasons: the carrier’s risk exposure for these waivers rises sharply as buyers age, because the probability of a qualifying health event during the surrender period is substantially higher for a 78-year-old buyer than for a 65-year-old buyer. By capping eligibility at purchase ages of 76 and 70 respectively, Delaware Life limits its adverse selection risk — only buyers who are within a defined age range at application can activate these provisions. For buyers who are 75 at application and want the nursing home waiver, they qualify and can purchase; a buyer who is 77 at application cannot access that provision regardless of their health status. The hospice care waiver’s lower age cap (70) reflects the more severe nature of that qualifying event. These are one-time provisions (not unlimited ongoing access), which also limits the overall exposure. Buyers evaluating this product who are above these age thresholds should either select a carrier that includes nursing home and terminal illness waivers without age caps, or evaluate whether the Momentum Growth Plus’s other features are sufficient without the health waiver coverage. For buyers well below the age caps, the waivers provide meaningful contingency planning but the age restrictions at purchase are worth confirming at application time, particularly for joint ownership arrangements.
About the Author:
Jason Stolz, CLTC, CRPC, DIA, CAA and Chief Underwriter at Diversified Insurance Brokers (NPN 20471358), is a senior insurance and retirement professional with more than 25 years of real-world experience helping individuals, families, and business owners protect their income, assets, and long-term financial stability. As a long-time partner of the nationally licensed independent agency Diversified Insurance Brokers, Jason provides trusted guidance across multiple specialties—including fixed and indexed annuities, long-term care planning, personal and business disability insurance, life insurance solutions, Group Health, Travel Medical and Evacuation Insurance, and short-term health coverage. Diversified Insurance Brokers maintains active contracts with over 100 highly rated insurance carriers, ensuring clients have access to a broad and competitive marketplace.
His practical, education-first approach has earned recognition in publications such as VoyageATL, and contributions from his agency featured in Kiplinger and GoBankingRates— highlighting his commitment to financial clarity and client-focused planning. Drawing on deep product knowledge and years of hands-on field experience, Jason helps clients evaluate carriers, compare strategies, and build retirement and protection plans that are both secure and cost-efficient. Visitors who want to explore current annuity rates and compare options across multiple insurers can also use this annuity quote and comparison tool.
Browse More Resources: Return to our complete Fixed Indexed Annuity Products & Education guide — covering FIA products and education from top carriers.
Last Reviewed: June 24, 2026 |
Reviewed by: Jason Stolz, CLTC, CRPC, DIA, CAA
Chief Underwriter, Diversified Insurance Brokers, Inc. | NPN: 20471358 | Diversified Insurance Brokers, Inc. — Licensed in all 50 states
Fact Checked by: Tonia Pettitt, CMIP©
Medicare Specialist, Diversified Insurance Brokers, Inc. | NPN: 14374308 | Diversified Insurance Brokers, Inc. — Licensed in all 50 states
Did you find this content helpful? Leave us a Google review — it helps others find trustworthy guidance too.
Editorial Standards: Diversified Insurance Brokers maintains rigorous editorial standards to ensure accuracy, clarity, and independence in all content. Learn more about our editorial standards and commitment to transparency.
