life annuity

A life annuity is an annuity, or series of payments at fixed intervals, paid while the purchaser (or annuitant) is alive. A life annuity is an insurance product typically sold or issued by life insurance companies. Life annuities may be sold in exchange for the immediate payment of a lump sum (single-payment annuity) or a series of regular payments (flexible payment annuity), prior to the onset of the annuity.