Knighthead Life Staysail Select 3
Current Fixed Rates Bands
Rate Effective Date October 5, 2026
The Knighthead Life Staysail Select 3 is a single premium, fixed annuity with a three-year rate guarantee. After three years, owners can withdraw, transfer, or reinvest their entire account balance. If no action is taken, a one-year fixed rate is declared, and no surrender charges apply. The contract does not renew for a new term.
This is a compounding interest annuity. Qualified and non-qualified funds are accepted, as well as corporately owned accounts. Required Minimum Distributions are not subject to surrender penalties or MVA charges in any year. Free 10% withdrawals are allowed after 12 months.
Two rate bands are available. The highest rate is for deposits above $100K, while a lower rate applies to amounts between $25K and $99.9K. There are no surrender charges at death.
Knighthead Life also offers the Staysail 3 MYGA, a simple-interest option designed for systematic withdrawals.
More Annuity options from: Knighthead Life
Notable Features
At no cost, this policy includes Nursing Home – Hospital Care, Chronic Impairment, Terminal Illness, and Annuitization free withdrawal waivers. Please see the brochure for more details.
Additional Details
Product Type
MYGA (Multi-Year Guaranteed Annuity)
Term
3 Years
Free Withdrawals Yr1 / Yr2+
0% / 10%
Additional Withdrawal Information
This annuity offers penalty-free RMD withdrawals in Year 1 and annual withdrawals of up to 10% of the prior anniversary Contract Value beginning in Year 2.
Surrender Schedule
9%, 9%, 8%, 0%
Maximum Age
85
Minimum Investment
$100,000
Maximum Investment
$2,000,000
What We Like About This Annuity
This annuity compounds daily and is RMD-friendly for IRA accounts in all years. At maturity, the contract does not automatically renew. There are several hardship and annuitization features allowing for free withdrawals during the maturity window. The account has low minimums to start, and there are no surrender penalties or negative MVA charges at death.
Other Popular Products
Knighthead Life offers both simple and compounding interest Multi-Year Guaranteed Annuity (MYGA) accounts. They also specialize in fixed-indexed annuities (FIAs). Their newest annuity policies are the Chartline and Chartline Bonus accounts. These new indexed annuities are popular because of their guaranteed cap rates and competitive premium bonuses.
About Knighthead Life
Knighthead Life
AM Best Rating: A- Excellent (4th of 13 ratings)
https://www.knightheadlife.com/
About Knighthead Life Insurance Company
Underwritten by Merit Life Insurance Company, Knighthead Life is an A- rated carrier specializing in fixed annuity, indexed, and bonus annuity accounts. They are a sister company of Knighthead International, based in the Cayman Islands and operating globally. Their home office in the United States is based in Charlotte, NC.
They prioritize exceptional service with a core mission of delivering innovative retirement solutions. Their products are designed with simplicity and transparency in mind to provide stable and secure investments. Recently, they were added to Barron’s list of top 100 Best Annuities for 2026.