Fixed Indexed Annuities (FIA) can be explained as follows: the term "fixed" refers to the fact that, as long as you abide by the contract terms, you are guaranteed not to lose any of your principal.  The term "indexed" means that the gains are tied to a market index.  There are over 40 companies that provide these products, and I've built a spreadsheet that analyzes all of the crediting strategies and determines how they've performed historically.  Currently, there's 1 or 2 clear market leaders with average historical returns topping 6%.