Under a straight life annuity, what happens if the annuitant dies before the principal amount is paid out?

In a straight life annuity, the contract is designed to provide payments to the annuitant for their entire lifetime. Once the annuitant passes away, the payments cease, and there is no residual value or further payments to be made, which is why the statement about nothing happening after the annuitant's death is accurate. This means that if the annuitant dies before receiving total payments equivalent to the initial investment or principal amount, the insurer does not owe any further benefits to the beneficiaries or estate.

This type of annuity is intended to provide a steady income stream during the annuitant's life, and the trade-off for this lifetime guarantee is that the payments do not continue to a beneficiary upon death. Therefore, it is important for individuals considering a straight life annuity to understand that if they pass away earlier than expected, their heirs will not receive any remaining principal or payments, as the contract does not include such provisions.