Anniec7777,
First and foremost, fixed annuities are simply "guaranteed" by the insurance companies that issue them, and may be subject to risk if the insurance company defaults. As an additional backstop, though, all states offer a State Insurance and Annuity Guaranty Fund that provides some level of protection for annuity owners, although the amounts of protection vary from state to state.

You should seek out information on the Insurance and Annuity Guaranty Fund for your state to find more information about the limits that apply in your state. Your state's Insurance Department may also have more information on this.

I hope that helps a little!