Form 497VPU BRIGHTHOUSE SEPARATE

April 22, 2026 8:45 AM EDT
 
Group Flexible Payment Variable Annuity Contracts
issued by
Brighthouse Life Insurance Company
and
BRIGHTHOUSE SEPARATE ACCOUNT A
 
Flexible Bonus, Retirement Companion, Smart Choice
 
Updating Summary Prospectus
April 27, 2026
 
The prospectus for Flexible Bonus, Retirement Companion, and Smart Choice (the “Contracts”), group flexible payment fixed and variable annuity contracts issued by Brighthouse Life Insurance Company (“BLIC”, the “Company”, or “we” or “us”), is available and contains more information about the Contracts including their features, benefits, and risks. You can find the current prospectus and other information about the Contracts online at https://dfinview.com/BHF/PUFT/BHF189 for Flexible Bonus, https://dfinview.com/BHF/PUFT/BHF190 for Retirement Companion, and https://dfinview.com/BHF/PUFT/BHF191 for Smart Choice. You can also obtain this information at no cost by calling (800) 343-8496 or by sending an email request to [email protected].
The Contract is a complex investment and involves risks, including potential loss of principal. The Contract is not a short-term investment and is not appropriate for an investor who needs ready access to cash. Withdrawals (partial or full) could result in surrender charges, taxes, and tax penalties.
The Company’s obligations under the Contract are subject to our financial strength and claims-paying ability. Additional general information about certain investment products, including variable annuities, has been prepared by the Securities and Exchange Commission’s staff and is available at Investor.gov.
The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or determined if this prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
1
Special Terms
Certificate Date – The date you are issued a Certificate. If you are not issued a Certificate, this is the date when your account in connection with the Contract is established.
Certificate – The form you are given which describes your rights under the Contract. No Certificates are issued for certain deferred compensation or qualified corporate retirement plans. Unless the context provides otherwise, references to the Contract also refer to Certificates.
Fund (or Portfolio Company) – An open-end management investment company, or series thereof, registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, which serves as the underlying investment medium for a Series in the Separate Account.
General Account – A fixed account investment option that offers an interest rate guaranteed by us. The General Account holds all assets of BLIC other than those in the Separate Account or any of its other segregated asset accounts.
Participant – You, the person who makes Purchase Payments, or the person for whom Purchase Payments are made.
Participant’s Account (or Account) – The sum of your interest in each Series of the Separate Account and your interest in the General Account.
Plan – The 403(b) plan, deferred compensation plan, qualified retirement plan, or individual retirement annuity to which the Contract is issued.
Purchase Payment – The amounts paid by or for you in order to provide benefits under the Contract.
Separate Account – The segregated asset account entitled “Brighthouse Separate Account A.”
Series – Series are subdivisions of the Separate Account. Each Series has a single underlying Fund.
Updated Information You Should Consider About the Contract
The information in this Updating Summary Prospectus is a summary of certain Contract features that have changed since the Updating Summary Prospectus dated April 28, 2025. This may not reflect all of the changes that have occurred since you entered into your Contract.
On November 6, 2025, Brighthouse Financial, Inc. (“BHF”) and Aquarian Capital LLC (“Aquarian”) announced that they had entered into a definitive agreement under which an affiliate of Aquarian will acquire BHF. This transaction is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of customary closing conditions, including receipt of applicable regulatory approvals. Subject to such approvals and the satisfaction or waiver of the other conditions, the transaction is expected to be consummated in 2026.
Upon the consummation of the transaction, Aquarian will become the ultimate parent of BHF and BLIC will remain an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of BHF. Although Aquarian will replace BHF as BLIC’s ultimate parent, BLIC will continue in its present role as the issuer of your contract. All of your rights and benefits under your contract and BLIC’s obligations under the contract will remain unchanged.
Founded in 2017, Aquarian Capital is a diversified global holding company with a strategic portfolio of insurance and asset management solutions. Aquarian is headquartered in New York, NY.
Changes Affecting the Investment Portfolios
Portfolio Name Changes. Certain Investment Portfolios were subject to a name change. The chart below identifies the former name and new name of the Investment Portfolios. 
Former Name
New Name
American Funds Insurance Series®
American Funds Insurance Series®
3
Former Name
New Name
American Funds Global Small Capitalization Fund
American Funds SMALLCAP World Fund®*
*The effective date of this name change is May 1, 2026.
4
Important Information You Should Consider About the Contract 
 
Fees, Expenses, and Adjustments
Location in
Prospectus
Are There
Charges for Early
Withdrawals?
Yes. If you withdraw money during the first 5 years following a Purchase
Payment, you may be assessed a surrender charge of 7% of the Purchase
Payment withdrawn. However, surrender charges will not be deducted once
9 years have elapsed since your Certificate Date.
For example, if you make an early withdrawal, you could pay a surrender
charge of up to $7,000 on a $100,000 investment. This loss will be greater if
there are taxes or tax penalties.
Fee Table and
Examples
 
Contract
Charges –
Surrender
Charge
Are There
Transaction
Charges?
Yes. In addition to charges for early withdrawals, you may also be charged
for other transactions. There may be charges for transferring cash value from
any Series, taking a full or partial surrender, annuitizing all or part of a
Participant’s Account, or initiating a loan. There may also be taxes on
Purchase Payments.
Transaction Charge for Transfers. Currently, we do not charge for transfers.
However, we reserve the right to charge for transfers from any Series.
Fee Table and
Examples
 
Contract
Charges
5
 
Fees, Expenses, and Adjustments
Location in
Prospectus
Are There
Ongoing Fees and
Expenses?
The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay each year,
depending on the investment options and optional benefits you choose.
Please refer to your Contract specifications page for information about the
specific fees you will pay each year based on the options you have elected.
Fee Table and
Examples
 
Contract
Charges
 
Appendix A:
Investment
Options
Available
Under the
Contract
Annual Fee
Minimum
Maximum
Base Contract1
Flexible Bonus –
1.38%
Smart Choice –
2.95%
Retirement
Companion –
1.28%
Flexible Bonus –
1.38%
Smart Choice –
2.95%
Retirement
Companion –
1.28%
Portfolio Company fees and
expenses2
Flexible Bonus –
0.09%
Smart Choice –
0.09%
Retirement
Companion –
0.09%
Flexible Bonus –
0.97%
Smart Choice –
0.97%
Retirement
Companion –
0.97%
Optional benefits available for
an additional charge (for a
single optional benefit, if
elected)
None
None
1 As a percentage of average Participant’s Account value in the Separate Account. The charge
shown also includes the Administrative Charge.
2 As a percentage of Fund assets before temporary expense reimbursements and/or fee waivers.
 
Because your Contract is customizable, the choices you make affect how
much you will pay. To help you understand the cost of owning your
Contract, the following table shows the lowest and highest cost you could
pay each year, based on current charges. This estimate assumes that you do
not take withdrawals from the Contract, which could add surrender
charges that substantially increase costs.
Flexible Bonus
Lowest Annual Cost
$1,354
Highest Annual Cost
$2,103
Smart Choice
Lowest Annual Cost
$1,354
Highest Annual Cost
$2,103
Retirement Companion
Lowest Annual Cost
$1,266
Highest Annual Cost
$2,021
Assumes:
Assumes:
●Investment of $100,000
●5% annual appreciation
●Least expensive Portfolio Company fees
and expenses
●No surrender charges
●No additional Purchase Payments,
transfers, loans, or withdrawals
●Investment of $100,000
●5% annual appreciation
●Most expensive Portfolio
Company fees and expenses
●No surrender charges
●No additional Purchase
Payments, transfers, loans, or
withdrawals
6
 
Risks
Location in
Prospectus
Is There a Risk of
Loss from Poor
Performance?
Yes. You can lose money by investing in this Contract including loss of
principal.
Principal Risks
of Investing in
theContract
Is This a Short-
Term Investment?
No. This Contract is not a short-term investment and is not appropriate for
an investor who needs ready access to cash.
●Amounts withdrawn from the Contract may result in surrender charges,
taxes, and tax penalties. Surrender charges may apply for the first 5 years
following a Purchase Payment. Surrender charges will reduce the value of
your Contract if you withdraw money during that time period.
Withdrawals could significantly reduce the value of your Contract, the
death benefit, the amount available for loans, and other Contract benefits.
The reduction may be more than the amount withdrawn.
●The benefits of tax deferral also mean the Contract is more beneficial to
investors with a long time horizon.
Principal Risks
of Investing in
theContract
What Are the
Risks Associated
with the
Investment
Options?
●An investment in this Contract is subject to the risk of poor investment
performance and can vary depending on the performance of the investment
options available under the Contract (e.g., the Funds).
●Each investment option, including the General Account, has its own unique
risks.
●You should review the prospectuses for the available Funds and the
Prospectus disclosure concerning the General Account before making an
investment decision.
Principal Risks
of Investing in
theContract
What Are the
Risks Related to
the Insurance
Company?
An investment in the Contract is subject to the risks related to us. Any
obligations (including under the General Account) and guarantees and
benefits of the Contract that exceed the assets of the Separate Account are
subject to our claims-paying ability. If we experience financial distress, we
may not be able to meet our obligations to you. More information about
BLIC, including our financial strength ratings, is available by contacting us at
(888) 243-1968.
Principal Risks
of Investing in
theContract
 
Restrictions
 
Are There
Restrictions on the
Investment
Options?
Yes.
●Currently, we allow unlimited transfers without charge among investment
options during the accumulation phase. However, we reserve the right to
limit transfers or impose a charge for transfers from any Series.
●We reserve the right to limit transfers from the General Account in any one
year to 20% of your interest in the General Account.
●We reserve the right to limit transfers in circumstances of frequent or large
transfers.
●We reserve the right to remove or substitute the Funds available as
investment options under the Contract.
●Your Plan may limit your available Funds.
Description of
the Contracts
Are There Any
Restrictions on
Contract Benefits?
Yes.
●Withdrawals will reduce the value of the death benefit, perhaps
significantly.
●Except as otherwise provided, Contract benefits may not be modified or
terminated by us.
Death Benefits
7
 
Taxes
Location in
Prospectus
What Are the
Contract’s Tax
Implications?
●Consult with a tax professional to determine the tax implications of an
investment in and payments received under this Contract.
●If you purchase the Contract through a tax-qualified plan or individual
retirement account, you do not get any additional tax benefit.
●You will generally not be taxed on increases in the value of the Contract
until they are withdrawn. Withdrawals will be subject to ordinary income
tax, and may be subject to tax penalties if you take a withdrawal before
age 59 1∕2.
Federal Tax
Considerations
 
Conflicts of Interest
 
How Are
Investment
Professionals
Compensated?
Your investment professional may receive compensation for selling this
Contract to you, in the form of commissions, additional cash benefits (e.g.,
bonuses), and non-cash compensation. This conflict of interest may influence
your investment professional to recommend this Contract over another
investment for which the investment professional is not compensated or
compensated less.
Principal
Underwriter
Should I
Exchange My
Contract?
If you already own an insurance contract, some investment professionals may
have a financial incentive to offer you a new contract in place of the one you
own. You should only exchange a contract you already own if you
determine, after comparing the features, fees, and risks of both contracts, and
any fees or penalties to terminate the existing contract, that it is better for
you to purchase the new contract rather than continue to own your existing
contract.
Principal
Underwriter
8
 
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APPENDIX A
Investment Options Available Under the Contract
The following is a list of Funds under the Contract. More information about the Funds is available in the prospectuses for the Funds, which may be amended from time to time and can be found online at https://dfinview.com/BHF/PUFT/BHF189 for Flexible Bonus, https://dfinview.com/BHF/PUFT/BHF190 for Retirement Companion, and https://dfinview.com/BHF/PUFT/BHF191 for Smart Choice. You can also request this information at no cost by calling (800) 343-8496 or sending an email request to [email protected]. Availability of Funds may vary by employer/organization or Plan administrator. You should reference Your Plan documents or speak with Your employer/organization or Plan administrator for the Funds available to You.
The current expenses and performance information below reflects fees and expenses of the Funds, but do not reflect the other fees and expenses that your Contract may charge. Expenses would be higher and performance would be lower if these other charges were included. Each Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of future performance.
 
Investment Objectives
Portfolio Company and
Adviser/Sub-Adviser
Current
Expenses
Average Annual
Total Returns
(as of 12/31/2025)
1
Year
5
Year
10
Year
Seeks growth of capital.
American Funds Growth
Fund — Class 2
Capital Research and Management
CompanySM
0.58%
20.24%
13.37%
17.97%
Seeks long-term growth of capital
and income.
American Funds Growth-Income
Fund — Class 2
Capital Research and Management
CompanySM
0.53%
18.06%
13.90%
13.92%
Seeks long-term growth of capital.
American Funds SMALLCAP World
Fund® — Class 21#
Capital Research and Management
CompanySM
0.90%
14.64%
0.49%
7.23%
Seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Brighthouse Small Cap Value
Portfolio — Class A#
Brighthouse Investment Advisers,
LLC
Subadviser: Allspring Global
Investments, LLC
0.78%
-2.92%
6.70%
8.34%
Seeks long-term growth of capital.
Invesco Small Cap Growth
Portfolio — Class A#
Brighthouse Investment Advisers,
LLC
Subadviser: Invesco Advisers, Inc.
0.74%
6.17%
-0.66%
9.27%
Seeks capital appreciation.
MFS® Research International
Portfolio — Class A#
Brighthouse Investment Advisers,
LLC
Subadviser: Massachusetts Financial
Services Company
0.56%
22.72%
5.80%
7.83%
Seeks capital appreciation.
Morgan Stanley Discovery
Portfolio — Class A#
Brighthouse Investment Advisers,
LLC
Subadviser: Morgan Stanley
Investment Management Inc.
0.65%
13.55%
-5.58%
14.29%
A-1
Investment Objectives
Portfolio Company and
Adviser/Sub-Adviser
Current
Expenses
Average Annual
Total Returns
(as of 12/31/2025)
1
Year
5
Year
10
Year
Seeks maximum total return,
consistent with the preservation of
capital and prudent investment
management.
PIMCO Total Return
Portfolio — Class A#
Brighthouse Investment Advisers,
LLC
Subadviser: Pacific Investment
Management Company LLC
0.58%
9.21%
0.19%
2.55%
Seeks long-term capital appreciation
by investing in common stocks
believed to be undervalued. Income
is a secondary objective.
T. Rowe Price Large Cap Value
Portfolio — Class A#
Brighthouse Investment Advisers,
LLC
Subadviser: T. Rowe Price
Associates, Inc.
0.53%
12.32%
10.55%
10.36%
Seeks a competitive total return
primarily from investing in fixed-
income securities.
BlackRock Bond Income
Portfolio — Class A#
Brighthouse Investment Advisers,
LLC
Subadviser: BlackRock Advisors,
LLC
0.38%
7.95%
-0.17%
2.38%
Seeks long-term growth of capital.
BlackRock Capital Appreciation
Portfolio — Class A#
Brighthouse Investment Advisers,
LLC
Subadviser: BlackRock Advisors,
LLC
0.56%
13.19%
11.07%
15.80%
Seeks long-term capital growth.
Brighthouse/Artisan Mid Cap Value
Portfolio — Class A#
Brighthouse Investment Advisers,
LLC
Subadviser: Artisan Partners Limited
Partnership
0.78%
1.82%
7.04%
8.32%
Seeks to provide a growing stream of
income over time and, secondarily,
long-term capital appreciation and
current income.
Brighthouse/Wellington Core Equity
Opportunities Portfolio — Class A#
Brighthouse Investment Advisers,
LLC
Subadviser: Wellington Management
Company LLP
0.62%
7.83%
8.29%
10.73%
Seeks to track the performance of
the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond
Index.
MetLife Aggregate Bond Index
Portfolio — Class A#
Brighthouse Investment Advisers,
LLC
Subadviser: MetLife Investment
Management, LLC
0.26%
7.04%
-0.64%
1.75%
Seeks to track the performance of
the Standard & Poor’s MidCap
400® Composite Stock Price Index.
MetLife Mid Cap Stock Index
Portfolio — Class A
Brighthouse Investment Advisers,
LLC
Subadviser: MetLife Investment
Management, LLC
0.30%
7.19%
8.81%
10.43%
Seeks to track the performance of
the MSCI EAFE® Index.
MetLife MSCI EAFE® Index
Portfolio — Class A
Brighthouse Investment Advisers,
LLC
Subadviser: MetLife Investment
Management, LLC
0.37%
31.02%
8.62%
8.04%
A-2
Investment Objectives
Portfolio Company and
Adviser/Sub-Adviser
Current
Expenses
Average Annual
Total Returns
(as of 12/31/2025)
1
Year
5
Year
10
Year
Seeks to track the performance of
the Russell 2000® Index.
MetLife Russell 2000® Index
Portfolio — Class A
Brighthouse Investment Advisers,
LLC
Subadviser: MetLife Investment
Management, LLC
0.30%
12.66%
5.99%
9.55%
Seeks to track the performance of
the Standard & Poor’s 500®
Composite Stock Price Index.
MetLife Stock Index
Portfolio — Class A#
Brighthouse Investment Advisers,
LLC
Subadviser: MetLife Investment
Management, LLC
0.27%
17.59%
14.13%
14.53%
Seeks a favorable total return
through investment in a diversified
portfolio.
MFS® Total Return
Portfolio — Class A#
Brighthouse Investment Advisers,
LLC
Subadviser: Massachusetts Financial
Services Company
0.62%
11.11%
6.42%
7.65%
Seeks capital appreciation.
MFS® Value Portfolio — Class A#
Brighthouse Investment Advisers,
LLC
Subadviser: Massachusetts Financial
Services Company
0.58%
13.29%
10.11%
10.27%
Seeks high total return, consisting
principally of capital appreciation.
Neuberger Berman Genesis
Portfolio — Class A#
Brighthouse Investment Advisers,
LLC
Subadviser: Neuberger Berman
Investment Advisers LLC
0.81%
-4.57%
2.86%
9.12%
Seeks long-term growth of capital.
T. Rowe Price Large Cap Growth
Portfolio — Class A#
Brighthouse Investment Advisers,
LLC
Subadviser: T. Rowe Price
Associates, Inc.
0.56%
15.70%
9.64%
14.39%
Seeks long-term capital growth.
T. Rowe Price Small Cap Growth
Portfolio — Class A
Brighthouse Investment Advisers,
LLC
Subadviser: T. Rowe Price
Associates, Inc.
0.51%
10.30%
5.75%
10.88%
Seeks to maximize total return
consistent with preservation of
capital.
Western Asset Management Strategic
Bond Opportunities
Portfolio — Class A#
Brighthouse Investment Advisers,
LLC
Subadviser: Western Asset
Management Company LLC
0.57%
9.07%
1.42%
4.03%
Seeks long-term growth of capital.
DWS CROCI® International
VIP — Class A#
DWS Investment Management
Americas, Inc.
0.79%
44.90%
10.86%
8.21%
A-3
Investment Objectives
Portfolio Company and
Adviser/Sub-Adviser
Current
Expenses
Average Annual
Total Returns
(as of 12/31/2025)
1
Year
5
Year
10
Year
Seeks to obtain high total return
with reduced risk over the long term
by allocating its assets among stocks,
bonds, and short-term instruments.
Asset Manager 50%
Portfolio — Initial Class#
Fidelity Management & Research
Company LLC
Subadviser: FMR UK, FMR HK, and
FMR Japan
0.51%
14.98%
5.67%
7.13%
Seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Contrafund® Portfolio — Initial
Class
Fidelity Management & Research
Company LLC
Subadviser: FMR UK, FMR HK, and
FMR Japan
0.54%
21.52%
15.37%
15.78%
Seeks as high a level of current
income as is consistent with
preservation of capital and liquidity.
Government Money Market
Portfolio — Initial Class
Fidelity Management & Research
Company LLC
Subadviser: FMR UK, FMR HK, and
FMR Japan
0.25%
4.13%
3.10%
2.03%
Seeks to achieve capital
appreciation.
Growth Portfolio — Initial Class
Fidelity Management & Research
Company LLC
Subadviser: FMR UK, FMR HK, and
FMR Japan
0.55%
14.92%
13.70%
17.45%
Seeks investment results that
correspond to the total return of
common stocks publicly traded in
the United States, as represented by
the S&P 500® Index.
Index 500 Portfolio — Initial
Class††
Fidelity Management & Research
Company LLC
Subadviser: Geode Capital
Management, LLC
0.09%
17.78%
14.31%
14.70%
Seeks long-term growth of capital.
Overseas Portfolio — Initial Class
Fidelity Management & Research
Company LLC
Subadviser: FMR UK, FMR HK,
FMR Japan, FIA, FIA(UK), and FIJ
0.72%
20.39%
6.62%
7.93%
Seeks long-term capital growth
through investments in stocks.
T. Rowe Price Growth Stock
Fund — Investor Class
T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc.
0.66%
15.65%
9.36%
14.16%
Seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Alger Small Cap Growth
Portfolio — Class I-2
Fred Alger Management, LLC
0.97%
5.91%
-4.93%
8.83%
#
Certain Funds and their investment advisers have entered into temporary expense reimbursements and/or fee waivers, which are reflected in the Current Expenses. Please see the Funds' prospectuses for additional information regarding these arrangements.
††
Closed to new investments except under dollar cost averaging and rebalancing programs in existence at the time of closing.
1
Until May 1, 2026, the name of this Fund is American Funds Global Small Capitalization Fund.
The following lists the fixed option currently available under the Contract. We may change the features of a fixed investment option listed below, offer new fixed investment options, and terminate existing fixed investment options. We will provide you with written notice before doing so. 
Name
Guaranteed Minimum Interest Rate
General Account
3%
A-4
  
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The prospectus and statement of additional information (“SAI”) include additional information. The prospectus and SAI are dated the same as this summary prospectus and are incorporated by reference. The prospectus and SAI are available, without charge, upon request. For a free copy, call us at (800) 343-8496, or send an email request to [email protected]. You can also access the prospectus, SAI and other information about the Contract online at https://dfinview.com/BHF/PUFT/BHF189 for Flexible Bonus, https://dfinview.com/BHF/PUFT/BHF190 for Retirement Companion, and https://dfinview.com/BHF/PUFT/BHF191 for Smart Choice.
Reports and other information about the Separate Account are available on the SEC’s website at https://www.sec.gov/ and copies of this information may be obtained, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following email address: [email protected].
EDGAR Contract Identifier No. is C000151828

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