Columbia Funds Variable Insurance Trust

04/27/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/27/2026 08:13

Summary Prospectus by Investment Company (Form 497K)

 
Columbia Variable Portfolio - Small Cap Value Discovery Fund
(formerly known as Columbia Variable Portfolio - Small Cap Value Fund)
Summary Prospectus
May 1, 2026
  The Fund may offer Class 1 and Class 2 shares to separate accounts funding variable annuity contracts and variable life insurance policies (Contracts) issued by affiliated and unaffiliated life insurance companies as well as qualified pension and retirement plans (Qualified Plans) and other qualified institutional investors authorized by Columbia Management Investment Distributors, Inc. (the Distributor). There are no exchange ticker symbols associated with shares of the Fund.
Before you invest, you may want to review the Fund's prospectus, which contains more information about the Fund and its risks. You can find the Fund's prospectus, reports to shareholders, statement of additional information and other information about the Fund online at https://www.columbiathreadneedleus.com/resources/literature. You can also get this information at no cost by calling 800.345.6611, by sending an email to [email protected], or by contacting the participating insurance company or other financial intermediary through whom you hold your Fund shares. This Summary Prospectus incorporates by reference the Fund's prospectus, dated May 1, 2026, and current Statement of Additional Information.
As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
 
Investment Objective
Columbia Variable Portfolio - Small Cap Value Discovery Fund (the Fund) seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay as an investor in the Fund. The table does not reflect any fees or expenses imposed by your Contract or Qualified Plan, which are disclosed in your separate Contract prospectus or Qualified Plan disclosure documents. If the additional fees or expenses were reflected, the expenses set forth below would be higher. 
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Class 1
Class 2
Management fees
0.87
%
0.87
%
Distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees
0.00
%
0.25
%
Other expenses(a)
0.13
%
0.13
%
Total annual Fund operating expenses(b)
1.00
%
1.25
%
Less: Fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements(c)
(0.09
%)
(0.09
%)
Total annual Fund operating expenses after fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements
0.91
%
1.16
%
(a)
Other expenses have been restated to reflect current fees paid by the Fund.
(b)
"Total annual Fund operating expenses" include acquired fund fees and expenses (expenses the Fund incurs indirectly through its investments in other investment companies) and may be higher than the ratio of expenses to average net assets shown in the Financial Highlights section of this prospectus because the ratio of expenses to average net assets does not include acquired fund fees and expenses.
(c)
Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC and certain of its affiliates have contractually agreed to waive fees and/or to reimburse expenses (excluding transaction costs and certain other investment related expenses, interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses, and infrequent and/or unusual expenses) through April 30, 2027, unless sooner terminated at the sole discretion of the Fund's Board of Trustees. Under this agreement, the Fund's net operating expenses, subject to applicable exclusions, will not exceed the annual rates of 0.91% for Class 1 and 1.16% for Class 2. Any differences in these annual rates relative to the annual rates noted in the last row of the above table (e.g., net expense ratios) are due to applicable exclusions under the agreement.
 Example
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over the time periods indicated, and assumes that:
■
you invest $10,000 in the applicable class of Fund shares for the periods indicated,
■
your investment has a 5% return each year, and
■
the Fund's total annual operating expenses remain the same as shown in the Annual Fund Operating Expenses table above.
The example does not reflect any fees and expenses that apply to your Contract or Qualified Plan. Inclusion of these charges would increase expenses for all periods shown.
Since the waivers and/or reimbursements shown in the Annual Fund Operating Expenses table above expire as indicated in the preceding table, they are only reflected in the 1 year example and the first year of the other examples. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on the assumptions listed above, your costs would be: 
1 year
3 years
5 years
10 years
Class 1 (whether or not shares are redeemed)
$93
$309
$544
$1,216
Class 2 (whether or not shares are redeemed)
$118
$388
$678
$1,503
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund may pay transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 79% of the average value of its portfolio.
1
Columbia Variable Portfolio - Small Cap Value Discovery Fund
Principal Investment Strategies
Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities of companies that have market capitalizations in the range of the companies in the Russell 2000® Value Index (the Capitalization Index), which ranged between $18.8 million and $19.4 billion as of March 31, 2026, that the Fund's investment manager believes are undervalued and have the potential for long-term growth. The market capitalization range and composition of companies in the Capitalization Index are subject to change. As such, the size of the companies in which the Fund invests may change. The Fund may continue to hold a security even if the company's market capitalization is no longer within the range of the Capitalization Index. Under normal circumstances, the Fund also invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities of "value" companies. The Fund considers "value" companies to be those companies that are either constituents of an index constructed by a third party to identify companies with various characteristics of value companies, or that have a higher book-to-price (B/P) ratio than the median ranked stock within the company's GICS sector, have a higher EBITDA/EV (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization-to-enterprise value) or have a lower price-to-earnings ratio than the median ranked stock within the company's GICS sector. The third-party broad-based index currently used to identify value companies is the Russell 3000® Value Index, although the Fund may change the referenced index without prior notice.
The Fund may invest up to 20% of its total assets in foreign securities. The Fund also may invest in real estate investment trusts. The Fund may at times emphasize one or more sectors in selecting its investments, including the financials sector.
Principal Risks
An investment in the Fund involves risks, including Market Risk, Small-Cap Stock Risk, Sector Risk, and Value Securities Risk, among others. Descriptions of these and other principal risks of investing in the Fund are provided below. There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective and you may lose money. The value of the Fund's holdings may decline, and the Fund's net asset value (NAV) and share price may go down. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The significance of any specific risk to an investment in the Fund will vary over time depending on the composition of the Fund's portfolio, market conditions, and other factors. You should read all of the risk information below carefully, because any one or more of these risks may result in losses to the Fund.
Active Management Risk. Due to its active management, the Fund could underperform its benchmark index and/or other funds with similar investment objectives and/or strategies.
Equity Securities Risk. Equity securities may experience significant volatility. Such securities may fall sharply in response to adverse events affecting overall markets, a particular industry or sector, or an individual company's financial condition.
Foreign Securities Risk. Investments in or exposure to securities of foreign companies may involve heightened risks relative to investments in or exposure to securities of U.S. companies. Investing in securities of foreign companies subjects the Fund to the risks associated with an issuer's (and any of its related companies') country of organization and places of business operations, including risks related to political, regulatory, economic, social, diplomatic and other conditions or events (including, for example, military confrontations and actions, war, other conflicts, terrorism and disease/virus outbreaks and epidemics) occurring in the country or region, as well as risks associated with less developed custody and settlement practices. Foreign securities may be more volatile and less liquid than securities of U.S. companies and are subject to the risks associated with potential imposition of economic and other sanctions against a particular foreign country, its nationals or industries or businesses within the country. In addition, foreign governments may impose withholding or other taxes on the Fund's income, capital gains or proceeds from the disposition of foreign securities, which could reduce the Fund's return on such securities. The performance of the Fund may also be negatively affected by fluctuations in a foreign currency's strength or weakness relative to the U.S. dollar, particularly to the extent the Fund invests a significant percentage of its assets in foreign securities or other assets denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar.
Issuer Risk. An issuer in which the Fund invests or to which it has exposure may perform poorly or below expectations, and the value of its securities may therefore decline, which may negatively affect the Fund's performance. Underperformance of an issuer may be caused by poor management decisions, competitive pressures, breakthroughs in technology, reliance on suppliers, labor problems or shortages, corporate restructurings, fraudulent disclosures, natural disasters, military confrontations and actions, war, other conflicts, terrorism, disease/virus outbreaks, epidemics or other events, conditions and factors which may impair the value of your investment in the Fund.
Columbia Variable Portfolio - Small Cap Value Discovery Fund
2
■
Small-Cap Stock Risk. Investments in small-capitalization companies (small-cap companies) often involve greater risks than investments in larger, more established companies (larger companies) because small-cap companies tend to have less predictable earnings and may lack the management experience, financial resources, product diversification and competitive strengths of larger companies, and securities of small-cap companies may be less liquid and more volatile than the securities of larger companies.
Market Risk. The Fund may incur losses due to declines in the value of one or more securities in which it invests. These declines may be due to factors affecting a particular issuer, or the result of, among other things, political, regulatory, market, economic or social developments affecting the relevant market(s) more generally. In addition, turbulence in financial markets and reduced liquidity in equity, credit and/or fixed income markets may negatively affect many issuers, which could adversely affect the Fund's ability to price or value hard-to-value assets in thinly traded and closed markets and could cause significant redemptions and operational challenges. Global economies and financial markets are increasingly interconnected, and conditions and events in one country, region or financial market may adversely impact issuers in a different country, region or financial market. These risks may be magnified if certain events or developments adversely interrupt the global supply chain; in these and other circumstances, such risks might affect companies worldwide. As a result, local, regional or global events such as terrorism, war, other conflicts, natural disasters, disease/virus outbreaks and epidemics or other public health issues, recessions, depressions or other events - or the potential for such events - could have a significant negative impact on global economic and market conditions.
Real Estate-Related Investment Risk. Investments in real estate investment trusts (REITs) and in securities of other companies (wherever organized) principally engaged in the real estate industry subject the Fund to, among other things, risks similar to those of direct investments in real estate and the real estate industry in general. These include risks related to general and local economic conditions, possible lack of availability of financing and changes in interest rates or property values. The value of interests in a REIT may be affected by, among other factors, changes in the value of the underlying properties owned by the REIT, changes in the prospect for earnings and/or cash flow growth of the REIT itself, defaults by borrowers or tenants, market saturation, decreases in market rates for rents, and other economic, political, or regulatory matters affecting the real estate industry, including REITs. REITs may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than the overall securities markets. In a rising interest rate environment, the stock prices of real estate-related investments may decline and the borrowing costs of these companies may increase. REITs are also subject to the risk of failing to qualify for favorable tax treatment under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. The failure of a REIT to continue to qualify as a REIT for tax purposes can materially and adversely affect its value. Some REITs (especially mortgage REITs) are affected by risks similar to those associated with investments in debt securities including changes in interest rates and the quality of credit extended.
Sector Risk. At times, the Fund may have a significant portion of its assets invested in securities of companies conducting business in a related group of industries within one or more economic sectors, including the financials sector. Companies in the same sector may be similarly affected by economic, regulatory, political or market events or conditions, which may make the Fund vulnerable to unfavorable developments in that group of industries or economic sector.
■
Financials Sector. The Fund is vulnerable to the particular risks that may affect companies in the financials sector. Companies in the financials sector are subject to certain risks, including the risk of regulatory change, decreased liquidity in credit markets and unstable interest rates. Such companies may have concentrated portfolios, such as a high level of loans to one or more industries or sectors, which makes them vulnerable to economic conditions that affect such industries or sectors. Performance of such companies may be affected by competitive pressures and exposure to investments, agreements and counterparties, including credit products that, under certain circumstances, may lead to losses (e.g., subprime loans). Companies in the financials sector are subject to extensive governmental regulation that may limit the amount and types of loans and other financial commitments they can make, and the interest rates and fees they may charge. In addition, profitability of such companies is largely dependent upon the availability and the cost of capital.
Value Securities Risk. Value securities are securities of companies that may have experienced, for example, adverse business, industry or other developments or may be subject to special risks that have caused the securities to be out of favor and, in turn, potentially undervalued. The market value of a portfolio security may not meet the perceived value assessment of that security as determined by the portfolio managers, or may decline in price, even though the securities are already believed to be undervalued by the portfolio managers. There is also a risk that it may take longer than expected for the value of these investments to rise to the perceived value as determined by the portfolio managers. In addition, value securities, at times, may not perform as well as growth securities or the stock market in general, and may be out of favor with investors for varying periods of time.
3
Columbia Variable Portfolio - Small Cap Value Discovery Fund
Performance Information
The following bar chart and table show you how the Fund has performed in the past, and can help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the Fund's Class 2 share performance has varied for each full calendar year shown. The table below the bar chart compares the Fund's returns for the periods shown with a broad measure of market performance, as well as another measure of performance for markets in which the Fund may invest.
Except for differences in annual returns resulting from differences in expenses (where applicable), the share classes of the Fund would have substantially similar annual returns because all share classes of the Fund invest in the same portfolio of securities.
The returns shown do not reflect any fees and expenses imposed under your Contract or Qualified Plan and would be lower if they did.
The Fund's past performance is no guarantee of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information can be obtained by calling toll-free 800.345.6611 or visiting columbiathreadneedleus.com. 
Year by Year Total Return (%)
as of December 31 Each Year
Best and Worst Quarterly Returns
During the Period Shown in the Bar Chart
 
Best
4th Quarter 2020
33.72%
Worst
1st Quarter 2020
-35.76%
 Average Annual Total Returns (for periods ended December 31, 2025)
 
Share Class
Inception Date
1 Year
5 Years
10 Years
Class 1
05/19/1998
14.99%
12.48%
11.48%
Class 2
06/01/2000
14.66%
12.19%
11.20%
Russell 2000® Value Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)
12.59%
8.88%
9.27%
Russell 3000® Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)
17.15%
13.15%
14.29%
 
Fund Management
Investment Manager: Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC 
Portfolio Management
Title
Role with Fund
Managed Fund Since
Jeremy Javidi, CFA
Senior Portfolio Manager
Lead Portfolio Manager
2005
C. Bryan Lassiter, CFA
Portfolio Manager
Portfolio Manager
2023
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund is available for purchase through Contracts offered by the separate accounts of participating insurance companies or Qualified Plans or by other eligible investors authorized by Columbia Management Investment Distributors, Inc. (the Distributor). Shares of the Fund may not be purchased or sold by individual owners of Contracts or Qualified Plans. If you are a Contract holder or Qualified Plan participant, please refer to your separate Contract prospectus or Qualified Plan disclosure documents for information about minimum investment requirements and how to purchase and redeem shares of the Fund on days the Fund is open for business.
Columbia Variable Portfolio - Small Cap Value Discovery Fund
4
Tax Information
The Fund normally distributes its net investment income and net realized capital gains, if any, to its shareholders, which are generally the participating insurance companies and Qualified Plans investing in the Fund through separate accounts. These distributions may not be taxable to you as the holder of a Contract or a participant in a Qualified Plan. Please consult the prospectus or other information provided to you by your participating insurance company and/or Qualified Plan regarding the U.S. federal income taxation of your contract, policy and/or plan.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you make allocations to the Fund, the Fund, its Distributor or other related companies may pay participating insurance companies or other financial intermediaries for the allocation (sale) of Fund shares and related services in connection with such allocations to the Fund. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the participating insurance company, other financial intermediary or your salesperson to recommend an allocation to the Fund over another fund or other investment option. Ask your financial advisor or salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
5
Columbia Variable Portfolio - Small Cap Value Discovery Fund
 
 
Columbia Threadneedle Investments (Columbia Threadneedle) is the global brand name of the Columbia and Threadneedle group of
companies. The Fund is distributed by Columbia Management Investment Distributors, Inc., 290 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02210.
© 2026 Columbia Threadneedle. All rights reserved. columbiathreadneedleus.comSUM7024_12_E01_(05/26)
Columbia Funds Variable Insurance Trust published this content on April 27, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via EDGAR on April 27, 2026 at 14:14 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]