Life Settlements, More than a Cash Surrender Payout

With a life insurance settlement, seniors now have the ability to receive a payout larger than their cash surrender value. Life insurance companies have always had the advantage by offering a low cash surrender payout for unwanted or unneeded life insurance policies. Now however, senior consumers are using a life settlement to receive a large lump payout for their insurance policy.

A life insurance settlement, (also referred to as a senior life settlement or life settlement) is a financial transaction in which a senior citizen possessing an unneeded or unwanted life insurance policy sells the policy to a third party, as opposed to surrendering or lapsing it back to the life insurance company. The seller receives immediate cash for the policy from the purchaser. The purchaser becomes the new beneficiary of the policy at maturation and is responsible for all premium payments from the time of the purchase until the seller passes away.

For senior citizens to receive an estimate on the amount available to them, they simply need to sign a release and provide information about the policy, there is no need for a physical or medical visit. “The life settlement process is a very simply process,” says Grant Shellhammer of Life Settlement Pro, “Once
the necessary documents are received we can provide an estimate of the settlement amount, there is never any obligation or cost to the client.” With life insurance policies being surrendered and lapsed on a daily basis, it is important for consumers to understand how beneficial a life settlement can be.

There is no standard amount available through a life settlement and every individual case is different. The industry has seen anywhere from 2-10 times the case surrender value available through a life settlement. Many seniors are not aware that there is potentially a lot more value in their policies.

The education and availability of life settlements could also be blamed on the agents and financial professionals. They have a duty to provide their clients with the best options and recommendations. By letting a policy lapse or surrender without seeing if a life settlement is available is not servicing your clients correctly. “We gladly work with agents and financial professionals across the nation to help them assist their client with life settlements,” stated Grant Shellhammer.

No longer should you just settle for a cash surrender payout; find out if a life insurance settlement can pay you more.

Grant Shellhammer is located in sunny Orlando, FL. He is a licensed insurance agent and affliate Life Settlement Broker with Life Settlement Pro. He works with senior citizens and financial professionals nationwide to receive the highest available offers for their life insurance policies.

Contact details:
grant@lifesettlementpro.com
1.888.973.8377
http://www.lifesettlementpro.com

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Your Life Insurance Could Be Worth More Than You Think

Many seniors own life insurance policies that they no longer need or want, or that they can no longer afford. Often, they allow their policies to lapse or cash them into the insurance company for the surrender value. What many seniors don’t realize is that their unwanted life insurance may be worth much more if sold to an investor in a life settlement. A Life Settlement is the sale of a life insurance policy by the policyowner, before the policy matures. Such a sale, at a price discounted from the face amount of the policy, but in excess of the cash surrender value, provides the seller an immediate cash settlement.

Life Settlement History

Life Settlement industry evolved out of Viatical Settlements.

In the mid-80’s AIDS became an epidemic, A number of AIDS patients were told that they only had a limited time to live. Many of these patients owned life insurance policies. They knew that when they died, their family would receive the death benefit but they needed money today to pay medical bills or enjoy the rest of their lives. In stepped Viatical Settlement companies. These companies purchased policies on terminal patients and sold them as retail investments to individual investors. The AIDS patients got money they needed today and the investors got the promise that when the patient died they would get the death benefit.

The Life Settlement Market

In the 90’s the Life Settlement market was born as companies and investors turned towards buying unwanted life insurance policies from seniors. According to Sanford Bernstein, the industry grew from $0 in the mid 1990’s to approximately $13 billion in 2005. Bernstein estimates the life settlement market will reach $160 billion over the next several years. The penetration rate is expected to exceed 20% as awareness and the size of the market is increased over the next 20 years.

Life Settlement Case Studies

Below are some real life case studies that illustrate ways that others have used life settlements to increase their net worth:

Case 1:
Settlement Frees up $966,000 in Cash for Annuity purchase

This case involved an 82 year old female who owned several policies totaling $4.6 million. She no longer wanted to pay premiums for the insurance and was going to accept the cash surrender value of $236,548. Her intent was to use the policies’ cash value to help fund the cost of an assisted living facility.

Her advisor recommended a life settlement for each policy, and she agreed. Ultimately she received a settlement of $966,000 - more than 400% greater than the cash surrender value - and used those funds to purchase an annuity. The annuity payments now help cover the costs of the assisted living facility.

Case 2:
Settlement Proceeds Stabilizes Trust

This case involved an 81 year old female, owner of a $5 million life insurance policy with a surrender value of $196,866. Since the insured had lost interest in maintaining the policy and no longer wished to make gifts to the trust for premium payments, the cash surrender value was rapidly depleting as premiums were being deducted from the cash value. Working with her financial advisor they conducted a review to determine whether the policy should be surrendered or whether a Life Settlement would be more advantageous. The advisor provided an offer of $556,000 - over three times the cash surrender value.

Case 3:
Settlement Allows Policyowner To Purchase Paid-Up Policy

A 78 year old male decided to allow his $1,250,000 policy to lapse. He had significant medical expenses and could no longer justify the $39,536 annual premium. After reviewing the available options with his advisor they decided to pursue a Life Settlement. He was able to secure an offer of $490,000. The policyowner and advisor decided to use some of the proceeds to purchase a paid-up $500,000 policy and the remainder helped to ease the burden of the policyowner’s medical costs.

Case 4:
Policyowner Makes $797,000

A 74 year old in good health purchased a $10mm Life Insurance Policy. He paid-$536k for two years of premiums. After the policy is two years old, he sold the policy for $1,333,333 in the secondary market representing a $797,000 profit on his investment.

If you are 70 and over, and have an insurance policy that you were going to get rid of anyway, you owe it to yourself to explore whether a life settlement might be a better option.

Matthew Tuttle, CFP

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The Life Settlement Process

Life Settlements, also commonly referred to, as Life Insurance Settlements are quickly becoming an exciting financial planning tool for seniors and the financial advisors who assist these seniors.

The initial process before determining if a settlement is available is meeting a few of the basic requirements. The types of insurance policies that can be considered for a life settlement are universal life, whole life, variable life, survivorship (any type), adjustable life, joint first to die, and term insurance (if convertible). It is also common practice for the insured to be over the age of 65.

The process begins with when the individual policyholder “cases” are submitted to a Life Settlement Broker or Company through a completed application and a HIPPA release form.

Policyholders will provide a current policy illustration, medical records, for the insured, as well as other documents that may be requested.

After a completed thorough evaluation of the policy, a potential life settlement value is determined for each individual case submitted. This evaluation includes a review of submitted medical records by an independent medical underwrite. A medical exam or physical is NOT required.

If the funding source is interested in purchasing the policy, an offer to purchase the policy is communicated to the policyholder’s broker or financial advisor (Not all policies will qualify for a life settlement).

If the offer is accepted, closing documents are prepared and sent to the policy owner through their life settlement professional.

It is the policyholders chose if the want to accept or decline the offer. There is never any cost or obligation during the initial life settlement process. The settlement offer is determined on a case-by-case basis and evaluation of the policy is required before an offer can be made.

Life Settlement Pro is a Life Settlement Broker and provides detailed information about life insurance settlements, life settlements, senior life settlements, licensed Life Settlement Company and more. LifeSettlementPro.com offers free Life Settlement Evaluations.

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