A viatical settlement involves the selling of a life insurance policy to unrelated investors by a terminally ill person. These investors can be individuals, private funding companies, or brokers. The policy is purchased at a reduced rate based on the face value of the policy. The investor pays a lump sum amount of cash to the seller and on the person’ demise, the investor collects the death benefits. Grim as this may sound, if the transactions take place in a fair manner, the viatical settlements can provide relief to the terminally ill person in terms of easing the financial stress associated with paying for health care costs associated with a terminal disease.
are the investors who buy the life insurance policies. The New York State law mandates that these providers be licensed. If you are looking for a potential buyer of the life insurance policy, you should be sure to check the license of the company or the broker. It also makes more sense to sell the policy to the purchaser directly rather than through a broker, because the broker may or may not keep your best interests in mind when putting together the deal. Everyone has a tendency to act in their own best interest, and viatical brokers are no exception. The broker usually get a percentage of the death benefits from the purchaser of the viatical settlement. Thus, the better deal that the investor gets, the better commission the broker will likely receive.
The best way to find the top offer for your life insurance policy is the same way as finding the best price on a new car: shop around. If you disclose the fact to investors that you are shopping for the best offer, they will more than likely give your their top offer first, rather than try to get you to accept a lower-than-fair offer.
In addition, you must keep in mind that you ought to receive the full cash payment at the time of sale. Don’t ever agree to partial payments or payments on installments. Your viatical settlement payment should exceed the cash value of your whole life insurance policy. If not, the better option would be to surrender your policy for its cash value. This does not apply to term-life policies.
You must check with your insurer if the policy contains provisions for accelerated death benefits. Before selling out, you can also consider options such as reverse mortgages. Most of all, do not give in to pressure tactics. It is your responsibility to bargain for the best possible rates. Only then will you receive the highest viatical settlement.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Viatical Settlement Providers
Viatical Settlement Brokers
A new industry has formed in the past two decades: Viatical settlement involves the selling of a life insurance policy by a terminally ill person to unrelated investors who can be banks, private companies, or brokers. The seller gets a lump sum amount as cash payment while the investor gets the death benefits upon the person’s demise.
Grim as they may sound, viatical settlement can provide financial relief to the terminally ill people, provided they do not fall prey to unscrupulous elements who may take advantage of the vulnerability of the person.
A terminally ill person can sell his policy to a private funding company or to a broker, who will then sell to other viatical settlement companies. The physical and emotional demands of the terminally ill person are traumatic enough by themselves; much care needs to be taken to ensure that the policy is not sold to any fraudulent broker, causing even more financial and emotional trauma. To ensure this, be certain that the broker has a license to purchase viatical settlements. The New York State law has made it mandatory for all brokers to be properly licensed. Therefore, you must make it a point to check the license of the concerned broker. If you find that the broker is unwilling to prove his license, do not continue with the transaction at any cost.
Besides a proper and valid license, another element to keep in mind is that you should go through the copy of the agreement very carefully before signing it. Your CPA or attorney would be excellent resources should you have any questions relating to the purchase and sale agreement. The broker will purchase your policy for a reduced amount of the actual face value. As with every other type of broker, there are ones who enjoy their job and sincerely want to help people in this capacity, and there are unscrupulous ones who are merely trying to make the most money possible, often at other peoples’ expense. Never give in to pressure tactics, as this is a warning sign the the broker may be one of the latter rather than the former.
In order to get the best possible offer, it is important to shop around. The broker may claim to do this for you. If so, be sure to verify the results the broker has obtained. It would only benefit you to have at least two offers you’ve obtained without the broker’s assistance in order to verify that the broker’s offers are reasonable. Additionally, you should contact your insurer and check if your policy contains any accelerated benefits, as these benefits allow a person to collect a part of their death benefits. If your policy contains these benefits, compare them to the offers you’ve received as well. In all cases, the offer for a viatical settlement should be higher than what can be obtained directly from the insurance company by means of accelerated benefits.
The viatical settlement broker will charge a fee for completing the life settlement agreement. This fee is based on the contract between both the parties and is approved by the New York Superintendent of Insurance.
An Introduction to Viatical Settlements
Any person would generally want to protect their families from incurring debt due to medical or other memorial service expenses, and many people as well expect to leave some bucks for their kids or grandchildren when they pass away. However, there are times when people require accepting cash settlements in lieu of their life insurance policies to be careful of their own needs. There are various types of settlements, such as cash life, life settlements, and viatical settlements. The age of the policy owner is not as applicable as the person’s health and life anticipation.
Viatical Settlements are extremely different from these. Viatical Settlements are planned for people suffering from fatal illness or those who are not predictable to live more than two years for any reason. Since Viatical Settlements are generally used to settle up medical expenses, they are covenant with in a different way than other kinds of settlements. Viatical Settlements are the simply cash settlements, which are not subject to nationwide taxes as per the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act or HIPAA. Viatical settlements could further act as investments for those who desire to buy life insurance policies. The insurance policy, or a part of it, is purchased for less than the amount, which would be paid out upon the policyholder’s at the termination. When the policyholder passes on, the buyer collects the death benefit.
As any investments, viatical settlements are also not free with risk. They seem like a certain thing because the policyholder would ultimately pass away. However, the amount acknowledged by the buyer of the policy is resolute by the date on which the policy owner really dies. If that person lives longer than predictable, the return would be less than predicted. Apart from earning less of a return than expected, the purchaser runs the danger of truly losing money if the policyholder lives much longer than probable and in addition premiums should be paid in order to keep up the policy. As long as helpless people are given a fair agreement and are not taken benefit of, viatical settlements could be mutually advantageous.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Viatical Settlements and Life Insurance
Most people on the street have no idea what a viatical settlement is and in our opinion, hopefully they never will. Somewhere between CDO’s and reverse mortgages, the sophisticated financial world of exist. Let’s take a look at what they are and how they work.
The first thing to understand is that you can think of term life insurance as an asset but one that isn’t vested yet. This means it will be an asset in the future…at the time of payout. This assumes that you keep the policy in effect by paying the premium of the policy according to the requirements of the life insurance company. The trigger that creates the asset unfortunately is the death of the insured. Now that we have a good grasp at the “value” or asset qualify of a term life insurance policy, let’s look at viatical settlements.
It may sound morbid but the essence of a viatical settlement is usually that the policy owner (which is usually the insured as well) has been diagnosed with a fatal disease. In light of this, the life insurance policy owner can opt to sell the policy “proceeds” for life benefit in advance to a third party. There are many twists and turns to the whole process as the viatical settlement is a separate contract in itself but the above description is the core instrument. Why would a person enter into such an agreement and what’s the downside if any?
There are many reasons the person may sell his/her life insurance “asset” to a third party. They may need the funds now to pay for medical bills associated with their illness. The needs may have changed to where the traditional income replacement need of life insurance is no longer needed. The owner may want to use the money while still alive…again, keep in mind that viatical settlements are almost always tied to a person who has a short life expectancy. There are also many people who have life insurance policies through employers but do not have dependents such as spouses and/or children. A viatical settlement might make sense in this regard. So what is the downside?
The person who sells their life insurance policy will not get the full face value. In fact, the policy can be sold at a pretty steep discount depending on the situation. There’s an entire secondary market for life insurance policies via viatical settlements. Essentially the people that purchase the life insurance policy on the other side of the transaction are typically investors. There are usually salespeople or brokers that take commission to bring these sides together. On one hand, this market is needed to provide both buyers and sellers of life insurance policies but it also is a cost and that means the person selling the life insurance policy receives less. Maybe it’s a necessary evil but it’s still downside to the entire transaction.
Our focus is on the benefits of term life insurance in its traditional aims such as income replacement over a long period of time. Viatical settlements are not our focus but as with all thing life insurance, we want our customers and visitors to have a well-rounded base of information including the strange world of term life insurance and viatical contracts.
Viatical Settlement Vs. Life Insurance Settlement
The viatical settlement, senior settlement, and life settlement all provide the same service to the insured individual. Both life and viatical settlements are considered same. They have very little difference. Both the settlements have a policy owner and the funding company who takes the ownership of life insurance policy in replace for a sum of money. The difference between the two is based upon the expected life span of the insured. If the insured has a shorter life span, less than 2 years, the service is deemed viatical. If the insured has a life expectancy of 2-15 years the service is deemed to be a life insurance settlement. When the policy holder sells his policy he receives a lump sum in cash. The word viatical comes from the Latin word Viaticum, which means to be given a stipend or a living expense for your journey or travels.
Viatical settlement means that the policy holder sells his policy to third parties because he is terminally ill. Generally these types of policies have a face value of nearly $100,000 and insure a person under the age of 50. Life insurance settlements have a larger face value of over $250,000 and insure a person with a short life expectancy because of health related problems or elderly or both. The policies that qualify for life or viatical settlements include whole life, universal life, term, joint-survivorship, group, key-man, corporate owned policies and policies held in irrevocable life insurance trusts. Viatical settlements are tax-exempt if you meet certain criteria: the regulatory definition of a person with a catastrophic or chronic illness and the settlement comes from a licensed broker. Many funding companies are moving towards a greater interest in life settlements over viatical. This is because of advances in medical technology. The funding companies assume that a specific medical condition won’t be solved in short order. This happened in the 80′s during the birth of viatical. Many funding companies invested in policies of HIV positive consumers. But afterwards there had been major advances in Aids drugs which affected the lives of many of these insured.
Life insurance settlements are for people who are not in a position to pay their monthly installments or people who need money for current expenses. If your family is facing financial crises then you can help them by selling your insurance policy to a third party. In viatical settlements, elderly people sell their policy to viatical settlement companies because they are facing life threatening disorders. Viatical settlement firms usually buy these policies only after seeing the proof of their terminal illness. Another requirement for viatical settlement is that your doctor must certify that your life expectancy is between two to four years from that date. The only way to get money for your life insurance policy is by cashing it out. These new ways generally help the policy holder to redeem their money in times of need. Over the years, this type of settlement has developed brokerages and firms to help you find the right person and the right price for your life insurance policy.
Know More About Life Settlements and Viatical Settlements
Most of the life insurance policies are purchased to protect loved ones and to shield them from the “what ifs” in life. But in reality majority of these policies are never needed. Once the policies have served their purpose, the owners either allow them to lapse or surrender the policies to the insurance company for cash surrender value. This is where Life Settlements steps in to help. A life settlement is a financial transaction in which a policy owner possessing an unwanted life insurance policy sells the policy to a third party for more than the cash value offered by the life insurance company. Here the purchaser becomes the new beneficiary of the policy at maturation and is responsible for all subsequent premium payments. It is an asset just like a home, stocks, real estate, etc. This innovative wealth planning tool removes the burden of expensive insurance premium payments in addition to providing the lump sum cash settlement.
Life settlements are an important development that they have opened a secondary market for life insurance in which policy owners can access fair market value for their policies, rather than accepting the lower cash surrender value from the issuing life insurance company. This secondary market will give the policy holder a market that did not exist in the past. In prior years, the policy owner was left with only one entity to deal with it is their own carrier. This exciting alternative allows the policy owner to obtain institutional and real market pricing for this valued asset.
Life Settlement Benefits
This new service offers you and your client an opportunity to benefit from a wasting asset. Many life settlement transactions generate substantial capital, thereby creating the need for additional financial products or services. In some situations, a new and improved insurance policy may even be issued, benefiting both the client and you, the financial professional. The Life Settlement solution is typically the Win-Win scenario that you were looking for.
Whereas in a viatical settlement, a terminally or chronically ill person sells his or her life insurance policy to a third party for a lump-sum payment. In return, the third party takes over payments on the policy and is the beneficiary of the policy upon the death of the patient. Selling your life policy through a Viatical Settlement is available only to those people who suffer with terminal illnesses, and usually only if their life expectancy is less that 2-4 years.
Viatical Settlement Benefits
The main benefit of this settlement is the relief from monthly premium payment. Settlement income may be tax-free. Immediate cash is available to ease financial burdens. The policy owner receives additional money to compensate for loss of income. Funds to seek treatments which are not covered by health insurance and also the funds to pay off debts now, instead of burdening family members in the future. Viatical settlement policies pay a lump sum from 50% to 85% of the face value of your policy, depending on your life expectancy.Viatical settlement policy will pay the rest of the premiums. The insurance company will pay the policy’s benefits to the VSP upon your death and your beneficiary will not receive the death benefit.
Ron Victor is a expert author for http://www.securelifesettlements.com/. He has written many articles like ideal life settlements, life settlement, viatical settlement.
For more information visit our site http://www.securelifesettlements.com. Contact me at ron.seocopywriter
Friday, August 6, 2010
Purchase Viatical Settlement Policy
Viatical settlement policy is a kind of life settlement policy whereby the holder will be responsible for the amount received from the sale of the policy. When the holder of the document makes a sale of the belongings, superb cash payment can be obtained. Viatical and Senior Insurance Settlement is one of the popular listed out settlement policy in the market. Wide variety of viatical products is available in the policy market to facilitate the customers of all types. The policy holder of settlement obtains more benefit and the premium amounts with regards to maturation of the documents.
This viatical settlement comes up with a feature of life expectancy of 24 months or less due to the terrible or life threatening illness of the insurer. It is nothing but a sale of life insurance by the owner before when the policy get matured. During the sale of product, the price amount will be discounted from the original face value. Seller gets an advantage of getting discount in excess of premium amount paid or current surrender value enhances the seller to obtain instantaneous cash settlement. It provides a sense of relief to the person who carries on and enables the possessor to obtain good lump sum amount of cash from the sale.
This type of documents provides people to get maximum value out of the life insurance strategy. Nowadays, more number of insurance companies is coming forward for issuance of settlement in the premium amount required. Considering the importance of policy towards environment and requirement of people, more number of documents is issued. Generally, the life insurance settlement is offered by the life insurance company to the third party required.
It is lengthy process and goes on like chain. Huge number of people will be transaction and it comes up with wide sale transactions. It will be offered to the customers as per their requirement and life expectancy. The life expectancy differs from each viatical policy sold by the seller. Based on the life expectancy and the premium amount, the sale of document can be determined. There are more people involved and especially it is ultimately for the purchaser of the policy. It serves the purpose and provides superb cash more than the surrender value at the time of sale.
Benefits of Life Settlement and Viatical Settlements
Insurance policies act as an aid to protect ourselves against the uncertainties of our life. They act as a beam of light during the dark leap of time in our life. As their purpose is fulfilled then they just tend to be either surrendered or stand lapsed. When we realize about the usage of the insurance policies, most of them actually do not find much utility to their existence. It is at this stage that we think about the role of life settlement. A life settlement is a financial transaction wherein the holder of the insurance policy sells the policy to a third party or any life settlement company for an amount which is more than the value which is offered by the life insurance company. Once the policy is sold to the third party then at this stage the owner of the policy becomes the purchaser and he becomes liable for the future payments of the premium and even the sole holder of the realization value of the policy on its maturity. Insurance policies are also considered as a valuable asset which does not lose much of their value over a period of time like all the other assets. The tool of life settlement relieves you from the burden of excessive burden of payments of premiums and in addition it helps you to provide a lump some amount of money. Life settlements are considered as an important tool that has brought about a secondary market for the life insurance policies. The owners have got access to receive an amount which is more than the cash surrender value offered by the insurance companies. Thus there is a creation of a market which did not exist earlier. Initially before the existence of the life settlement companies, incase their had been an urgent requirement of money for the policy owners then in such scenario the owners will have to accept the surrender value offered by the insurance companies. Some of the benefits which are offered by the life settlement to the users are that the people have gained an opportunity to sell their policy and get a lump some amount of money other wise the absence of the market would lead to the wastage of the policy. They have contributed to the creation of additional capital thereby they have enhanced the need and demand for the financial products and services. It is a win
Viatical Life Settlements
If you choose to sell your life insurance policy, you should be conscious of the fact many states, including Maryland, require your viatical settlement broker to take particular steps in every matter. The broker must:
1.Give you a printed explanation of the services that are requisite on your part by state law
2.Divulge all offers, counter-offers, acceptances and rejections involving the sale of your life insurance policy within 72 hours of their delivery
3.Clarify in writing within 72 hours prior to a viatical settlement contract signing (by all parties), the sum of the broker’s payment, and how it is calculated
4.Make any other revelations regarding your legal privileges in a viatical settlement.
If you deem that your viatical settlement broker did not make an obligatory disclosure or did not execute a legally required service, you can file a complaint with your state’s Insurance Administration against the broker. For details on filing a complaint, you may call or write the Insurance Administration or visit their website.
Your state Insurance Administration and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners want you to be in possession of all the facts prior to selling your policy. This article provides some of these details, but selling a life insurance policy is much more involved than what is contained in this article.
Seek advice from your personal qualified financial advisor, attorney, or accountant to aid in comprehension of your rights in this kind of transaction, what the potential consequences are, and what alternate solutions exist that could more appropriately serve your personal financial situation.
A viatical settlement is a written concurrence for the sale of a life insurance policy to an outside third party. The proprietor or certificate holder of the life insurance policy (the “viator”) sells the policy for an instantaneous cash profit. This is true for all different types of life insurance (http://www.equote.com/li/nomedicallifeinsurance.html).
In the past, most viatical settlements were for individuals with an incurable disease or illness. In current times, people who are not dealing with a health emergency may now sell their life insurance policies to acquire monetary funds.
A “viatical settlement broker” is the individual or organization that, for a charge, commissions or arranges the sale of your life insurance policy for you.
In states like Maryland, a viatical settlement broker represents solely the viator and has a responsibility to behave in the viator’s best interest. Viatical settlement brokers have to be licensed to sell life insurance in that state as well as specifically indexed with the state’s Insurance Commissioner to perform viatical settlements.
The “viatical settlement provider” is the purchaser and becomes the new title-holder of the life insurance policy, is responsible for paying future premiums, and gathers the death benefit when the insured individual passes away. Viatical settlement providers must be registered with the State Insurance Commissioner.
If you are considering selling your policy to acquire cash to pay expenses, research all of your options primarily. You may discover that there is a means to receive more funds from your life insurance policy than you thought was possible.
Inquire with your insurance agent or company to determine whether you have any cash value in your life insurance policy (http://www.equote.com/li/life-insurance.html). It may be possible to use some of the funds to address your immediate needs and keep your policy in effect for your beneficiaries. You might be able to utilize the cash value as security for a loan from an outside financial institution as well.
Find out whether or not your policy has an “accelerated death benefit.” An accelerated death benefit characteristically disburses a portion of the policy’s death benefit prior to the date that the insured dies. It could be a way for you to obtain funds from a policy without resorting to selling to a third party.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Need of Life Settlement Services
There will come a time when a life insurance policy is no longer required or wanted, especially in old age. A viatical settlement provides you the capability to regain needed financial safety. The logical thing to do in such a case like this will be to sell it and offer it up for the life settlement services. Most of the times this can work for the good of the unique life insurance policy holder as it could be sold for possibly more cash value than the policy holder might have gotten if he turned it in. This could be done with the help of life settlement services offered by a lot of qualified firms. Senior citizens would find these services very much useful if they intend to add a bit serious support to their retirement stash.Your settlement amount would be determined by the original amount of the life insurance, the cost of the premiums, your life expectancy, the current and projected interest rates and also the health of the insurance company which is providing the insurance coverage. All these factors are taken into account when determining on your life settlement value.Seniors on fixed incomes could use this money for whatever they need. In some cases they would pay off medical bills or use the funds from settlements to make their lives much more comfortable. Others will utilize these funds to purchase a few gifts for their family or go on for a dream vacation. Whatever you use these funds for; this approach seems to be much better than just allowing the life insurance cover to lapse and getting nothing at all. You will also receive a percentage of the funds now instead of your assets after you are gone.Once the policy holders find a good financial company that offers settlement services, their insurance papers can be evaluated and computed. This way, the policy owner will know this particular option is a good decision. Cash amounts offered in exchange for the insurance would vary and a life settlement services company would act as the medium that will look out for the best likely deal in favor of the policy owner. The policy holders can get rid of the monthly payments they should make and obtain instant funds that could be channeled to other pressing concerns, like health issues and the retirement lifestyles, for example.Life settlement services were well designed to address the needs of the aged. These companies understand that being in the grown-up age range changes a senior’s requirements and life insurance may not be just one of them. Once money is brought in as profits from settlement, seniors have the freedom to use it as they please. In exchange, the policy’s ownership is transferred to the person who purchased it, thus making it a win-win condition for the original and the new policy holder. This is a legal procedure, regulated by the government insurance departments. When it’s the more feasible option to sell a policy, it makes logic to employ life settlement services so as to get a good deal.
Viaticle Settlement Companies: How They Work
Death and taxes may be the only sure things in life, and speculating on the former may sound disconcerting to many. Viatical settlements involve selling the life insurance policy of a terminally ill person to a company which pays a lump sum cash amount to the policy owner in return for the policy. The companies buy the policy at a reduced rate of the face value, sometimes as much as 50% of the face value, and then collect the death benefits after the person’s demise.
Viatical settlements are basically a high-risk transaction for the investor, as life expectancy is totally unpredictable. The viator (seller of the life insurance policy) may outlive the predicted life expectancy assigned to him by his doctors. If so, the investor who buys the policy will stand to lose, or at a minimum see his rate of return greatly reduced. The longer the person lives, the lower is the return value of the policy.
A terminally ill person may wish to sell his policy to raise cash to in order to ease the financial strains of his final days. For many people with terminal diseases, this is the only method they have to be able to provide for their healthcare treatment in their final months. While it may sound like investors prey on these people who in turn become victims, that is not what actually happens.
There are many private companies as well as individual investors who purchase life insurance policies. They then become the beneficiaries on the demise of the original policyholder.
Each company will have their own rules for buying the policies. They will likely run a checklist on your policy. For example, most companies prefer that a policyholder has had the policy for at least two years. They may also ask you to sign a release allowing them to access your medical records. This is normal as they need to know the medical life expectancy in order to determine the present value of the future payment. Let’s assume that your policy has a face value of $100,000. That money will be worth far more next year than it will 15 years from now.
You should not accept payments on installments. As per New York State law, all funds must be received at the time of sale. Also, there should be no hidden fees involved at the time of sale. If a fee is undisclosed until the final transaction occurs, it should be taken as a red flag. Why wasn’t the fee disclosed initially? If the fee was disclosed earlier, would that have made another company’s offer more attractive? These are questions you should consider.
Remember, when selling your life insurance policy, the same guideline applies as buying a new car: never accept the first price quoted, and always shop around for price comparisons. Only then will you be sure to receive the best price on your viatical settlement.
Life Settlements For Seniors
Ideal Settlements a respected leader in the life settlement market offers senior clients a proven way to turn life insurance policies into accessible funds through a life settlement or viatical settlement. Seniors 65 years or older, on fixed incomes, oftentimes depleted investments and savings, choose a life settlement as an alternative to a policy lapse or cash surrender. Seniors typically sell their insurance policies because they’ve either outlived the beneficiary of the policy or no longer can afford increasing and costly premiums. A life settlement is a very lucrative option compared to selling your policy back to your insurance carrier. A life settlement makes it possible for seniors to pay for their medical bills, living expense or improve quality of life with no additional premium payments required by the senior client. A life settlement provides cash value of less than the face value but more than the cash surrender value. The other type of settlement offered in the secondary market is a viatical settlement.Viatical Settlements provide the funds necessary to pay medical expenses, improve quality of life and offer peace of mind to individuals and their loved ones should a life threatening illness strike. Viatical Settlements are designed to assist those who may be suffering from terminal illnesses. Some of the different types of diseases a viatical covers include but not limited to:
Life insurance is sold in the secondary markets by brokers and other types of life settlement companies. Large institutional buyers most banks and hedge funds purchase polices at a much higher strike rate than selling a policy back to the insurance company that issued the policy. Some of the different policies they will consider include:
If you are searching for more information on life settlements begin by visiting Ideal Settlements today.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Viatical Life Settlement: Pave Way to a Tension Free Life
A viatical life settlement process helps in negotiating the highest offer on one’s life insurance policy. The life settlement cropped from a Latin word, viaticum, which means provisions for a journey. In this process, one has to obtain required medical records and a copy of their insurance policy. The professionals working under this scheme are answerable to the people who have any doubts in their mind regarding the process. There are viatical life settlement brokers who carry out some of the underwriting work required to be done while working out an offer.
It is often seen that suffering from any terminal illness is traumatic enough and facing financial strains can only compound the matters. Viatical life settlement offers respite to the terminally ill person; in that case he can sell his life insurance policy for a lump sum amount of cash. A broker or a private company can purchase the viator’s policy for a reduced amount than the actual face value of the policy. The seller in the case of viatical life settlement gets the lump sum cash payment; the purchaser gets the death benefits on the demise of the seller.
There are certain provisions that can be laid down by the law to ensure that no unscrupulous elements exploit the vulnerable people. One such law is that viatical life settlement companies or brokers are that they must be licensed. A contract is signed between the policy provider and purchaser. The contract is a written document entered between the two parties and it states the terms and conditions under which the life settlement provider will pay compensation to the seller of the policy. It also specifies the sale or transfer of the net death benefit or ownership to the purchaser of the policy. The broker’s or the funding company’s name should be stated clearly in the written document. It is also mandatory to state the alternative benefits that the seller may have to viatical life settlement. These can be in the form of accelerated death benefits that the insurance company may have offered to the original policyholder.
It is often seen that the proceeds from a viatical settlement may or may not be free from tax benefits. There are some states require viatical settlement companies to make these disclosures in the contract. The policyholder should contact a lawyer to check on the possible probate and estate considerations, before signing the contract. Life settlement is a plan in which cash payments are made to people who sell their life insurance for a percentage of the death benefit. So exchanging the policy in lieu of good amount is a good idea. If you or someone is planning to invest in life settlement then it’s a great idea and moreover, brings you huge profits. Today there are different means that have come up to help senior citizens in leading their retired life with dignity and according to their choice and one such provision is viatical life settlement. So there is no need to worry about, just go for the facility.
Viatical Quotes
Viatical settlements are offered by dozens of companies around the world. Why? To aid senior citizens (viators) in their poor financial situation. Viatical settlements provide a way out of crisis scenarios by giving terminally or chronically ill patients the option of selling their life insurance policy for a premium amount. Naturally, the higher the bid, the more profit you make. Although this form of instant cash has a sad tone, it has been highly beneficial to people who have high medical bills and other critical emergencies. If your policy is a Term, Universal Life, Whole Life, Joint/Survivor or a Group contract, then the good news is that you are eligible for a viatical quote.
The person who buys the policy is called an investor. An investor can be the final third party who is interested in the policy or a viatical company that holds it as an investment. If it is a company that is buying the policy they can resell it at a profit. When buying a life policy of another person you to have complete knowledge of the viator’s medical history. You can either buy the whole policy or a part of it. Usually a policy will state the life expectancy of the individual because the quote will depend on how long the seller is expected to live. Once you buy the policy, you gain if the seller dies before the expectancy date but your return will be lower if he lives longer. In some cases you might loose a little form your principal amount if the seller lives a long life!
Due to this risk factor, viatical settlements and quotes need to be regularized and controlled. Thus, the State Insurance Commission gives out licenses to selected companies who are capable of handling this intricate business. However, in some US states the viatical industry is not regulated at all. Companies often buy the policies and then offer it to prospective buyers at higher rates. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners and Federal Trade Commission are two legal bodies that offer information with regard to and settlements.
If you are a Viator, then you have two choices. Either to can sell your life insurance policy directly to another person or you can use the services of a broker. Viators generally hire a broker because they know the market and can negotiate for a better viatical quote. The quote depends of many variables such as the state, age and medical condition of the viator. Prior to suggesting a bid, the investor, broker and viator will meet to highlight details of the case. The investor will want to know the medical prognosis so he can offer a more realistic quote. Once the quote has been offered and the bid accepted, the life insurance policy is transferred to the new holder. This completes the process and the viator is given a lump sum payment.
In conclusion, will differ from state to state and can be settled upon only after reviewing all the factors involved in the case. The viator and the investor have to come to an agreement is which mutually beneficial. While being a perfect avenue for the viator, he should also be wise to make sure the sale is worth his while.
An Insight on Life Settlement Broker
Life settlements have brought about a suitable secondary market for the unwanted life insurance policies. However when you are searching and screening for life settlement companies then you will come across a number of life settlement brokers and viatical settlement broker, this article will provide you with an insight knowledge on life settlement and viatical settlement brokers. They just reduce the time which you will take in the process of searching and screening the secondary market for your life insurance policies. A life settlement broker may be defined as a person or an organization who on behalf of the policy holder of the insurance holders looks in for life settlement companies or life settlement agents who would be intending to purchase the insurance policy or in other words the life settlement brokers simply negotiate the process of selling life insurance policies in the secondary market.The regulations which are to be considered during the conduct of the life insurance policy providers, brokers and representatives are to be governed by the State insurance regulation providers. Some of the benefits which are offered by the life settlement brokers are that they are one of the most important factors for you to offer the best quote available in the market. It is important that you take into consideration that there are life settlement brokers on the internet with almost nil experience or they would be representing one or two funding companies. This acts as a constraint for them to look in for good life settlement companies offering you with good quote as they will have limited access to the companies whom they are representing. Further if this is the case then the life settlement broker will offer you with the limited options and even with limited number of life settlement companies which have been analyzed by the broker. It is always important that you select a life settlement broker who has many years of experience in the industry of life settlement. It is important to remember that a well experienced broker will always analyze your policy and personal situation carefully. After proper analyzing they will place the policy to a suitable life settlement company that is apt for your case and the policy needs. Proper analysis not only saves time, but even saves money and effort. Life settlement broker are always in the process to get you the best offer. A viatical settlement broker is a person who on the behalf of the person eligible for viatical settlement selects a company which is apt for dealing with the viatical settlement on behalf of a fee, commission or other valuable considerations. The viator is the person who is the owner of the life insurance policy and the person who is suffering from the life threatening disease. The regulations which are considered to be essential while dealing with the life settlement process are to be taken from the state insurance regulations. It is important that we select a viatical settlement company that is aware of the regulations and adheres to it very strictly.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Overview on Life Settlement
Life settlement means that the senior citizen can sell the unwanted life insurance policy in return of a single cash payment. The senior citizen will receive a cash amount which would be greater than that he would have received on surrendering his life insurance policy to the insurance provider. He can use this lump sum amount for paying his dues or buying a house or a car, for a vacation etc. In times of need, money can be received from the secondary market, instead of going to Life Insurance Company. After this you do not have to pay any premiums and there is no obligation to the life insurance policy. It becomes difficult for the policy holder to pay premiums or his heath condition changes, while he purchases the new insurance such as long term care coverage, retired key man, surrender policy, resolution of company or partnership, liquidity of assets due to bankruptcy. Call the life settlement company and express him your interest. The life settlement company will be able to quickly analyze based on the self report information. That is according to your age and the health status. The type of the insurance policy selected and what is its value. When the Application form is completed: The policy holder should have completed the form and given details to the life settlement company regarding the type of insurance and medical information. It is important for the policy holder to give the life settlement company, personal information with signed authorizations. The medical records will also be evaluated. The life settlement company will collect all the information from the doctors and insurance company and provide this information to qualified buyers. The life settlement company will provide upto date information to the policy holder regarding his best proposal. The closing process will close when the documents are presented by the buyer and seller and all the formalities are fulfilled. Senior life settlements can be eligible for citizens who are 65 or older. The face value of the insurance policy should at least be $250,000. All types of insurance policies are eligible like the variable life insurance, key-man life insurance, universal life insurance, term life insurance. A viatical settlement means the sale of a life insurance policy. If a person has terminal illness he/she will give the insurance policy to the viatical settlement company for a lump sum cash payment. The viatical settlement company may sell the policy to the third party investor. The vertical settlement company or the third party investor will pay the premium amount; collect the face value amount after the original policyholder dies. The viatical settlement company will set its own rules before it decides to buy the life insurance policy. He will buy only those policies which is owned by the policy holder for a minimum of two years, when he is terminally ill or when the policy holder can beneficiary sign a release or a waiver. This product has helped thousands of seniors tap the liquidity of an unwanted asset.
Leading a Stressful Life Go for Life Settlement
Financial crisis in the course of an illness can set a back forth and it ca make the matter only more compound hence it is essential that you use the process of viatical settlements. Through this process of viatical settlement a very sick person would be relieved from all his worries. What he can do is sell the insurance policy at very lump sum money. In the case mentioned above the seller has been benefited by the lump sum amount and on the other hand the buyer would be benefited by the policy benefits on the death of the person. There are a number of provisions that have been laid down by the law so as to ensure that there are no unscrupulous elements that exploit the vulnerable class of elements. The first and the foremost thing which has to be kept in mind is that the life settlement companies must compulsorily be registered and licensed to operate. The next important thing which has to be remembered is that the contract must be signed by the two parties that is the policy provider and the purchaser of the policy. This simply states that there should be an existence of a written document between the two parties that should state the terms and conditions through which the life settlement providers are providing the compensation package to the seller of the policy. It is also essential that there should be a specification of sale and there should be a transfer of the net deceased benefit or in particular the ownership of the policy to the purchaser of the policy. There will also be a specific mention of the broker or the funding company’s address and its name. In addition to this it is essential that in addition to this the seller must even specify the other benefits that the seller will have from the life settlements. This treatment can be treated in a similar way of transfer or sale of the net death benefit or the ownership to the purchaser of the policy. Another thing which is to be kept in mind is that the proceeds from the viatical settlements may or may not have tax benefits. Hence it is essential that before signing the agreement the holder of the policy must contact a lawyer who in turn can check out about the probable estate and the rebate conditions. It is essential that before handing over the policy to the owner a lot of research must go into it. The research can be done by searching a broker or other people from the internet or from your own know how. From the internet there is a lot of scope to get the information in a very comfortable way. Another important fact which is to be kept in mind is that the people who are suffering from life threatening diseases may note in a position to take he benefit of the life insurance policy hence it is essential that the person goes in for viatical settlements that acts as a sound help to them.
Life Insurance Settlement- an Overview
Selling a life insurance policy by the policy owner to a life settlement company or a third party is referred to life insurance settlement. Life settlements are only beneficial if the selling amount offered for it is more than the policy’s current cash surrender value. Life settlements are the best way to generate immediate liquid cash. The person who buys the policy becomes its new beneficiary and is liable to all subsequent premium payments.
Types of Life Insurance Settlement
Life settlement can be broadly classified under two heads:
Life Settlement Investments
Life settlement investments are becoming very popular due to their incredible benefits. There are many life settlement investors in the market who provide capital or financing for life settlement transactions. They provide the life settlement provider with adequate funds that are needed to acquire the policy.
Life Settlement Brokers
Life settlement brokers work as mediators between policy owners and life settlement providers. They help policy owners to find a buyer who is ready to offer a good price for their policy. They also negotiate the policy’s settlement value on behalf of policy owners. It is advisable to go for an experienced life settlement broker to get the best price for your policy. One thing that you must ensure is that your life settlement broker should be licensed in your state i.e. the state where the policy owner is located. Many American states have guidelines related to selling of a life insurance policy to a third party.
Life Settlement Companies
There are many life settlement companies that help their clients get best possible cash offer for their life insurance policies. Most act as brokers but some also purchase life insurance policies themselves with their own investment funds. Like a broker, they help their clients with the entire settlement procedure and legal issues involved in the transaction and help them close quickly and get cash as fast as possible. One thing that you need to ensure when hiring a life settlement company is the credibility and authenticity of the company.
David Mickelson Insurance Services provides FREE Professional Life Settlement and Life Insurance Evaluation and help their clients to get the best value for their policy. For more details on life settlement investments, please browse through http://www.mickelsonlife.com.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Three Things Everyone Should Know About Life Settlements
Life settlements have a variety of great benefits for many policyholders, however, the fine print and complicated rules can make the entire process a stressful experience. With some basic information and proficient, expert help, it does not have to be that way. To make the entire process a successful venture, there are three things that every policy-owner should know.
Life Settlements VS Viatical Settlements
Although these two terms seem identical at first glance, there is a significant difference between the two settlements. When the owner of a life insurance policy is extremely ill and decides to sell their policy, it is referred to as a viatical settlement. When this occurs, the death benefit from the policy is paid to the settlement company after the owner has passed away.
So long as there are no particular restrictions placed on them by the state, life settlements occur when the owner of the policy sells the policy for any other reasons beside an illness or the quick approach of death. Some choose to sell the policy rather than losing it by falling behind on payments while others use it as a source of cash for a variety of reasons including the desire to live a different lifestyle, gifts, or the acquisition of life goals.
Life Settlements Are Negotiable
The amount of money paid out for life settlements is completely negotiable and depends on the agreement that is made. Generally speaking, the health, age, amount of the benefit, and type of policy will determine the amount of payout that is offered. This is what makes shopping around a vital component to a successful settlement. Today, life settlement brokers will often take the work out of it by doing the shopping themselves; they will search through a list of funders to find the best offer. There will also be some form of fee or commission charged by the broker in exchange for his or her service. Regardless of the amount of the offer, there is never an obligation to accept it.
What Happens Afterwards
Once the transaction is complete, the ownership and beneficiary changes hands and the funder will be responsible to pay the premiums. Any possible taxation that may occur with a settlement payout is the responsibility of the original policy-owner. In general, however, the amount of the original investment is not taxed, but it is taxed up to the cash surrender value. Anything over that amount is often subject to capital gains tax. The settlement company may also contact the insured individual in the future to find out about his or her current health status.
In some states such as New York, there are no regulations set in place to monitor or control life settlements. In fact, agents do not require certification or training in some cases making the choice of a reliable institution extremely important. Understanding the process and choosing reliable and expert help is the best way to make the experience a smooth and easy transaction.
Please note that IFG Insurance is not offering legal or tax advice. Any discussion of taxes included in or related to this document is for general informational purposes only. Current tax law is subject to interpretation and legislative changes. You should consult with your legal and tax advisors.
Life Settlement Industry
The was propelled into popularity by the viatical settlement industry. History has shown us that the early adopters of life settlement were those who were suffering from AIDS and who had only a couple of years to live. They sold their insurance policies assuming they would get immediate cash in return from the person who bought it. When medical breakthroughs found their way to fight the AIDS virus, these senior citizens lost out because they had to pay premiums for a long time. Some fraudulent companies also resorted to marketing this concept in order to make a fast buck by giving senior citizens the hope of further investment.
Life settlement occurs when the holder of a policy willingly sells the same for a price to the buyer, who then becomes the sole owner of the policy. The new buyer has to pay for the premiums from the date of purchase. It is common for senior citizens above the age of sixty-five to opt for life settlement, especially if there has been a negative change in their health situation. The immediate cash option is attractive because the seller is then able to fund his medical bills and take care of other responsibilities.
If you are planning a life settlement then it is best to take advise from experts who know the market. Accountants, Charitable Trust Officers, Financial Planners and Attorneys are just some of the people you can contact. Since they know the regulations and formalities involved, you will be able to make a more informed decision. The idea behind life settlement is to get a high bid for your policy. This could take a lot of work if you are working alone. A broker is sometimes arranged to find the right seller who can offer a fair market value. The benefit of hiring a broker is that you can get bids from different sellers. Thus you can choose the most favourable bid among the offerings. It sometimes becomes necessary to provide your medical history in order to secure a good bid.
Once the life settlement bid is accepted by the buyer, he then returns any confidentail papers that he might have taken for verficaiton. Change of ownership forms are then exchanged and the final deal is closed.
Some authorized life settlement agents are Action Advisors Inc, Advanced Settlements Inc, Allsettled Group Inc, Berkshire Settlements Inc, Brown & Brown Associates PC, Darrell L Tate, Don Karns Insurance Agency Inc, Fairmarket Life Settlements Corp, etc. To find an agent in your area there are several listings on the Internet. Brokers will also give you a free consultation so you can freely and confidentially discuss your financial situation.
To summarize, a life settlement is done when a person wants to sell his or her policy in return for cash. The reasons behind this could be high premiums, medical problems, employment changes, bankruptcy, etc. It is wise to be well informed about the process and even more important to find a broker or a financial advisior who can make your life settlement worth your while.
Basics About Life Settlement
As time changes every thing changes accordingly, earlier policy selling was done by the insurance companies but now the same are buying it as life settlement. In addition to it they are providing finance to make premium payments and also viatical settlement. First before settling your policy you should know how it works, the process, procedure and qualifications required to qualify it. Life settlement is a process of giving back the policy to the buyer or a company for a lump sum amount. It is done when the policy has become outdated in the present scenario or to meet any financial need or the policy is no more required. In the above stated circumstances the holder can settle his/her policy to the person interested in buying. They can also sell it to the companies engaged in settling policies if qualified to their requirements.A life insurance policy taken is also an asset like a house property or any other kind of asset. If it becomes out of use don’t just let it off as you can settle it for a good amount rather then surrendering or leaving it off. When you sell the policy you are no longer needed to pay the premiums and the settlement amount furthers then the surrendering value or lapsing it. You must consult your insurance advisor before lapsing your policy and know about various settlements to suit your requirements.You can decrease the amount of your coverage in order to decrease your premium payments depending on the policy you have taken. Once you lower your covering amount you cannot increase it before a long process. But to avoid the above stated difficulties you can have your premium financed. At present this is offered to make people relieved of premium payments and to enjoy the benefits of the policy. It is an easy and simple process to get finance for premiums. The person can use his resources to fulfill his other needs. The loan is provided at a minimum rate of interest which can be returned or will be deducted from his amount given at the time of maturity.Viatical settlement is also selling of the policy before it matures. Such a selling is done at the price lower then the maturity price but more than the premiums paid. It is done when the life expectancy of the holder is less then that of the maturity period. It is suitable for those persons who is caring illness or those who take care of illness carrying person. The return in such cases is higher if the person dies before the expectancy period. It is bought by the senior citizens to get more benefits in a shorter period.A life insurance policy can have a better outcome by settling if the policy is no more needed. You can have the best settlement for your policy by knowing the various options available and choosing the best among them. A policy can earn more then the amount gathered at the maturity period.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
The Story Behind The Successful Billion Dollar Industry Of Life Insurance Settlement
The billion dollar industry of life insurance settlement had been around for quite some time now. Many are saying that the industry boomed during the 1980′s when the disease aids claims many infected people faced an extremely short life expectancy and most of these people owned a health insurance policy and it was under these circumstances that the first viatical life settlement occurred and further became life insurance settlement or senior settlement. But when we look further back in 1911 in the United States, it is the year where the first viatical settlement transaction takes place. Dr. A.H. Grigsby treated a patient and his name is John C. Burchard. Mr Burchard needs a particular surgical operation and offered to sell Dr. Grigbsy his life insurance policy in return for $100 and for agreeing to pay the remaining premiums. Dr. Grigsby agreed and that is where the first viatical settlement transaction was born and today it became a billion dollar industry.
The success of the life insurance settlement industry is not a secret that cannot be exposed. The main reason for its success is that the transaction itself. In a life settlement, all of the parties especially the seller of the health insurance policy will benefit the transaction, even the insurance company because the premium of the policy will still be paid and because insurance companies likes it better when their clients policy will not lapse. But then again, the people who made the right choice of having a life insurance settlement can have a nice retirement and enjoy his/her remaining years or even decades with loved ones and family. The life insurance settlement industry and life insurance Company like MaxLife Solutions are making sure that you get the most out of your life and became financially prepared especially during your retirement age.
How Life Settlement Funding Can Benefit You In Your Senior Years
Life settlement funding is gaining awareness as a means of obtaining additional cash and financial comfort in senior years.In the past, life insurance benefits were only realized upon death; however, in recent years, life settlements have emerged and evolved to become a viable way of enjoying the rewards while you are still alive. Basically, there are two ways that you can capitalize on your life insurance policy and obtain living benefits.A Viatical Settlement is the sale of a life insurance policy applicable for people who have become terminally ill. Life Settlement funding is fundamentally similar, but without the chronic illness stipulation, making it possible for seniors to liquidate their unwanted or unneeded life insurance policies for a cash value.Life settlements are becoming more commonplace as experts and advisors are learning of the benefits and advantages to this financial planning tool. Customers are now realizing the option of selling their policies on an open market for a greater price than the surrender value they would receive from insurance companies.How Does Life Settlement Funding Work?If you have any type of life insurance policy that you wish to liquidate, a broker or life settlement company will help you find an investor who will purchase your policy for an agreed upon cash amount. The buyer now becomes the beneficiary, paying the premiums from the date of transaction, and receiving the benefits upon your death.The settlement will be somewhere between the surrender value and the benefit payout amount, with the offer depending on such factors as your age, life expectancy, premium costs, insurance rating, and other pertinent details outlined in your policy.Life settlement funding requires no application costs, no upfront or out-of-pocket fees, and is not a loan so none of the money will need to be paid back. Furthermore, it is not based on your income level or the value of your assets, and there are no rules or restrictions on how you can use the additional funds. You will be able to use the money however you desire, whether that be supplementing income, covering medical costs, paying down debts, taking a vacation, or donating to charity.It is important to note that your life settlement broker will be entitled to a fee; however, this charge is included in the offer so it will not be an additional expense for you.When Should You Consider Life Settlement Funding?Life settlement funding can be considered for a variety of reasons and used as a tool to meet several different needs.1. Your financial situation may have changed or you may have an immediate need for additional cash.2. Policy premiums may be too expensive.3. Your coverage needs or beneficiary may have changed due to the death of a spouse or retirement. Certain coverage may no longer be required or there may no longer be anyone who will benefit from the policy.4. You may be suffering from an illness or require long-term care.5. You may be considering surrendering your policy but want a more lucrative alternative.6. You may think your insurance is underperforming and would prefer to get cash out of your policy now so you can use it for immediate benefits or put it into investments with higher rates of return.Reasons will differ depending on personal situations, and a good financial advisor will be able to tell you if life settlement funding is the right option for you.Who Is Eligible?Though regulations and guidelines may vary, life settlement is generally available to seniors 70 years of age or older with a life expectancy of 3-15 years who have a life insurance policy that has been in place for a minimum of 2 years and a benefit amount of at least $250,000.You can take a simple test to see if you are eligible or qualify as a candidate for life settlement funding. Complete a quick questionnaire online, or consult with a professional financial advisor.Life settlement funding can be an excellent way to obtain additional cash; however, it is important that you have a thorough understanding of this option and are aware of all the regulations for your particular state. It would be advisable to hire an expert or professional life settlement company that has experience in this area and will be able to guide you through the process.
Life Settlements are Safer than Ever
Life Settlements have just gotten safer than ever. New legislation governing and regulating the industry is constantly being enacted and the changes are always to the client or prospects benefit. Life Settlements are a valuable financial tool and now they are safer than ever!
Last month, one of the newest in a progression of extremely important legislation was passed in New York concerning the activities of Life Settlement Brokers. The act was made up of proscriptions that concern the privacy and protection of applicant’s medical and financial information. These new Regulations will ensure that any information give to a Broker or a Funder by prospective Life Settlements customers, will be completely confidential, private, and protected under these new legislative measures.
There have been other Insurance laws enacted in the past that have tried to address the issue of making this immensely profitable enterprise safer and more protective toward possible applicants. The beginning of the industry dealt mainly with Viatical Settlements, which focused on client’s with life threatening illness or terminal conditions. Since then however, Life Settlements have grown to benefit who may no longer need, want, or are able to afford current insurance policies, and instead of letting them lapse or taking a cash out amount, they may now receive a sizable lump sum amount for their policy. This allows insurance policies, which previously had little to no value for clients during their life, to be converted into liquid cash and can become a very valuable asset.
More legislation is coming to increase the possible benefit of a Life Settlement for savvy senior investors, clients, and prospects. Many of the new laws will completely remove the threat of STOLI, or stranger originated life insurance, that can be used to take advantage of ill-prepared seniors. More information and disclosures will be mandatory, and these much safer regulations will make sure that each applicant will have the most profitable, speedy, and secure Life Settlement Transaction. To find out more of these new rules for your benefit, and to use Life Settlements Calculators to see your own situation, please see the contact information below.