Although most life insurance policy types
qualify, the policy (coverage) must be at least $50,000,
and the policy must have been in force for a minimum of two
years.
The following are the types of policies
that can qualify for a life settlement:
Term
Universal life
Whole life
Survivorship
Key Man or COLI (Corporate Owned Life
Insurance)
Group life insurance (as long is it
is convertible)
Can I have my policy appraised even if I do not want to sell it now?
Yes. An appraisal should be a part of your
annual financial plan, as a life insurance policy is a financial
asset. US Life Settlements offers complimentary appraisals
without any obligation to sell your policy.
No; the purchasing institutions will price
your policy and give you an offer based on your medical records
obtained from your current physician. All information will
be kept strictly confidential in compliance with the Health
Insurance Portability & Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPPA).
Nearly 50% of policies
more than two years old can be replaced with the same coverage
for a lesser premium. Over the past decade, there has been
a significant decrease in mortality costs and insurance prices
have become more competitive. Should you decide to buy replacement
coverage, you can reduce or eliminate future premiums by
using the proceeds of your life settlement. In addition to
lower premiums, replacement coverage can also be more relevant
to your current situation (i.e. less or more coverage or
a second to die policy). Our team has decades of experience
in policy replacements and would be happy to assist you with
a replacement or review of your current policies.
What are the important points I should consider when choosing a life settlement
provider?
Many life settlement
brokers do not offer a full disclosure
policy to the client. US Life Settlements
offers the ability for clients to view
all incoming bids from qualified buyers.
Although life settlements
are regulated by each state’s department
of insurance, limited regulation currently
exists. The National Association of Insurance
Commissioners (NAIC) has created two model
ACTS which serve as a template of rules
for each state to adopt. However only a
limited number of states have adopted the
stringent NAIC models. US Life Settlements
has chosen to operate using both NAIC models
as guidelines in an attempt to self-regulate
the industry and to influence others to
do the same. In addition, to protect our
clients US Life Settlements only conducts
business with institutional buyers that
operate under the NAIC model acts.
How much money can I expect to receive for the sale of my policy?
The amount of money that you will be offered
for the sale of your policy will be influenced by the following
variables: age of the insured, cost of premiums, health status
of the insured, the type of policy, the insurance company
where the policy is held, supply and demand influences on
the timing of the sale and finally, a competitive bidding
and negotiation process.
How do I know I am receiving the most competitive offer for my policy?
US Life Settlements uses
two approaches to ensure that our clients
receive the most competitive offers for
their policies. The first approach utilizes
our own proprietary appraisal system to
establish a policy’s approximate
value. This allows your case manager to
compare incoming bids against the policy’s
appraised value.
Second, US Life Settlements
will be submitting your policy to all of
the nation’s largest qualified buyers.
These buyers will be bidding on your policy
in a blind auction environment. An initial
round of bidding will allow all interested
qualified buyers to make an offer on the
policy. The second round of bidding will
narrow the top five buyers down to three
remaining bidders. These three buyers will
have one last round of competitive bidding
for the policy involving negotiations on
behalf of the client. This process can
be explained further in a free consultation
with a US Life Settlement representative
in your area.
The following is provided for informational
purposes only. US Life Settlements does not provide tax advice.
The taxation of a life settlement may vary state by state,
therefore please consult with any tax related issues such
as a life settlement . The life settlement proceeds are treated
as follows:
Tax free up to the amount invested or
the base amount (premiums paid)
Ordinary income is due on the amount
up to the cash surrender value
Capital gains tax is due on the amount
above the cash surrender value
US Life Settlements
represents only the best interests of our clients. Our team
honors our fiduciary responsibility to provide each client
with their best available options, even if it means recommending
a client keep their current policy in force.
US Life Settlements has strong working
relationships with each of the largest qualified life settlement
buyers in the life settlement arena. US Life Settlements
will package your policy and each buyer will compete against
one another for the opportunity to purchase your policy.
Because US Life Settlements markets your policy to so many
qualified buyers who must bid over your policy, our client's
policies receive the most competitive offers for the sale
of their policies. in order to work with US Life Settlements
and have access to our clients policies, each qualified
buyer must pass a thorough review to ensure both qualification
and reliability.
Can I reverse my decision after I have received the settlement cash?
If you reverse your decision once you have
sold your policy, you have up to15 days to cancel the life
settlement contract. The purchaser will return ownership
rights once the money has been returned. By law, some states
allow up to 30 days for you to cancel. The guidelines for
the rescission period will be explained in detail in the
Life Settlement Purchase & Sale Agreement, which can
vary on a state-by-state basis.
What if the insured dies immediately following the sale of the policy?
If the insured should pass away at any
time up to the 15th day after you receive the proceeds from
the settlement, the settlement contract will automatically
cancel. The buyer will pay the original policy owner or the
beneficiaries any proceeds it receives from the policy (minus
any money already paid for the purchase of the policy and
any premiums paid to the insurance company to keep the policy
in force).
Will I need to be responsible for gathering my medical records?
You will not be responsible
for gathering your medical records for a life settlement.
Your US Life Settlements specialist will ask you to complete
an application and a medical release form that will allow
us to gather the necessary information from your life insurance
company and your doctors. By law, all information gathered
will be kept confidential and cannot be distributed without
your consent.