The number of news articles published in 2018 by mainstream news organizations regarding the advantages of selling unwanted life insurance policies took a noticeable upturn.

Although the secondary market for life insurance has been helping seniors monetize unwanted policies for more than 20 years, it is viewed in some circles as a nascent market with an uncertain future.

But that’s no longer the case.

Over the past several years, the life settlement market has grown stronger as perceptions by both sellers and buyers have evolved. In our view, the market’s growth and changing attitudes that have occurred within the last 24 months is attributed to a combination of the following factors:

1. Federal tax law changes that doubled the estate tax exclusion making many policies obsolete
2. Positive news coverage, as summarized below
3. Prudent regulatory initiatives by the states which boosts consumer confidence
4. Readily accessible educational content such as articles found on the blog page of our website.

In addition to the noticeable increase this year in the number of news articles (see curated list below) by well-known media outlets, industry experts have recently weighed in on the market’s future.  According to a press announcement dated November 5, 2018 by investment management and industry research firm Conning Inc., the life settlement market is strong and continues on an upward trajectory. Conning also noted that driving the growth over time is demographics -- the aging of Baby Boomers and their need to pay for long-term care coverage,

Based on our many years’ of brokerage experience in the industry, we believe 2018 was a turning point for the volume of objective news articles from major publications regarding the advantages of selling unwanted policies in the secondary market.

Education is key

Today’s seniors and aging Baby Boomers are sophisticated consumers who do their research. The Internet has made it easier for consumers to look under the hood and weigh all the options before making an informed decision.
Many professional advisors and consumers who have contacted us state they found us through a Google search. Some have told us they value the educational information on our blog site which helped them better understand the merits of life settlements depending upon the specific situation and the qualification factors.  

As life settlement brokers, our marketing philosophy is simple. “Educate the audience and let the product sell itself.”
And once the decision is made to sell a policy, our role as life settlement brokers is to help policy owners to “sell with confidence.”

Curated Headlines from 2018:  Life Settlements Year in Review

To make it easier for professional advisors and their clients to stay abreast of recent news involving the growth of the secondary market for life insurance, we’ve curated a summary of what the editors, journalists, and contributing writers of major publications have said about life settlements over the past year.

From media brands such as Forbes, Kiplinger, and The Chicago Tribune, to senior-oriented media such as NextAvenue.org, a quick review ofthe news headlines listed below help illustrate that life settlements are becoming more widely recognized as the sensible alternative to lapse or surrender.

January 2, 2018 ─ Forbes.com
“What should you do about the life insurance you no longer need?”

January 15, 2018 ─ Forbes.com
“What the wealthy should consider because of the higher estate tax exemption levels”

January 25, 2018 ─ New Jersey Business, NJ.com
“Should Mom sell her life insurance policy”

March 4, 2018 ─ New Jersey Herald
“How to get cash for your life insurance policy”

March 18, 2018 ─ The Motley Fool
“15 smart insurance moves you can make right now”

April 20, 2018 ─ U.S. News & World Report
“What to do with an expensive life insurance policy”

May 2018 ─ Financier Worldwide
“Life settlements in 2018”

May 2018 ─ The CPA Journal
“Planning during terminal illness”

May 2018 ─ The CPA Journal
“The Impact of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on Life Insurance”

May 15, 2018 ─ CNBC
“One option for your unwanted life insurance policy: Sell it”

Sept. 1, 2018 ─ Kiplinger.com
“Time to reassess your life insurance”

Sept. 6, 2018 ─ NextAvenue.org
“Boomers: Should you sell your life insurance policy?

Sept. 18, 2018 ─ PR Newswire.com
“Asset Life Settlements publishes white paper for financial advisors”

Sept. 26, 2018 ─ Financial Planning
“Sometimes clients don’t need that life insurance policy”

October 10, 2018 ─ Chicago Tribune
“Retirement: Life Insurance under the new tax law”

November 5, 2018 ─ PR Newswire.com
“Life Settlements Market Growth Continues into 2018”

Take away
As the above headlines indicate, the life settlement market has proven its efficacy as a sensible solution for senior consumers who want to unwind and monetize a stagnant asset they no longer need. The ability to use the proceeds to pay for long-term care and pay for other retirement expenses helps tip the scales for those who are weighing their options.

If you are a financial advisor or senior policy owner in the process of weighing the advantages of selling a policy, we invite you to explore our resource center and blog page. You’ll discover how many seniors we’ve helped have been freed from costly premium payments for policies they no longer wanted, and how other seniors enhanced their lifestyle by untapping the liquidity of a cash asset they did not know existed.

For financial and insurance advisors, our blog articles are excellent instructional tools, especially for those new to representing their clients in life settlement transactions.

If you have questions life settlements or would like to discuss a potential case, we will be happy to answer your questions and provide an immediate pricing analysis. Call us at 1-855-768-9085.