Inside the Life Settlement Industry

Abstract

As a portal to institutional investors and a gateway to settlement brokers, the provider plays a pivotal role in the secondary market supply chain. This article discusses key issues and challenges faced by providers in the current life settlements market. Attracting stable sources of financing is “job one” and critical to the success of a provider company. From the regulators9 and legislators9 perspective, a primary focus will center on transaction transparency and disclosure to the consumer of all commissions paid. Operational challenges include staying abreast of licensure and compliance issues, developing teams of highly skilled life settlement professionals, credentialing industry professionals, developing robust data analytics and data management capabilities, addressing privacy issues, conducting due diligence on investors, and educating novice brokers so as to better manage product flow. As the life settlements industry matures, sustaining the momentum will require a shift away from “managing the supply chain” to “creating a value chain” that emphasizes greater value and transparency to the consumer.