For Agents & Advisors

How do advisors identify clients who may benefit from a life settlement?

Clients who may benefit from a life settlement often fall into a few clear categories. In many cases, they no longer need the coverage, cannot comfortably afford rising premiums, are approaching a policy lapse, or have experienced changes in their health, retirement plans, or estate planning needs.

Advisors can often identify potential life settlement opportunities during routine policy reviews. As clients age and financial priorities evolve, the original purpose of a life insurance policy may change. For example, a policy initially purchased to protect young children or cover a mortgage may no longer be necessary once those obligations have been met. When the coverage is no longer essential, selling the policy may provide meaningful value that would otherwise be lost if the policy is surrendered or allowed to lapse.

Certain types of policies tend to appear more frequently in the life settlement market. Advisors should pay particular attention to clients holding older universal life policies with rising costs of insurance, large face-value policies held in trusts, or term policies nearing expiration that include conversion rights. In some cases, converting a term policy to a permanent policy and then exploring the settlement market may create additional value for the client.

Another important signal is when clients express concern about the long-term affordability of their premiums. Retirees living on fixed incomes may find it increasingly difficult to maintain large policies they purchased earlier in life. When clients begin discussing surrendering a policy or allowing it to lapse, it can be an appropriate moment to evaluate whether a life settlement might provide a better financial outcome.

Advisors may also encounter settlement opportunities when clients experience health changes that alter the expected duration of the policy. Because life settlement investors evaluate policies based partly on life expectancy estimates, changes in health status can sometimes increase the potential market value of a policy.

The key is awareness. Advisors who regularly review their clients’ insurance portfolios and ask thoughtful questions about changing financial needs are more likely to identify situations where a life settlement could be beneficial. A simple eligibility check or preliminary policy review can often determine whether a client may want to explore the secondary market further.

By recognizing these signals early, advisors can help clients make more informed decisions about policies they may no longer want or need, while potentially unlocking value that would otherwise go unused.

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