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The life settlement market is a multi-billion-dollar industry where institutional investors purchase existing life insurance policies from policyholders, with annual transaction volume exceeding $4 billion.

The Life Settlement Market

The Market

A $4 billion market you probably didn't know existed.

The secondary market for life insurance is one of the least understood corners of financial services — and one of the most active.

Market size

Over $4 billion in annual life settlement transactions. The number is large — but it represents a fraction of what's available.

Hundreds of billions in eligible policies go unsettled every year. The market is growing as awareness increases. More advisors are learning about life settlements. More policyholders are finding out they have options.

$4B+

Annual transactions

$200B+

Policies lapsing annually — unsold

Growing

Market trajectory year over year

Who are the buyers?

Institutional investors: pension funds, endowments, hedge funds, insurance companies, asset managers.

These aren't speculators. They're sophisticated investors allocating to an uncorrelated asset class — one whose returns don't move with the stock market or interest rates. Life settlements have become a legitimate institutional alternative investment.

What drives value?

Multiple factors determine what a buyer will pay for your policy. The combination of these factors is unique to every policy — which is why every offer is different.

Age

Older insureds generally command higher valuations

Health

Health history shapes life expectancy estimates

Policy type

Universal life, whole life, and convertible term all qualify

Face value

Larger death benefits attract more institutional interest

Premium structure

Lower future premiums increase the policy's net value

Carrier rating

Highly-rated carriers are preferred by institutional buyers

Policy duration

Seasoned policies past contestability are more attractive

The awareness gap

An estimated $200 billion in policies lapse or surrender every year. Most of those policyholders never knew selling was an option.

That's the real story of this market. Not the billions transacted — but the billions left on the table by people who simply weren't told they had a choice.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How big is the life settlement market?

The life settlement market processes over $4 billion in annual transaction volume. Institutional investors — pension funds, asset managers, and hedge funds — are the primary buyers.

Is the life settlement industry growing?

Yes. The market has grown steadily as awareness increases and more policyholders learn that selling a policy is an alternative to surrendering or lapsing. Institutional capital continues to flow into the space.

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