
Regardless, typically the process to life settlements will look something like this:
- Research and determine what life settlement company you’d like to work with.
- Complete your application.
- Provide the right documentation, including medical records that can show your general health condition.
- The life settlement company will review your application and if all is well you’ll be sent to underwriting.
Full Answer
How long does it take to get a life settlement?
You can start the life settlement process by submitting a questionnaire, authorization, insurance carrier illustrations, and your past five years of medical records. The company does complete a background check to prevent fraud. The sales process may take up to 30 days.
Can I Sell my Life insurance policy to a settlement provider?
Whether you need cash for high medical bills, a divorce, or other living expenses, it may be possible to sell your life insurance policy to a life settlement provider. However, without federal regulation, it can be tough to know which companies to work with.
How to find the best life settlement providers?
To find the best life settlement providers, we compared 15 of the leading companies based on reputation, nationwide availability, customer service, sales process, and more. These are the six best life settlement companies the industry has to offer.
Do I need an advocate for a life settlement?
The representation of an advocate, such as an agent, advisor or attorney, is not necessary for a life settlement; many seniors handle their settlements on their own. But if you feel more confident working with an advocate, you will want to get that person early in the process.

Determine your eligibility for a life settlement
Using the Magna Life Settlement’s calculator, first determine whether your medical status and the specifics of your policy make you a good fit for a settlement.
Decide if you want to involve an advocate
The representation of an advocate, such as an agent, advisor or attorney, is not necessary for a life settlement; many seniors handle their settlements on their own. But if you feel more confident working with an advocate, you will want to get that person early in the process.
Submit an in-force illustration
With the help of a Magna case administrator, you will request an illustration from your life insurance carrier that spells out what the minimum premium costs would be if you kept the policy until it matures – typically at age 100 – and if the net policy account value at maturity was $1,000.
Submit additional paperwork and schedule medical interview
At this point, you will fill out a HIPAA form protecting your privacy, complete a medical questionnaire and schedule a time for an interview about your health history.
Wait for Magna review and informal offer
Then, your Magna representative will calculate the value of your policy and decide whether or not to make you an informal offer, pending the next steps of information gathering.
Magna obtains medical records and life expectancy report
These reports provide vital information so that Magna can calculate an offer that pays out the maximum amount for your policy.
Magna extends a formal offer
If the seller accepts the offer, he or she will receive cash in exchange for the surrender of a policy.
How to start a life insurance settlement?
You can start the life settlement process by submitting a questionnaire, authorization, insurance carrier illustrations, and your past five years of medical records. The company does complete a background check to prevent fraud. Coventry also offers a retained death benefit, allowing you to keep part of your policy’s payout after you stop paying premiums.
What is life settlement?
A life settlement occurs when you sell your existing life insurance policy to a third party for a one-time payment. Life settlements offer an alternative to cashing out your policy—a.k.a. getting the policy’s cash surrender value or cash value. After selling your policy, the buyer pays your premiums and receives the death benefit when you die. You may qualify for a life settlement if you are over 65 years old and have had your policy long enough to meet your state’s minimum. Typically, the death benefit of your policy must be at least $100,000.
Why do people give up life insurance?
As you get older, your life insurance policy only becomes more costly. It may even become unaffordable, so it's easy to see why so many people give up their policies. A 2019 study from the Society of Actuaries and LIMRA found that 4% of life insurance policies—worth billions of dollars—lapse every single year. 1 But if you need money, there is an alternative you may not have considered: life settlements.
What is the number one life insurance settlement provider?
Coventry earned the top spot on our list because of the company’s size and strong reputation. The company pioneered the life settlement industry by creating a secondary market for life insurance over 35 years ago. It’s the country’s biggest life settlement provider by a large margin—accounting for 40% of all transactions in 2020. Coventry was named the number-one life settlement provider in 2020 by The Deal. 2
How long does it take to sell Coventry insurance?
The sales process may take up to 30 days. Coventry also offers a retained death benefit, allowing you to keep part of your policy’s payout after you stop paying premiums. To qualify, you must be at least 65 years old or have a serious health condition with a life expectancy of less than 20 years.
How long does it take to get a life settlement from Abacus?
You may also accomplish the same thing by calling their team. The company completes a federal background check with the sales process taking 14 to 21 days.
Where is Q Capital Strategies?
Q Capital Strategies was founded in New York, New York , in 2004. The company’s team boasts more than 50 years of experience in life insurance and life settlements—and leverages technology to stay ahead of the competition. The company doesn’t have a Better Business Bureau listing.
Executives Retiring
CEOs and other C-level employees are a great example of those who will qualify for a key-man life insurance policy. When an executive decides to retire, there’s seldom any need for the business to maintain life insurance on the executive. In most cases, it’s a term policy that simply lapses.
Company growth
Businesses grow and change, and when this happens, companies may restructure to accommodate this growth. Consider a family-owned business like Ashar Group. It’s quite common for family businesses to take out life insurance policies on the owners, as the death of that person could potentially wipe out the one source of his or her family’s income.
A key-person sells stock in the company
If a key-person sells or otherwise relinquishes their stock or shares in the company, there may be no need to continue to keep insurance on that person. Rather than accept the cash surrender value, the business should sell the policy as a life settlement to recoup some of the associated costs.
What is debt settlement?
Debt settlement businesses are a third party that mediates between creditors and debt owners and make it easier to repay debt to all those stuck in the process. Such services are very valuable and can make life easier for a large number of people. If you want to learn more about how to start your own debt settlement business in a few easy steps, keep reading.
Why is it important to choose a name for a business?
The name is certainly an important element of any business. You want to choose someone who will be loud and clear enough to tell people what your business is about , such as Credit Associates. Take the time to think about this in detail and find a name that you will be completely satisfied with. Before you make a final choice, double-check that the name is free, or that another company may already be using it.
Is it good to plan at the beginning?
While this process may sound tedious, the fact is that good organization and planning at the outset can go a long way. If you do everything you need to do at the beginning, everything will go much smoother later.
Do debt settlement companies need special licenses?
Also, in some situations, the state does not require special licenses, but the companies you work with do.
