Tag Archives: life settlement

Life Settlement Group to Educate Public on Securitization

Life Settlements Likely to be Hot Regulatory Topic

The life settlement industry has seen an increase in the recognition in the weeks following a New York Times story of securitization of life settlements. Congress has already held hearings on these investments and the likely impact they will have on the financial markets. We will stay on top of this issue as it is very important for life settlement hedge funds and other managers who may want to enter this market through securitized investments.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 7, 2009

Life Settlement Society to Host Educational Webinar Series Beginning Oct. 22 Focusing on Securitization and Congressional Hearings

International Society of Life Settlement Professionals (ISLSP) convenes group of industry experts to offer insight into Life Settlement securitization and commentary on recent congressional hearings

SCOTTSDALE, AZ – The International Society of Life Settlement Professionals (ISLSP) has formed an education committee, to be headed by industry founder Wm. Scott Page. The committee will organize and host a series of educational webinars beginning Thursday, October 22. This first of three monthly webinars will serve as a follow-up meeting to discuss the recent Senate Finance Subcommittee hearing regarding the life settlement industry as well as recent issues gaining meaningful attention in the marketplace such as life settlement securitization.

The three ISLSP webinars are dedicated to investor and industry education with goals of clarifying benefits and misconceptions, while also providing a forum for extensive Q&A sessions and direct exchange of information among carefully selected top professionals in the industry.

“Our webinar sessions will enable participants to perform objective and in-depth analysis of industry developments and expose any conduct that would diminish the value of life settlement transactions,” said Andreas Hauss, ISLSP founder. “These transactions offer the seller needed liquidity and the investor non-correlated diversification to rebuild their wealth in these difficult economic times.”

The board of ISLSP has created the webinar series in response to the recent Senate hearing. This hearing was convened based on misconceptions about the prospective securitization of life settlement policies despite contrary and verifiable knowledge that life settlements now or in the near future do not pose risks similar to those experienced with mortgage backed securities.

In particular, subcommittee member Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL) cautioned the committee to not confuse the Wall Street mischief that led to the current economic hardships with an industry that’s “helping people get the full value of their policies.” Closing his opening remarks he stated: “And I don’t think that this industry should be called upon to answer for the serious abuses that pervaded this economy in other areas over the past two years. And the sins of others should not descend on you.”

During the end of the hearing, committee Chairman Paul Kanjorski (D-PA), asked whether the panelists thought his committee was premature in holding the hearing, none did. Other committee members followed the lead by asking whether any panelists thought securitization of life settlements at this point could cause systemic risk to the world financial markets, again, none did.

According to George Polzer, ISLSP executive director, ISLSP is the only investor-oriented trade association exclusively dedicated to offering neutral, regular, easily accessible and understandable educational information for investors.

“To offer the highest and best price to the insured requires an efficient secondary market,” said Polzer. “Our association encourages investors to bring more capital, level the playing field and ultimately offer higher payouts.”

Event: ISLSP Webinar- “Understanding the Mechanism and Benefits of Life Settlements as an Investment”
When: 1st webinar October 21, 2009, 10:00 a.m. ET
More Information: For more information or to register visit www.islsp.org or call 480.278.5232.

About ISLSP
ISLSP was founded by an international team of pioneering life settlement professionals and investors seeking to codify a standard life settlement assessment guideline which allows objective and accurate determination of the true value and risks associated with purchasing life settlement investments. ISLSP attracts new capital to the industry by educating investors, maintaining best practices and facilitating networking among best of breed and professional business partners. Visit www.islsp.org for additional information.

CONTACT:
George Polzer, [email protected], 480.278.5232 (US)
Andreas Hauss, [email protected], +39-346-531-1151 (Europe)

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Other articles related to hedge funds and life settlements include:

Bart Mallon, Esq. runs hedge fund law blog and has written most all of the articles which appear on this website.  Mr. Mallon’s legal practice is devoted to helping emerging and start up hedge fund managers successfully launch a hedge fund.  If you are a hedge fund manager who is looking to start a hedge fund (including a fund focused on life settlement investments or premium finance), please call Mr. Mallon directly at 415-868-5345.

Securitizing Life Settlement Investments

New Investment Opportunities for Hedge Funds

A recent New York Times article discusses how some investment banks are planning to securitize life settlement policies.  The article explains that there is likely to be a strong demand for such securities.  Much like the securitization of mortgages, life settlement securities would have different tranches which would have different risk profiles.

We have talked earlier about the definition of life settlements and about life settlement hedge funds.  Over the past couple of months I have talked with a number of people involved in this aspect of the alternative investment industry and it seems to continue to be quite a lively little niche.  I believe that if these investments are securitized, this new asset class will be attractive for some hedge fund managers – either as a central investment program or as a compliment to their current hedge fund investment program.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out and how the SEC and various states will react.

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Other articles related to hedge funds and life settlements include:

Bart Mallon, Esq. runs hedge fund law blog and has written most all of the articles which appear on this website.  Mr. Mallon’s legal practice is devoted to helping emerging and start up hedge fund managers successfully launch a hedge fund.  If you are a hedge fund manager who is looking to start a hedge fund (including a fund focused on life settlement investments or premium finance), please call Mr. Mallon directly at 415-296-8510.

Life Settlement Hedge Funds – Are Life Settlements Securities?

Many life settlement hedge fund managers which establish life settlement hedge funds come from the insurance industry (although we have dealt with managers who are also registered as investment advisors).  Accordingly, many managers are surprised when we discuss the issue of potential investment advisory registration.  The central question is whether life settlements are securities.  Continue reading

Life Settlement Hedge Funds – What is a Life Settlement?

Over the past few years life settlements have become a more attractive investment opportunity and there is an increase in the amount of hedge funds which are being formed to invest in various life settlement strategies.  This article will discuss life settlements and will introduce some of the issues which hedge fund managers should discuss with their attorney if they want to start a life settlement hedge fund.

From Viaticals to Life Settlements and Premium Finance

Life Settlements are the younger sibling to the Viatical industry which was popular in the 1980’s with regard to AIDS patients (see SEC description of Viatical’s below).  A “life settlement” usually refers to a secondary market transaction on an insurance policy.  Typically an insured will sell its insurance policy to a third party (the investor) who will pay the insured more than the cash surrender value of the policy, but less than the death benefit.  The investor will then be liable for the premium payments and will receive the death benefit upon the death of the insured. Continue reading

Sale of Viatical Investments as Securities (Washington State)

This release is from the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions.

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In 1999, Securities Administrator Deborah Bortner sent out a letter to insurance agents in the State of Washington regarding the applicability of the state securities laws to the offer and sale of viatical settlement contracts to investors. Under such a contract, a terminally ill person sells the death benefit in his or her life insurance policy in return for cash that can be used for current expenses. Continue reading