by John Darer CLU ChFC MSSC CeFT RSP CLTC
Has the "golden age of structured settlements" returned?
- March 2024 premium production for the structured settlement industry was $774 MILLION!
- Q1 2024 industry production was $2.273 BILLION, a new quarterly record
- On top of the Structured Settlement Industry's $8.68B Record Year in 2023
What's Behind Structured Settlement Industry Growth?
John Darer reviews what he sees
- One obvious reason is the return of interest rates post pandemic, beginning in 2022 which eventually eroded anti-selection bias. Contrast when in April 2020, the 10 year United States Treasury yielded 0.40% to the Internal Rates of Return seen in recent times on 10 year structures that have exceeded 4.5% and at times have exceeded 5%. Bear in mind that because periodic payments from qualified structured settlements (personal physical injury, physical sickness, wrongful death and workers compensation are income tax free[IRC 104(a)(1) and IRC 104(a)(2)], the payment recipient is benefiting from a very competitive taxable equivalent yield. See Tax Advantages of Structured Settlements | Taxable Equivalent Yield Chart (4structures.com)
- It is clear from multiple sources and surveys that decumulation risk is a major concern for Americans. In June 2023, Allianz claimed that Americans fear running out of money more than fear of death. Nobel laureate William Sharpe has called decumulation "the nastiest problem in Finance". Humans in Financial Transition are who we deal with. Structured settlements are an important part of the conversation and the solution.
- Years of declining interest rates encouraged producing structured settlement industry particpants (including settlement planners) to up their game and be better educated and skilled at what they do.
- Diversification of product offerings within the industry. Annuity issuers and other product providers have stepped up to the plate.
- Industry workflow systems continue to improve operating efficiency.
- Increased investment by product providers and brokers/planners in business development tools. MetLife has made the most visible marketing efforts to be seen everywhere
- Increased investment in knowledge by industry participants leads to more fluency in approach and delivery of services to clients and prospects that leads to greater opportunities
- Continued growth of flexible business models.
- To some extent, there are Pandemic era backlog cases continuing to work their way to resolution.
- To some extent the severity levels of claims have increased.
Why Structured Settlements? Because Certain Sells®
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