Viatical Life Settlement Blog

Viatical.org operates on a direct-to-consumer platform. Institutional investors are able to look at your policy directly with no broker or middleman. 

Whether you are healthy and trying to sell your term insurance to get the hidden value in cash or whether you’re sick and trying to utilize the value in your insurance policy as a viatical settlement to pay for alternate care, you should always have your policy appraised before trying to sell it. 

It usually only takes a 5-minute phone call to learn if you and your policy qualify for a life settlement or a viatical settlement. Every case is different. Please just give us a call and we’ll try to help you.   

Viatical.org Platform Process

Our direct-to-consumer platform for viatical settlements and life settlements is simple and easy to understand.

The Viatical.org Platform Process is simple:  need realized, document gathering, policy review, offer, closing documents, and funding.  Follow our viatical life settlement blog for news and changes.

Need Realized 

If you realize you no longer need, want, or can afford your policy, it is a good idea to explore life settlements. Give us a call to determine if you are likely to qualify for a sale.

You can learn if you’re likely to qualify to sell your policy for cash in a short 5-minute phone call. 

Document Gathering 

The Viatical.org platform will automatically gather compliance documents, insurance policy illustrations and your medical information. This information is needed by licensed life insurance buyers in your state to evaluate your policies value and make a cash offer for your life insurance policy.  There is no application and the forms that allow the platform to gather your necessary information for your policy appraisal can be completed on your phone or computer in a matter of minutes.  

Policy Review 

After all pertinent information has been gathered, direct buyers will review and price your policy and specifics to determine if your policy has value as a life settlement or viatical settlement. Assuming your policy has value in the secondary market, licensed buyers can then bid for your policy.

Offer 

If there was a value in your life insurance policy, and you wish to sell your policy, cash offers will be presented to you. Should you choose to accept an offer, funds will then be escrowed, and your policy will move to the closing stage.

Closing Documents 

After offer acceptance, closing contract documents will be generated by a licensed provider in your state. Viatical.org typically arranges a Notary to assist you with your closing documents from your closing Provider.

Following signature of contract documents, change of ownership documents are submitted to the insurance company.

Funding 

Once change of ownership and beneficiary has been completed and confirmed by your insurance company, the funds in escrow will be released to you. The institutional fund purchasing your policy is now responsible for all future premiums, even if you retain some of the death benefit for your family.

There is no pressure when selling your life insurance policy direct on the Viatical.org platform. There is no application, fee, or obligation to have your life insurance policy appraised. Viatical.org has been helping consumers for over 15 years and we would be happy to help you.  

Follow our Viatical Life Settlement Blog for news and any changes that may impact your qualification.


  • Companies That Buy Life Insurance Policies Direct
    Companies that buy life insurance policies direct have changed the entire life settlement industry. Until 2016, when we introduced the direct model at the LISA (Life Insurance Settlement Association) conference, anyone looking to sell their life insurance policy essentially had to go through a life settlement broker. Viatical.org Direct Platform In 2016, the Viatical.org direct platform was introduced as a way for consumers to get their policies in front of companies that buy life insurance policies direct from the consumer. Some brokers work hard to sell your life insurance policy and it can be involved and expensive, but others essentially just …See More
  • The Best Company to Sell Your Life Insurance Policy to?
    The best company to sell your life insurance policy to is the one that will net you the most money for your life insurance policy, provided they are licensed. Non-licensed entities and individuals are permitted to purchase 1 or 2 policies per year in most states, and there are groups that actively solicit to that end. It is always best to deal with a licensed buyer. Who is licensed to buy life insurance policies? Life Settlement Providers are licensed to purchase life insurance policies, but most of them purchase policies to sell to institutional buyers or buy policies on various …See More
  • Sell Your Term Life Insurance Policy for Cash
    You may be able to cash out your term life insurance policy and actually sell your term life insurance policy for cash. This comes as a shock to many policy owners who mistakenly assume that when the term on your life insurance policy is up, your insurance and all the premiums you have paid over the years are simply gone. If your health has slipped since you purchased your term life insurance policy, you may now have a hidden value in your term life insurance policy, value that you can access NOW as a cash payment for your policy. Types …See More
  • Viatical Settlement
    A viatical settlement could be a potential solution to financial distress which is all too often correlated to a terminal or chronic illness. A viatical settlement is when the terminally ill sell their life insurance policy to a third-party buyer of life insurance policies, for a cash settlement which is less than the death benefit. You do not have to be terminally ill to sell your life insurance policy, but your age and the status of your health are the primary drivers of value in life insurance sold in the secondary market. It stands to reason that someone who is …See More
  • Sell My Life Insurance Policy
    You can’t just say “Sell my life insurance policy” to someone and expect to get the most cash for your insurance policy. If someone tells you it is fast and easy to sell your life insurance policy, there is a good chance you are not going to get the most money for the sale of your insurance. Look at it as if you are selling a home. Life insurance is also property. There are some Real Estate investors that will offer to buy your home in a day, but they rarely pay anywhere near the true market price. It’s often …See More
  • Enhanced Cash Surrender Value Offer
    Guaranteed Universal Life (GUL) Guaranteed Universal Life contracts are the policies that life insurance companies are trying to get off the streets. The reason is that they are guaranteed to pay a death benefit to you, provided you pay the premiums that were stipulated when you bought your life insurance policy. It does not matter if you have a cash value on a GUL, provided you pay your premiums, your life insurance company will ultimately have to pay the claim when you die. Though estimates vary, it is safe to say that somewhere around 90% of all life insurance policies …See More
  • Life Insurance is Property
    When asked ‘Who is your Insurance Agent?’ People often answer us with their P&C agent or simply say they do not have one. An agent is only mentioned if they are trusted.  This circumstance creates a tremendous opportunity for a trusted Property and Casualty Agent to both benefit their client and qualify for the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) with life insurance commissions as they augment their income.  Qualifications for the MDRT in 2023 are $69,000 in commissions or $138,000 in premiums. If your concentration is property insurance, you likely have literally sat across the table from MDRT qualification and …See More
  • Sell Your Expiring Term Insurance for Cash.
    Sell your expiring term insurance for cash, if you qualify. Most people still have no idea that if you qualify, you might be able to sell your expiring term insurance for cash, today. It usually only takes a 5-minute call to learn if you’re likely to qualify or not. Even healthy people, if they have the right policy and are the right age, could qualify to sell an unneeded term insurance policy and possibly even get the equivalent of all the money they paid for the insurance coverage over the years. Insurance companies rely on an astronomical lapse rate when …See More
  • Life Settlement Taxation
    What is the tax basis of a Life settlement and how does this affect life settlement taxation? Changes from the TCJA Act 2017 You should always have your life insurance policy appraised, and yes it is often possible to qualify to sell your life insurance for cash to pay for healthcare or any other needs you may have. Your life insurance could be the emergency fund you need, but there are life settlement taxation considerations. A lump sum of cash from the sale of your life insurance can indeed help you take back control of your healthcare decisions, but you absolutely need to …See More
  • Cancer Should Be the Worst Thing About Cancer
    It is devastating enough to watch a loved one’s health decline or to be faced with the fact that you may be taken away from your family by a disease.  But the added stress of paying for cancer treatment while being unable to work is also counter to healing. Focus should be on providing (or seeking) what you feel is the best care possible – not on paying for cancer treatment.  Unfortunately, that care is absolutely limited by your financial resources and health insurance. Finding what you feel is the best cancer care for you or your loved ones may …See More
  • Life Settlement Broker Or Life Settlement Provider: The Financial Advisor’s Dilemma
    Most Advisors rely on a life settlement broker to assist them in the sale of a life insurance policy, but some Advisors work directly with life insurance providers. Unlike with precious metals, stocks or bonds, there is no centralized exchange for Life Settlements. Every situation is unique because life insurance policies have different provisions, costs of insurance and premium schedules, and this has to be contrasted against the unique health of the underlying insured. Life Settlement Broker The secondary market for life insurance is more akin to Real Estate, where the asset is unique. Life Settlement Brokerages work to gather …See More
  • Florida Life Insurance Law Adds To Life Settlement Regulation
    Life Insurance Companies in Florida can no longer suppress valuable information from Life Insurance policy owners. The Prohibited Insurance Acts Bill, or HB 1007, now forces Life Insurance companies to allow the disclosure of alternative options available to life insurance policy owners who are considering lapsing, surrendering, or canceling their Life Insurance policy.   The Florida Life Insurance Law requires Florida Insurance Companies to create designated Anti-Fraud Departments and hire an employee who is solely focused on anti-fraud oversight.   The passage of HB 1007 is a major win for Consumer Advocates in the Life Insurance industry. Darwin M. Bayston, …See More
  • Sell Your Life Insurance Policy? Why Would You?
    Why would you sell your life insurance policy? Well, some studies state that more than 80 percent of life insurance policies never pay out a death benefit, others say as many as 80 percent of life insurance policies never pay out a death benefit. Either way, it’s safe to say that only around 20 percent of beneficiaries are seeing proceeds from the insured’s life insurance policy. By selling your life insurance policy in the secondary market, you may receive an amount equivalent to, or even more than, the premiums that were paid over the years. Sure, some policies come with a cash …See More
  • Who Qualifies For A Viatical Settlement
    How do know who qualifies for a viatical settlement? And what is a viatical settlement? Viatical Settlement: Definition A viatical settlement by definition is “a financial transaction whereby a person with a terminal illness sells their life insurance policy to a third party for less than the face amount of the policy but more than the cash value in the policy.”  How do you know how much value is in your policy? Above all else – how do you qualify? No two policies are the same when you consider the premiums that have been paid over the years, the age …See More
  • Financial Assistance And Solutions For Cancer Patients
    Patients who receive terminal diagnoses often look for financial assistance and solutions to deal with unexpected, serious financial pressure. Travel, treatment, medications, and keeping up with household expenses can be a daunting task. In this article we will discuss financial assistance and solutions for cancer patients. You’re seated in a blue, soft, upholstered chair in your doctor’s office. Your family is seated in identical chairs right beside you. You look at each other, nervously awaiting the test results, knowing your world may soon change. In these last few moments, before your doctor arrives to deliver the news that will change your …See More
  • Things You Should Know Before Canceling Your Life Insurance Policy
    If you are canceling a life insurance policy with a cash value, it is likely that you know what that value is. You pay into your life insurance policy over the years and there’s a cash value element and a cash surrender value element on some policies. In essence that’s the amount of money the insurance company is willing to pay you for your life insurance policy. If you have a term life insurance policy you know how much cash you’re getting back from the policy when you decide you no longer need it. And the amount you’ll get with a …See More
  • The Life Settlement Market & Buyers
    Navigating the Life Settlement Market The life settlement market is simply a marketplace of life settlement buyers. Life settlement buyers are looking for life insurance policy owners that may benefit from the possibility of getting cash immediately. If you are a qualified candidate, you may find that selling your life insurance policy to a life settlement buyer may unlock a hidden value in your policy. In order to sell your policy, life settlement brokers often compile and review your medical history and the costs of keeping your policy in force. Upon reviewing this information, and once life settlement brokers contact …See More
  • Get Cash for Your Life Insurance Policy
      Did you know that you can get cash for your life insurance policy? Or have you ever wondered, “Can I cash-in life insurance while I am still alive?” Good news – the answer is yes, and there are several ways to get cash for your life insurance policy. If you suffer from a chronic illness, you may be able to borrow against your life insurance policy to assist with medical bills, living expenses, additional care or alternative therapies. This option is called a Life Insurance Advance. A Life Insurance Advance is a loan, and allows you to keep ownership and …See More
  • The History of the Viatical Settlement
    The viatical settlement industry developed in the 1980’s when people around the world started dying from AIDS. The history of viatical settlements can be traced back to a 1911 Supreme Court decision in Grigsby v. Russell that established that a life insurance policy is an asset.
  • Terminal Cancer Diagnosis, What Now?
    Being diagnosed with terminal cancer is enough to make anyone cry. Once you have had time to come to terms with the reality of the situation, you will face the prospects of expensive treatment and care. If you own a life insurance policy, you may be able to sell it for a lump sum of cash in the secondary market for insurance, and use the money to relieve the financial burden of cancer.
  • Can I Buy Life Insurance Policies from the Secondary Market?
    Buying life insurance policies in the secondary market for insurance is not a suitable investment for most individual investors. Investors should only transact with someone who is licensed in viatical settlements. While the returns can be excellent, life settlements also carry significant risk. Suitable accredited investors include individuals with a high net worth and institutions with strong financial backing.
  • How do I Invest in Viatical Settlements?
    Investing in viatical settlements can be a good way for accredited investors to earn solid returns on their money without taking market risk. You should only deal with a licensed vatical settlement company. You must be aware of the risks and the fact that return on investment is not known until the insured passes away.
  • What are the Costs Associated with Paying for Cancer Treatment?
    Out of pocket costs for the treatment and care of cancer patients can put a tremendous financial strain on both patients and their families. One possible way to relieve that financial pressure of paying for cancer treatments is to consider a viatical settlement in the secondary market for insurance.
  • What is the Secondary Life Insurance Market?
    The secondary market for life insurance exists to connect owners of life insurance policies, who want to sell their policies, with third parties who are interested in purchasing those life insurance policies. If you have a dramatic decline in your health and need money while you are alive, have your policy appraised to see how much you might get by selling it in the secondary life insurance market.
  • The Viatical Settlement Process Explained
    Understanding the viatical settlement process can help you make the right decision when considering the sale of a life insurance policy that you own. The viatical life insurance settlement process is not any more complicated than the process of buying a life insurance policy.
  • Top 10 Reasons to Get A Viatical Settlement
    Read our list of the top reasons for a Viatical Settlement. Caring for a family member who has been diagnosed with a terminal illness can be almost as tough as being the patient with the shortened life expectancy. Viatical settlements may help you cope with the financial demands in such a situation.
  • Are Viatical Settlement Taxes Ordinary Income?
    A viatical settlement gives terminally ill individuals cash in exchange for their life insurance policies. In most cases, viatical settlements, life insurance payments to the terminally ill, are not taxable.
  • What is a Viatical Life Insurance Settlement?
    The simple explanation of what is a viatical life insurance settlement, is a terminally ill patient receives a cash payment for a life insurance policy they own. A more in-depth viatical settlement definition is a transaction where a person who has a life insurance policy and a terminal illness sells his interest as an insured to a viatical settlement company. The settlement company then makes a cash payment to the owner in exchange for ownership of the insurance policy. When the insured dies, the settlement company receives a return on its investment in the form of the proceeds from the …See More
  • What Does a Viatical Settlement Provider Do?
    If you’re facing a terminal illness and have a life insurance policy that you can no longer afford to make payments on, a viatical settlement provider can offer a solution to your problem. Life Insurance Payout Pros and Cons of a Viatical Settlement Receiving an early death benefit has distinct advantages: To exclude your settlement payment from your taxable income, you’ll need a certification from your doctor confirming that you are expected to live for 24 months or less. The disadvantage of taking an early settlement is that your current beneficiary won’t receive life insurance benefits when you die. The …See More

Types of Life Settlements

Do Your Homework. Get A Consultation

Life Insurance Settlement Quote

Do you qualify to sell your life insurance policy for cash?