Some structured settlement brokers and settlement planners are advising their clients to use qualified settlement funds (via trusts or segregated accounts) as a means to give the plaintiff “full structured settlement annuity market access” in those cases where the plaintiff faces a defendant’s insurer with a limited approved list of annuity issuers. Many times this is marketing hype.
Full market access, in cases involving single claimant qualified settlement funds, is not a sure thing.
The only company that is overtly Single Claimant QSF friendly is Independent Life Insurance Company, a company in the industry since 2018, that writes both qualified and non-qualified structured settlements.
If you elect to go the qualified settlement fund route on a single claimant case, your primary reason to do so is your settlement planners promise of “full structured settlement annuity market access”, and a structured settlement is desired by you or your client,be absolutely sure that the available market(s) are competitive. If your structured settlement broker or settlement planner claims to have full market access for single claimant qualified settlement funds, insist on proof in writing.
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