Structured Settlements 4Real®Blog 2026

Structured settlements expert John Darer reviews the latest structured settlements and settlement planning information and news, and provides expert opinion and highly regarded commentary. that is spicy, Informative, irreverent and effective for over 20 years.

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The STRUCTURED SETTLEMENTS 4REAL® Blog is a highly regarded source for structured settlement news, information, and commentary, led by structured settlement and settlement planning subect mater expert John Darer CLU ChFC MSSC CeFT RSP CLTC. With two decades of operation, the blog and 4structures.com are recognized as comprehensive resources, offering detailed guides and specialized insights. Established in 2005, the blog caters to a broad audience, including legal professionals, injured individuals, families, and various stakeholders, providing reviews and opinions on settlement planning. John Darer, President of 4structures.com LLC, is a seasoned structured settlement expert with over 40 years of financial services experience and 31 years specializing in structured settlements. Based in Stamford, CT, he is a Certified Financial Transitionist and Registered Settlement Planner, holding insurance licenses in 45 states and the District of Columbia. John Darer is dedicated to transparency and advocacy, he emphasizes the importance of engaging trained and licensed professionals for settlement planning, offering valuable insights through his investigative journalism and professional commentary.

Category: Financial Ratings Agencies

  • AM Best Guide to Understanding Insurance Ratings

    The Guide to Understanding Insurance Ratings in a very important NEW information resource for consumers, including tort victims, structured settlement consultants, settlement planners, financial planners, lawyers for tort victims, judges, corporate and insurance risk managers

  • Aviva Has A+ A.M. Best Rating Affirmed

    A.M. Best has reaffirmed the A+ (Superior) financial strength ratings of the Aviva Life companies, which include structured settlement annuity issuers Aviva Life Insurance Company and Aviva Life and Annuity Company of New York.

  • US Government Intervention with AIG Postmortem

    The core insurance business of AIG was not the problem that created the crisis. The fact that it took the financial media over 24 hours to let consumers know that the core insurance operations of AIG were safe was egregious and irresponsible reporting that led to needless panic among consumers.

  • AIG Takes Ratings Hit From A.M.Best, S&P and Fitch

    AIG’s subsidiary American General Life Insurance Company, one of two structured settlement annuity issuers under the AIG umbrella has had an A or better A.M. Best rating for the last 50 years.

  • New York Life Insurance Company “AAA” Affirmed by Fitch Rating for Largest Mutual Life Insurance Company in USA

    Founded in 1845, New York Life Insurance Company is the annuity issuer for New York LIfe structured settlements and is the largest mutual life insurance company in the United States.

  • Structured Settlement Annuity Companies have proven their Reliability and stability over time.

    Best’s Review named 63 insurers who have maintained a Best’s Financial Strength rating of A (Excellent) or better for at a least 75 years. A number of these companies issue structured settlement annuity policies, or are former issuers of structured settlement annuities.

  • Tweezing Splinters From Wood

    If settlement purchasers would drop their discount rates below 9%, keep their costs low and fair, ban the practice of factoring any structure settlement in force less than 2 years and stop the practice of advertising what they are not, the ride “on the road we travel” would be to a much better place.

  • Food for thought on Wentworth AAA rating

    I have some food for thought, but first a question… why does JG Wentworth have a AAA rating for the securitization of structured settlement payments? Upon Court approval, JG Wentworth pays structured settlement annuitants "cash now" in return for their structured settlement payment rights. In other words they receive the factored (sold or transferred) structured…

  • TheStreet.Com acquires assets of Weiss Ratings, Inc.

    It was reported today on the Business Wire that  that certain assets of Weiss Ratings, Inc. ("Ratings") a wholly owned subsidiary of Weiss Group, Inc. have been acquired by TheStreet.com  a leading provider of financial commentary, analysis and news. Ratings is an 18 year old company that provides independent financial evaluations in industries where it…

  • AM Best on Life/Health Insurer Exposure to Sub Prime

    A.M. Best has been monitoring the  insurance industry exposure in the subprime mortgage crisis since August 2007 According to the December 13, 2007 press release A.M. Best said  "Given the diversity of life/health insurers’ asset portfolios and their enhanced risk management practices, A.M. Best does not expect, at this time, to take negative rating actions…