Valmark Financial Group Leads Consumer-First Innovation in Life Settlements With Streamlined Policy Pricing and Expanded Market Access to Maximize Client Value

The Valmark Financial Group family of companies, with 60-plus years of life insurance experience and 20-plus years of life settlement experience, is setting a new standard for consumer empowerment and marketplace innovation in the life settlements industry. Through proprietary pricing strategies, institutional partnerships, and client education, Valmark is delivering transformative value to policyowners and professional advisors alike.

Unlocking Hidden Value Through Expedited Search and Verification Capabilities

Valmark’s latest advancement in Life Settlements leverages over 20 years of historical transaction data and thorough methodology to generate accurate, estimated fair market values (FMV) for life insurance policies even before they are listed for sale. This proactive pricing approach empowers clients with data-driven insights into the true value of their life insurance policies, in contrast to the typically lower cash surrender value offered by insurance carriers.

“We believe transparency is key to changing the way people think about their life insurance,” said James Dawson, Director of Life Settlements at Valmark. The 2024 LISA Study revealed that the fair market value of a life insurance policy is, on average, 6.5 times greater than its surrender value. By making that reality clear to policyowners, we’re empowering them to make informed decisions that better align with their current needs.

With the scale to provide these FMV estimates across the thousands of policies managed under Valmark’s Policy Management Company and $70B of death benefit placed over the years, Valmark is making informed, consumer-first pricing the new industry standard.

Expanding the Market Through Strategic Provider Programs

Valmark’s reach across the life settlement market is facilitated by its relationships with those institutional life settlement providers that make up approximately 95% of the life settlement market.ⁱ These relationships have enabled the creation of new, consumer-friendly programs that expand access and expedite timelines.

One such innovation is a streamlined process for healthy insureds, allowing certain policies to be sold within 30 days with little to no post-sale service requirements. Another pioneering solution is the company’s “Term Convert & Sell” program, which allows policyowners nearing term expiration to monetize their policy, even if they had no plans to convert, by selling it to a buyer who will handle the conversion. This unlocks value that would otherwise be lost.

“These are powerful examples of ‘unlocking hidden money’ that most policyowners don’t realize they’re leaving on the table,” said Michael Michlitsch, VP of Inforce Insurance Solutions at Valmark. “Our mission is to unlock that value and deliver outcomes our clients didn’t think were possible.”

Setting the Industry Standard in Process, Credibility, and Education

Valmark’s credibility as a trusted, independent broker is built on a proven, competitive auction process that aligns with regulatory guidelines and consistently delivers superior results. In fact, the firm’s client-centric competitive auction process has resulted in offers that are, on average, nearly 25% higher than market norms (net of fees).ⁱⁱ

In addition to the company’s technical leadership, Valmark is a national trailblazer in creating awareness for consumers and educating financial professionals. Over the past 18 months, Valmark has delivered over 50 continuing education (CE) presentations to professionals best positioned to guide clients on in-force insurance decisions.

“Whether a client decides to keep their policy or sell it, our goal is to ensure they’ve explored all options through a clear, transparent process,” said Dawson. “We’ve built a reputation not just on outcomes, but on the integrity of how we got there.”

A Legacy of Leadership and Client Advocacy

Valmark’s leadership in the life settlement industry is built on decades of innovation, fiduciary principles, and a commitment to client-first solutions. The company’s efforts have helped set standards not only for transparent processes but also for fair compensation practices across the industry.

“I’m proud to have led the charge on this important client solution 20 years ago,” said Caleb Callahan, President at Valmark. “From creating a uniform, transparent process that ensures reasonable and fair compensation for policyholders, to testifying before Congress on the importance of fiduciary principles, we’ve always placed our clients’ best interests at the heart of everything we do.”

About Valmark Financial Group

Valmark Financial Group is a holding company of several subsidiaries, including Executive Insurance Agency, Inc., a national producer group; Valmark Securities, Inc., a broker-dealer and member of both FINRA and SIPC; Valmark Advisers, Inc., a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission registered investment adviser; and the Valmark Policy Management Company, LLC, which provides ongoing policy management and monitoring services for life insurance policyholders. With a proud history of working with independently owned financial services firms committed to high ethical standards in over 30 states throughout the United States, Valmark offers a wide range of insurance and investment solutions for high net-worth clients. Headquartered in Akron, Ohio with operations in St. Paul, Minnesota, Valmark, through its affiliated entities, has helped its member firms place over $70 billion of life insurance death benefits and manage insurance policies with a cumulative cash value of over $8 billion dollars. Valmark’s affiliated RIA, Valmark Advisers, has an estimated $10 billion in assets under management and advisement, including approximately $1.2 billion in variable sub-account assets within its TOPS® funds. To learn more about Valmark Financial Group and its Life Settlements offering, visit www.valmarkfg.com or https://valmarkfg.com/site/resources-section/life-settlements/.

Securities offered through Valmark Securities, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment Advisory services offered through Valmark Advisers, Inc., a SEC Registered Investment Advisor.

ⁱ 95% Market Exposure: Calculated by comparing the percentage of life settlement transactions (between 2016 and 2023) reported by The Deal (a third-party industry newsletter) involving providers with whom Valmark has an active relationship.

ⁱⁱ 25% Higher Offers (Net of Fees): Based on a comparative analysis of Valmark Securities’ average net offers (after fees) vs. average market offers reported by The Deal from 2016 to 2023. The actual number calculated: 23.5%.

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“We’ve built a reputation not just on outcomes, but on the integrity of how we got there.”