The most useful number in any life settlement conversation is not the offer — it is the net to you, in dollars, after every commission and fee has been named. Two companies can quote the same gross figure and deliver very different amounts to the seller. Ask for the net first and the rest of the conversation gets simpler.
This page is written for policy owners across Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Cobb and Cherokee counties. It does not list, rank, or profile companies. It explains how the market is structured, how Georgia licenses the participants, and what to verify before you sign anything.
Educational only. Not legal, tax, or investment advice.
In This Article
- The Gross-vs-Net Math Nobody Explains Up Front
- Provider or Broker? Ask Before Anything Else
- How Georgia Licenses This Market
- Contract Protections to Confirm Before Signing
- Five Questions Worth Asking Out Loud
- Calibrating Expectations on Price and Timing
- Why an Atlanta Address Is Not a Meaningful Filter
- Starting With a Free Policy Review
- Frequently Asked Questions
The Gross-vs-Net Math Nobody Explains Up Front
Start here, because it drives everything else.
A gross offer is the amount a purchasing entity is willing to pay for the policy. The net to seller is what lands in your account after any broker commission, referral compensation, and transaction fees come out. The gap between them can be meaningful, and it is entirely legal — provided it is disclosed to you before you sign.
So insist on one line, in dollars: gross offer, each deduction itemized with the recipient named, and net to seller. If someone answers in percentages or resists putting it in writing, that resistance is your information. A legitimate counterparty produces this without friction because the law contemplates exactly this disclosure.
Provider or Broker? Ask Before Anything Else
Two roles, two different sets of incentives.
A provider is the licensed entity that buys the policy with its own capital, becomes the owner, and pays the ongoing premiums. Its margin lives inside the price it quotes.
A broker works on your behalf. It assembles your file, submits it to several providers, runs a competitive process, and is paid a commission out of the proceeds — a commission that must be disclosed.
Both models are legitimate, and a good broker can generate competition that raises the gross offer far more than the commission costs you. The risk is not choosing wrong; it is not knowing which one is on the phone. Ask directly and get the answer in writing.
How Georgia Licenses This Market
Georgia addresses these transactions through its viatical settlement provisions under Title 33 of the Georgia Code, administered by the Georgia Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner. Providers and brokers are licensed categories under that framework, which also governs required disclosures and contract terms.
To verify a counterparty, use the Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner’s license lookup. Two practical tips: check the exact legal entity name rather than the marketing brand on the website, and check the entity that will actually sign your contract, which is sometimes not the one on the letterhead. Check the individual representative as well as the company.
Confirm the current 2026 licensing, disclosure, and advertising requirements with the Commissioner’s office directly. Do not rely on a company as the sole source on rules that govern its own conduct.
Contract Protections to Confirm Before Signing
Independent escrow. The purchase price should be deposited with an escrow agent independent of the buyer. The agent holds the funds, confirms the carrier has recorded the change of ownership and beneficiary, and only then releases payment to you. You should never transfer a policy before the money is in escrow.
A stated rescission window. Settlement statutes give sellers a period after funding to unwind the transaction and return the proceeds — commonly around 15 days from funding, though you should verify Georgia’s current 2026 figure. The terms belong in your contract, and you should know in advance who to notify and how.
Complete written disclosures. Compensation, the identity of the parties, what happens to the policy after closing, and how your information will be handled. Read the package before the closing call rather than during it.
| Question to ask | What a good answer sounds like | What should concern you |
|---|---|---|
| Are you a provider or a broker? | A clear answer, confirmed in writing | Hedging or an answer that shifts |
| What is my net in dollars? | Gross, itemized deductions, net on one line | Percentages only; nothing in writing |
| Are you licensed in Georgia? | Entity name and license number to verify | No license number produced |
| How many providers bid? | A specific count with bid amounts | Vague references to “the market” |
| How many LE reports? | Two independent reports | One report, or no clear answer |
| Who holds the funds? | An escrow agent independent of the buyer | Funds held by the buyer |
| What is the rescission window? | Stated in the contract; verify current figure | Contract is silent on rescission |
Five Questions Worth Asking Out Loud
How many providers actually reviewed my file, and what did each one bid? If you are working with a broker, this is the single best test of whether a competitive process happened at all.
Were two independent life expectancy reports ordered? Valuations move sharply with life expectancy assumptions, so institutional buyers commonly commission two independent opinions rather than relying on one.
Who is the escrow agent, and what is their relationship to you?
What happens to my medical records after closing — who holds them, who receives them if the policy is resold, and will anyone contact me or my family periodically? Ongoing contact with the insured is normal in this market, but you should agree to it knowingly.
How does this offer compare to my cash surrender value and to a reduced paid-up option? Never judge an offer in isolation.
Calibrating Expectations on Price and Timing
Every policy prices differently. Age, health, policy type, face amount, and the cost of carrying the policy all move the number, and a meaningful share of policies submitted receive no offer at all.
Two reference points help you sanity-check what you hear. As a general industry range, life settlements commonly pay somewhere between 10% and 35% of face value. And a Government Accountability Office study (GAO-10-775) found that policy owners who sold received roughly four to eight times more than the cash surrender value their carrier would have paid.
On timing, budget roughly 60 to 120 days from first submission to funding. Carrier turnaround on the in-force illustration and statement, plus medical underwriting, account for most of that. Anyone promising a closing in two weeks is describing something other than a normal transaction.
Why an Atlanta Address Is Not a Meaningful Filter
Owners in metro Atlanta often begin by searching for a company with a Buckhead or Marietta office. It feels safer. It is not a real screen.
Life settlement transactions are handled remotely almost end to end — secure document upload and mail for the paperwork, direct requests to carriers and physicians for records, third-party underwriting firms for life expectancy analysis, and escrow with a wire at closing. The nearest office adds convenience, nothing more.
Judge instead on Georgia licensure, independent escrow, complete written disclosure, a real rescission window, and a clear net-to-seller figure. Those protect an Atlanta seller in a way a street address never will.
Starting With a Free Policy Review
If you want an educational baseline before you begin shopping, Pine Lake Life Solutions offers free, no-obligation policy reviews for owners of policies with $100,000 or more in death benefit, and typically pays more than cash surrender value when a policy qualifies for purchase.
Send the policy cover page — the specification or schedule page — or call (305) 209-7183 with questions. There is no cost, no obligation, and you remain the owner and decision-maker throughout.
Nothing on this page is an offer to purchase a policy, and nothing here is legal, tax, or investment advice. Consult your own attorney and tax professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who regulates life settlements in Georgia?
The Georgia Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner, under Georgia’s viatical settlement provisions in Title 33 of the Georgia Code. Providers and brokers are licensed categories under that framework. Verify any counterparty through the Commissioner’s license lookup before signing.
What is the difference between a provider and a broker?
A provider is the licensed entity that buys the policy with its own capital and assumes the premiums. A broker represents the policy owner, shops the file to multiple providers, and is paid a commission out of the proceeds that must be disclosed. Both are legitimate, but you should know which one you are dealing with.
Why does net to seller matter more than the gross offer?
Because commissions and fees come out of the gross. Two companies quoting identical gross offers can deliver very different amounts to you. Ask for the gross, each deduction itemized with the recipient named, and the net to seller, all in dollars and in writing.
Do I need a life settlement company with an Atlanta office?
No. The market operates almost entirely remotely, using secure document upload, direct carrier and physician requests, third-party underwriting firms, and escrow-funded closings. A local office is convenience, not protection. Georgia licensure, escrow, disclosure, and rescission rights are what matter.
How much can I expect an offer to be?
It is policy-specific and depends on age, health, policy type, face amount, and premium cost. As a general range, offers commonly fall between 10% and 35% of face value, and a Government Accountability Office study (GAO-10-775) found sellers received roughly four to eight times cash surrender value. Many policies receive no offer.
What is the rescission period in Georgia?
Settlement statutes provide a window after funding during which a seller may unwind the transaction and return the proceeds, commonly around 15 days from funding. Verify Georgia’s current 2026 figure, and make sure the terms appear in your written contract before you sign.
Why should two life expectancy reports be ordered?
Life expectancy assumptions drive the valuation, and a single opinion can swing an offer substantially. Institutional buyers commonly commission two independent reports to reduce that variance. Asking whether two were ordered tells you how carefully your file was priced.
How long does a life settlement take in Georgia?
Generally about 60 to 120 days from first submission to funding. Waiting on the carrier for an in-force illustration and statement, plus medical record gathering and underwriting, accounts for most of that time. A promise of a two-week close is a reason for caution.
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Related Reading
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- What Policies Qualify For Life Settlement
- Life Settlement Licensing Georgia
- Life Settlement Taxes Georgia
- Georgia Medicaid Asset Income Limits
- Education Center
Pine Lake Life Solutions does not purchase life insurance policies and does not provide legal, tax, or investment advice. Information provided is for educational purposes only. Eligibility for any option, including life settlements, is not guaranteed and depends on individual circumstances, policy terms, underwriting, and market conditions. Consult independent legal, tax, or financial professionals before making decisions regarding a life insurance policy.