Does It Make Sense to Structure a Very Small Case?

John Darer • March 7, 2019

When Does It Not Make Sense?

Small case

 

In March 2024, Metropolitan Tower Life Insurance Company (Met Tower Life) announced an increase to a minimum premium for all cases to $100,000 per case.  To put things in perspective,six years earlier MetLife increased from $5,000 to $10,000!

 

Does a $5,000 structured Settlement Make Financial Sense?

 

Small case policy fee, taken together with a qualified assignment fee, which with some companies could be as high as $750, means that the total fees could end up totaling more than $1,000, thus representing more than 20% of the cost of the structure. The only time it really makes financial sense is where there is a young child where there is a long enough deferral period before a payment is made.

 

When Would it Be Worth Looking at a Small Case Structured Settlement?

 

  • Concerns about a child's financial maturity at age 18.
  • Very young plaintiffs, where there is a long enough deferral period to make a respectable positive return to offset the small case fee.


Last update April 12, 2025

 





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