Blog Post

What Warren Buffett Said About Structured Settlements

John Darer • May 06, 2020

"Many, many people that in effect have staked their well-being on the promises of Berkshire to take care of them for... 50 years or longer into the future".  May 2, 2020

lifetime payments
"...at Berkshire, we keep ourselves in an extraordinary strong position. We’ll always do that—that’s just fundamental. We insure people. We’re a specialist to some extent and a leader. It’s not our main business, but we sell structured settlements. That means somebody gets in a terrible accident, usually an auto accident, and they’re going to require care for 10, 30, 50 years.
 
And their family or their lawyer is wise enough, in our view, to rather than take some big cash settlement to essentially arrange to have money paid over the lifetime of the individual to take care of their medical bills, or whatever it may be. And we’re large. 

We’ve got many, many, many people that in effect have staked their well-being on the promises of Berkshire to take care of them for, like I say, I mean, 50 years or longer into the future.
 
And, now, I would never take real chances with money, of other people’s money under any circumstances. 
 
I mean, every single bit of money we managed for other people was from individuals, people with faces attached to them, or entities, or money with faces attached to them. So we’ve always felt that our job is basically that of a trustee, and hopefully a reasonably smart trustee in terms of what we were trying to accomplish. But the trustee aspect has been very important. And it’s true for the people with the structured settlements. It’s true for up and down the line. But it’s true for the owners very much too. So we always operate from a position of strength

Source: Transcript of Warren Buffett's address to shareholders at the Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting on May 2, 2020

Berkshire Hathaway issues structured settlement annuities through Berkshire Hathaway Life Insurance Company of Nebraska (in all states except New York) and First Berkshire Hathaway Life Insurance Company (in New York).  Reinsurance structured settlements are placed through National Indemnity Company.

risk adjusted capital ratio and structured settlements

What is Risk Adjusted Capital Ratio (RACR)?

By John Darer • 07 May, 2024
What is Risk Adjusted Capital Ratio (RACR) What does RACR Ratio mean forr your structured settlement annuity company, or one that you are considering. How does RACR compare with RBC Ratio?
Risk Based Capital

What is Risk Based Capital?

By John Darer • 06 May, 2024
What is Risk Based Capital? What Does the RBC Ratio Mean for Your Structured Settlement Annuity Company?
certified financial transitionist

What is A Certified Financial Transitionist? (CeFT)

By John Darer • 25 Apr, 2024
A Certified Financial Transitionist is trained and certified to help clients navigate through major life events and the financial transitions that accompany them. Especially useful for personal injury victims and wrongful death survivors to help prepare for the important decisions they will need to make.
Sequencing Risk for Those Receiving Legal Settlements

What is Sequencing Risk? Can Structured Settlements Help?

By John Darer • 22 Apr, 2024
John Darer reviews sequencing risk and the impact of early spending after settlement. Sequencing and Decumulation risk is a factor for recipients of legal settlements and should be addressed in advance of settlement as aprt of settlement planning and wealth orientation.
structured settlement rate lock ins

What is a Structured Settlement Lock-in?

By John Darer • 21 Apr, 2024
A structured settlement lock-in means that the structured settlement annuity issuer will guarantee the cost of a specific benefit stream in exchange for the "quid pro quo" of a commitment to accept or purchase. The guarantee could be a week , or 6 months.
market based structured settlements for lawyers, law firms or plaintiffs

Market Based Structured Settlements | How They Work

By John Darer • 14 Apr, 2024
An introduction to Market Based Structured Settements for Plaintiffs, Lawyers and Law Firms and Settling Parties
new york structured settlements, new york city structured settlements, nyc structured settlement cos

New York City Structured Settlement Annuities 2024

By John Darer • 16 Mar, 2024
Which life insurance companies write structured settlement annuities for personal injury and wrrongful death settlements in Bronx, Brooklyn, Staten Island, Queens, Manhattan, Long Island, Westchester, Erie, Rockland, Albany,Monroe in 2024 through licensed representatives?
flying inverted

NY CPLR 50A/50B | Rising Yields 2022-2024 Squeezed 15 Year Plaintiff Advantage

By John Darer • 16 Mar, 2024
While rising yields have narrowed the gap for defendants in New York CPLR 50A and 50B projections, plaintiffs can still " fly inverted" and get plenty of "lift" when negotiating settlements by using savvy settlement experts
construction defect structured settlements

Construction Defect Structured Settlements

By John Darer • 12 Mar, 2024
Structured settlements can be used where construction defects lead to personal physical injury, physical sickness, or loss of life. In addition, structured settlements may be helpful to plaintiffs who wish to spread out basis, smooth out capital gains or income
structured settlement beneficiary

Structured Settlement Beneficiary Death Claim | What You Need to Know 2024

By John Darer • 08 Mar, 2024
Structured settlement beneficiary death claim. An executor cannot change the beneficiary of a structured settlement annuity. Typically, settlement agreements permit the Payee to name or change a beneficiary, provided such change is in writing and submitted to the Assigmment Company or the annuity issuer in writing and in proper form. An executor is a court appointed representative of the decedent, or in this case, deceased structured settlement annuitant. The insurance beneficiary designation is a contract between the decedent and the insurance company that was entered into prior to the decedent's death.
More Posts
Share by: