Investment News

By Darla Mercado

A recommendation by an SEC task force that life settlements be treated and regulated as securities has raised concerns that another turf battle may be brewing between state insurance regulators and federal securities cops.

 “We generally have concerns when the federal government pre-empts state authority, and this would be no exception to that, but we’ll reserve judgment until we see what action the federal government will take,” said Connecticut’s insurance commissioner, Thomas R. Sullivan, who is also chairman of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ Life Insurance and Annuities Committee.

Commentary by Michael Abraham:

While I applaud the statements made in the above article I think the media and political coverage of the industry and its predilection with ‘bad’ news has created an impression of an industry filled with fraudulent practice and consequently confidence is low – for instance the FSA in the UK rate life settlements as high risk and have spoken out against them.  Perhaps these changes will raise the profile and give investors and regulators more comfort.

 http://www.investmentnews.com/article/20100726/FREE/100729928

Published on 16 Aug 2010 at 06:08 am