Which insurance companies fund structured installment sales?

Hans Goldstein structures installment sales for sellers and works alongside their CPAs. Email hans@goldsteinco.net or call 213-340-2018.

Who actually owes you the payments?

Two companies from the same insurance group sit behind every structure:

• The assignment company. At closing, the buyer pays the structured portion of the price to the assignment company, which takes over (assumes) the buyer's obligation to pay you. It is the company that owes you. You are its unsecured general creditor.
• The life insurance company. The assignment company buys a fixed annuity from its affiliated life insurer to fund your payments. The assignment company owns the annuity; you are the payee.

The payment schedule is set in the contract, and the payments depend on the claims-paying ability of the assignment company and the insurer behind it. See the assignment company for how the pieces fit.

Which insurers does Hans quote?

Which insurer fits a given sale depends on the amount, the payment schedule and each insurer's pricing on the day the annuity is bought. Minimums and participation can change, so they are confirmed at the time of the quote.

Insurers outside this list also write structured annuities. If your CPA or attorney prefers a different insurer, ask; the same checks apply to any of them.

How do you check an insurer before you sign?

1. Read both names in the documents. Find the exact legal name of the assignment company (the company that owes you) and of the life insurer issuing the annuity. They are different companies.
2. Look up the insurer's current A.M. Best rating. Look for A or better by A.M. Best or equivalent. A rating is an opinion of financial strength and can change. This page does not quote ratings; check them yourself on the day you sign.
3. Confirm the license. Your state insurance department's licensee search and the NAIC company search show whether the insurer is licensed and where it is domiciled.
4. Confirm the relationship. The parent group's annual report or 10-K lists its affiliates, including the assignment company.
5. Have your CPA or attorney review the documents before closing.

Can I split a structure between both insurers?

Yes, if each piece clears that insurer's minimum. Splitting spreads the credit exposure across two unrelated insurance groups.

Illustrative: you are structuring $800,000. You could place $500,000 with MetLife and $300,000 with Corebridge Financial. A $400,000 structure could go entirely to Corebridge Financial, but splitting it with MetLife would need a MetLife exception, since $400,000 is below MetLife's $500,000 minimum on its own.

Each piece has its own documents, its own payment stream and possibly a slightly different rate, because each insurer prices on its own.

How is the insurer paid, and how is Hans paid?

The insurer prices the annuity, and a one-time commission of about 4% of the amount structured is built into that pricing and paid to the brokerage that places it. Hans's share is about 2.4%. There is no trail and no separate check from you. If no structure is funded, no commission is paid. Your own CPA and attorney fees are separate. See what it costs.

Frequently asked

Q: Can I pick the insurer? A: Yes, among the insurers available when your sale closes. Hans quotes MetLife and Corebridge Financial and shows you both where the amount allows.

Q: Is the assignment company the same as the insurer? A: No. It is an affiliate in the same group. The assignment company owes you the payments and owns the annuity the insurer issues to fund them.

Q: What rating should the insurer have? A: A or better by A.M. Best or equivalent. Look up the current rating yourself before signing.

Q: Are the minimums firm? A: The minimums are $100,000 for Corebridge Financial and $500,000 for MetLife as of September 2026. MetLife sometimes grants exceptions below its minimum. Both can change.

What should you read or run next?

• What is the minimum for a structured installment sale?
• Is a structured installment sale safe?
• What interest rate does it pay?
• What does it cost, and who pays you?
• The assignment company
• How the deal works
• Installment sale calculator
• All structured installment sale questions

Who wrote this?