for disclosure purposes I work in the life settlement business. The best way to look at life settlements from a consumer’s perspective is that we set a current market value for your policy that is often much higher then the surrender value. Using this value, the senior can decide if their is a better use for the money be it as you said an LTC policy, a different life policy or to use the cash to live. For many seniors with certain universal policies issued before 2002, the senior can actually settle their current policy and use the proceeds to fund a much better policy in terms of CSV, death benefits or lower premiums