Group Defends Life Settlements

The European Life Settlement Association has issued a statement criticizing media reports comparing the subprime mortgage disaster to investments in life insurance settlements.

Such comparisons are inaccurate because mortgage-backed securities in the credit crisis were mispriced compared to the high level of market risk, ELSA said, while life insurance policies have no correlation to such risks.

“Reports have suggested that credit reference agencies have been inundated with requests to review various life insurance based packaged securities, yet the major banks remain tight-lipped,” ELSA stated.