November 02, 2009 14:03 ET

Life Settlement Conference Opens Controversial Issues for Close Examination in New York City

ORLANDO, FL--(Marketwire - November 2, 2009) - Open, unvarnished dialogue is the order of the day at the 15th Annual Fall Life Settlement Conference in New York City next month. The Life Insurance Settlement Association (LISA), as it has for a decade and a half, will convene a frank discussion on issues which have sent shockwaves through the life settlement industry. "We are the Voice of the Industry. Our fall conference will facilitate an honest and free exchange of ideas on the most pressing issues in this industry," declared LISA Executive Director Doug Head. Among the issues at the center of LISA's fall conference is the reliability of life expectancy data as well as the onslaught of public interest, informational investigations of industry practice, and industry press coverage in recent months.

On November 8-11, financial professionals from all walks will meet at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City to address what U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wisconsin) called "burgeoning multi-billion dollar industry that has exploded in recent years." Representatives from leading investment banks, hedge funds, securities investment firms as well as policy makers and regulators will be in attendance.

A year ago, revised life expectancies caused uproar among investors who felt that they had been thrown a curve ball. However, a new study to be released on November 4th, in the current issue of Life Settlement Review, finds that LE data among providers is similar, remains sound and continues to offer investors and sellers a fair price. The findings of the Life Settlement Review Study will be thoroughly discussed during several panels held over two days at the 15th Annual Fall Conference.

In a fascinating forum, representatives of various agencies involved in the regulation of Securities will present their views on current initiatives to more fully vet the interests of investors in the settlement market. Each of these agencies, the SEC, FINRA and NASAA, has undertaken and publicly noticed their efforts and initiatives in the arena. Also, a significant panel of experts will review tax developments with a view to focusing on prospective issues and the thorny reality of some current tax rulings, in order to improve the operational understanding of tax-paying or reporting entities. Other panels will deal with the industry's development of best practices and measurement and marketing of the industry.

Also presenting will be Jenny Anderson, a long time business writer with The New York Times. Her article on life settlement securitizations in The New York Times created keen interest over whether Wall Street was treading in risky waters with life settlement securitizations. The article was repeatedly referenced during a hearing of the House Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Insurance, and Government Sponsored Enterprises earlier this fall, because it raised concerns among some lawmakers that unbridled growth of life settlement securitizations could create new systemic risks to the economy. Ms. Anderson will participate in a panel formed to address their approaches to media coverage of life settlements. The panel, moderated by Jim Connolly, managing editor of Life Settlement Review, will also include Lauren Young, personal finance editor with BusinessWeek, Donna Horowitz, senior editor of Life Settlement Report, and Darla Mercado, a reporter with Investment News.

"This much is certain: the life settlement industry faces major challenges and opportunities in the coming years, both, from an investment and a regulatory standpoint," remarked Russel Dorsett, LISA President. "The ideas and solutions we advance in New York will impact the years ahead. Over 90% of the industry will be represented. From a financial perspective, this is not an event you can afford to miss."

The fall conference will open with a pre-conference Life Settlement Investor Workshop. The workshop is exclusively designed to advance the knowledge and expertise of qualified institutional investors. You may register for the workshop here: http://www.thevoiceoftheindustry.com/conference/2009/15fall/workshop/.

The fall conference is just days away. LISA offers a variety of reductions and incentives to interested registrants. Please review all conference information here: http://www.thevoiceoftheindustry.com/conference/2009/15fall/ or contact the LISA Events Department directly at: events@lisassociation.org.

Established in 1994, the Life Insurance Settlement Association is the oldest and largest trade organization in the industry. Its goal is to promote the development, integrity, and reputation of the life settlement industry, and to promote a competitive market for the people it serves. LISA now represents over 140 members with a wide variety of interests in the industry. For more about the association, visit www.thevoiceoftheindustry.com.