Annuity provider Pacific Life may have been offering structured settlement brokers lavish vacations as possible incentives, reveals a report from Yahoo Finance.
According to the report, Pacific Life has been offering certain brokers luxurious trips to places like Bora Bora to learn how to ‘exchange ideas.’ Industry insiders tell Yahoo Finance perks, like luxurious trips, may unduly incentivize brokers to favor Pacific Life products over others and as such are considered a questionable practice by some regulators and financial industry watch dogs.
There is reportedly a trip planned for the Four Seasons Resort in the Maldives for 2018. Pacific Life is the only major settlement industry provider to offer trips like these to brokers.
Structured settlements consultant Mark Wahlstrom said incentives, which were once popular in the industry, are now uncommon. Wahlstrom said he feels it is an unwise practice since structured settlements deal with injury victims and ‘nothing should interfere with that decision process other than the best company at the best price.'
Pacific Life declined to comment.
