MetLife introduces deferred payment option for non-injury settlements

MetLife (NYSE: MET) announced the launch of the Non-Qualified Assignment Flex Agreement (NQA-FA), a deferred payment solution for resolving non-physical injury claims, according to a company statement.

The NQA-FA allows settlements to be paid over time with deferred start dates, lump sums, and customized payment schedules. The product uses a funding agreement structure rather than an annuity and targets cases including employment litigation, wrongful termination, discrimination, contract disputes, construction defects, property and environmental claims, liability policy buy-outs, punitive damages, and attorney fees.

Both individuals and businesses may be designated as payees with approval. The solution is available through MetLife Assignment Company, Inc. and issued by Metropolitan Tower Life Insurance Company.

Traditional non-qualified assignment structures are subject to Internal Revenue Code Section 72(u), which requires payments to begin within one year. The NQA-FA is not subject to these requirements, enabling deferred payments beyond one year.

"For many non-physical injury cases, payees increasingly call for delayed or customized payments that traditional structures don't support," said Bejan Shirvani, head of Structured Settlements at MetLife. "This funding agreement solution expands the tools available to attorneys and brokers by combining greater flexibility in payment timing and structure with the strength of MetLife's guarantees."

In fiscal year 2025, 88,201 workplace discrimination charges were filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, flat from the prior year but up 9% compared to fiscal year 2023, according to EEOC data cited by MetLife.

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