How the AIDS crisis birthed a multibillion-dollar life-settlement industry

The life-settlement industry — where investors buy someone's life insurance policy and collect the payout upon their death — traces its roots to the AIDS crisis of the 1980s and 1990s. Dying patients needed cash urgently and sold their policies at a discount. Today the market is worth billions of dollars globally, with investors essentially speculating on strangers' lifespans. The practice continues to raise significant ethical concerns.

Similar stories

📈 Business AI bubble warning: investors may be repeating dot-com era mistakes Rzeczpospolita · 24d ago 📈 Business SpaceX shares available to Polish investors on GlobalConnect from 26 August Bankier.pl · 1h ago 📈 Business Investors poured billions into Canadian ETFs just before US trade talks collapsed MarketWatch · 4h ago