Key Highlights
- -- 96 % of annuitants say payments simplify budgeting; 72 % of cash recipients agree budgets would be easier with an annuity
- -- 79 % of annuity recipients report a better standard of living
- -- Average settlement $324,148; payout choices 43 % cash, 23 % annuity, 34 % blended
- -- 49 % of lump-sum claimants regret a first-year spending decision
- -- 51 % of cash recipients cut discretionary spending for fear of running out
- -- 98 % sought advice; attorneys were consulted by 71 %
- -- Only 15 % would repeat an all-cash decision today
For MetLife’s 2025 Personal Injury Settlement Study , MetLife commissioned The Harris Poll to survey 503 adults (or guardians) who’d received at least $25,000 from a personal-injury claim. The average award landed at $324,148, and claimants waited a little over five years for the money to arrive. When payouts finally came, 43% went all-cash, 23% chose a full structured-settlement annuity, and 34% blended the two. Most cases stemmed from motor-vehicle accidents (40 %), workplace injuries (22 %), or medical malpractice/slip-and-fall matters (12 % each)
Below is a conversational look at what the numbers mean for brokers, attorneys, and everyone else who helps injury victims secure long-term financial security.
1. Budget peace of mind still rules
Nine in ten annuity recipients (96%) say their monthly checks make day-to-day budgeting easier, and 72% of lump-sum takers now believe fixed payments would have simplified their finances. That’s a powerful reminder that certainty often isn’t fully appreciated until it’s missed.
2. Cash carries emotional baggage
Almost half of cash-only claimants who splurged in year one (49%) later regretted at least one big purchase. In fact, 51% of lump-sum recipients say they’ve cut discretionary spending because they worry the money will run out. Structured payments may not feel glamorous, but they help clients sleep at night.
3. Annuities lift living standards
Nearly eight in ten annuitants (79%) report that their standard of living is better, 30% say much better since the payments began. “Slow and steady” seems to deliver more day-to-day comfort than “fast and fragile.”
4. Advice matters, and so does the adviser
98 % of respondents consulted someone before locking in a payout structure. Attorneys topped the list (71%), followed by financial planners (35%) and tax professionals (22%). When settlement pros collaborate with these influencers, claimants hear a unified message about long-term security.
5. Hindsight favors balance
Given a do-over, most recipients would split their proceeds, and only 15% would still take an all-cash lump sum. Even among prior cash-only claimants, the “ideal” mix would allocate roughly one-third to a structured annuity.
Closing thought:
This study underscores a simple truth: clients crave both immediate flexibility and lifelong security. By pairing clear education with creative blended designs, the structured-settlement community can turn those seemingly competing goals into complementary pillars of financial well-being—for claimants and their families alike.
For more resources about structured settlements, visit our resources page here: https://www.nssta.com/structured-settlements/public-resources
