Insurance Litigation and Regulatory Services
Who We Help
We work with multinational and regional insurance companies, financial services firms, and their in-house and outside counsel. Our clients engage Bates Group when life insurance, annuity, and regulatory matters require industry-specific expertise and reliable fact development.
What We Do
Bates Group supports internal investigations, regulatory inquiries, litigation, and expert witness matters involving life insurance and financial services activities. We analyze facts, assess conduct, and provide expertise related to sales practices, suitability, supervision, and standards of care.
When Do Clients Call Bates Group?
Clients call Bates Group during regulatory examinations, enforcement matters, internal investigations, and litigation involving life insurance or annuity products. We are often retained when leadership and counsel need a clear understanding of the facts to guide legal, regulatory, and business decisions.
How Clients Use Bates Group?
Clients use Bates Group as an investigative, consulting, and expert resource throughout disputes and regulatory matters. Our experts provide fact-finding, industry analysis, expert reports, and testimony regarding life insurance and annuity suitability and sales practices.
Our Approach
We work side-by-side with management and counsel to develop facts efficiently, analyze issues objectively, and support informed decision-making. Our team combines technical expertise, industry experience, and investigative discipline to address complex matters with clarity and credibility.
Regulatory Investigation and Enforcement Support
FINRA Variable Annuity Investigation Support
Bates Group supported an insurance carrier during a FINRA investigation involving alleged misrepresentations, suitability violations, and supervisory deficiencies related to variable annuity exchanges by analyzing more than 500 transactions and validating large volumes of policy and internal data. Our work helped counsel assess the allegations, develop data-driven rebuttals, and negotiate a more favorable regulatory outcome.
Pre-Need Trust and Variable Life Insurance Analysis
Bates Group supported counsel during a state regulatory investigation involving a deficient pre-need trust by analyzing tens of thousands of documents, evaluating hundreds of variable life insurance contracts, and modeling thousands of hypothetical performance scenarios to assess potential damages. Our team also analyzed millions of transactions across the client’s mainframe and accounting systems to provide data-driven insight and guidance throughout the resolution process.
Variable Annuity Switch and Damages Analysis
Bates Group worked with inside counsel during a state regulatory investigation to evaluate dozens of variable annuity switches through economic benefit, suitability, and damages analyses using internal firm data and Morningstar reporting. Our work included reviewing surrender charges, premium enhancements, and state-provided damages calculations to help counsel assess alleged sales practice violations and clarify the underlying calculation methodology.
Greg Faucher, CAS
Managing Consultant, Insurance & Actuarial Services