If a company is well-capitalized and has been in business a long time, accepting payments over time may be fairly safe. However, if the company declares bankruptcy or otherwise goes out of business, you may lose any payments that have not yet been made. To protect against this, a defendant will sometimes agree to pay a sum of money over to a life insurer or another financial institution on the plaintiff's behalf. The money will then be paid out as an annuity. For the reasons set forth above, it is important to make sure the company chosen is highly rated and capitalized in order to avoid scams or having to hire a debt collector. Additionally, you should be aware that structured settlement agreements are often drafted by the defendant's insurer or lawyer. These agreements will almost always be weighted in favor of the defendant's interests. Before agreeing to a structured settlement, it is highly recommended you retain an experienced Las Vegas personal injury lawyer to review and negotiate the agreement on your behalf.