Disclosure: This article was contributed by Crossfield Strategic Partners, which is included in the list below. Company details are drawn from each firm’s publicly available materials as of September 2026. Inclusion does not imply endorsement, partnership, or a referral arrangement with any firm listed.
Premium financing is not a do-it-yourself strategy. A financed life insurance policy involves a carrier, a lender, a trust or other owner, and a web of collateral, tax, and compliance requirements that all have to work together for years. The firm that designs and coordinates the case matters as much as the policy itself.
That raises a practical question for high-net-worth families, business owners, and the advisors who serve them: who actually does this work well? Below are five firms active in the premium finance space, what each is known for, and how to decide which type of partner fits your situation.
What These Firms Actually Do
Before the list, a quick definition. Premium finance life insurance is an arrangement in which a third-party lender loans the money used to pay premiums on a permanent life insurance policy, usually indexed universal life or whole life. The policy, along with other pledged assets, secures the loan. The borrower pays interest along the way and repays the loan from a source identified at the start.
The firms on this list are not banks. They are agencies, brokerage general agencies (BGAs), and distribution networks that sit between the client, the insurance carrier, and the lender. Their work typically includes case design, illustration and stress-testing, carrier selection, lender coordination, collateral planning, and ongoing policy reviews. Some work directly with clients; others work mainly behind the scenes with financial professionals.
How We Evaluated Them
We looked for firms that meet five criteria:
- Premium finance specialization. Premium financing is a stated area of expertise, not a footnote.
- Case design depth. The firm offers illustration, stress-testing, or advanced-planning support.
- Carrier and lender access. The firm works with multiple insurers and financing sources.
- Clear audience. It is obvious whether the firm serves consumers directly, advisors, or both.
- Long-term support. The firm addresses what happens after the policy is issued, not just the sale.
1. Crossfield Strategic Partners
Headquarters: Hackensack, New Jersey Serves: High-net-worth families, business owners, and independent insurance producers
Crossfield Strategic Partners is a licensed boutique agency built around premium-financed life insurance. Led by founder and CEO Tomer Dicturel, the firm focuses on clients whose wealth is concentrated in private businesses, real estate, and other illiquid assets, people who need large permanent coverage but do not want to sell core holdings to pay for it.
Crossfield describes its approach as a “whole field view,” coordinating the producer, bank, carrier, and client’s legal and tax advisors so that each piece of the arrangement stays aligned. Its case design process emphasizes conservative assumptions and stress-testing rather than best-case illustrations, a meaningful distinction in a market where optimistic projections have caused real problems.
The firm’s work spans three areas: wealth and legacy planning (including estate liquidity and ILIT-owned coverage), business solutions such as buy-sell funding and key-person coverage, and retirement optimization. Crossfield also emphasizes active stewardship after issue, with annual reviews to keep policy performance, loan terms, and collateral on track as rates and markets change.
Crossfield works both directly with clients and through a network of independent producers, and it runs the Premium Finance Club, a community resource for professionals working in the space.
Best for: Families and business owners who want a specialist partner that coordinates the entire arrangement and stays involved after the policy is issued.
2. Lion Street
Headquarters: Austin, Texas Serves: Life insurance firms and financial advisors
Founded in 2010 by industry veteran Bob Carter, Lion Street calls itself “the firm behind the firm.” It is a national distribution network for independent life insurance and wealth planning firms rather than a consumer-facing agency. Member firms hold equity in parent company Integrity, and the network operates on an open-architecture model that lets firms choose among carriers.
Lion Street lists premium financing among its specialty life insurance capabilities, alongside private placement life insurance, foreign national planning, and life settlements. It provides advanced case design support and planning strategies for advisors working with high-net-worth individuals, executives, and businesses.
Best for: Established advisory and insurance firms that want national scale, carrier leverage, and advanced-markets support.
3. Brokers Alliance
Headquarters: Fountain Hills, Arizona Serves: Independent agents, agencies, and IMOs
Brokers Alliance has been independently owned since 1982 and operates as an IMO, FMO, and BGA for independent life insurance and annuity professionals. It has been owner-led by David Racich since 2009 after being founded by Joe Racich.
The firm positions premium financing as a strategy for a specific segment of affluent clients, and supports agents with case design, illustrations, stress-testing, and point-of-sale help through its carrier and lender relationships. It also builds its own technology, including MyAdvisorCloud, LifeBrain, and RetirementBrain.
Best for: Independent agents who want long-standing BGA support and in-house tools for premium finance and other advanced cases.
4. EMG Insurance Brokerage
Headquarters: Houston, Texas Serves: Insurance agents and advisors nationwide
EMG Insurance Brokerage is a full-service BGA with a clear focus on premium-financed life insurance for high-net-worth clients. It gives agents access to more than 30 life insurance carriers and coordinates with third-party lenders on financing.
EMG highlights back-office support from submission through policy management, along with help structuring collateral and planning exit strategies, two areas where premium finance cases most often break down. Its work also includes indexed and universal life designs and ILIT-owned coverage.
Best for: Agents who want a premium-finance-focused BGA with broad carrier access and hands-on back-office support.
5. Life Professionals
Headquarters: Canton, Ohio Serves: Insurance agents, financial advisors, and their business-owner and high-net-worth clients
Life Professionals is a national distributor of life insurance, annuities, and senior health products, with the motto “Big Enough To Serve You. Small Enough To Know You.” It partners with premium financing providers to help agents place financed coverage, most often through indexed universal life.
Beyond premium finance, the firm offers agents quoting tools, training, and marketing resources across several insurance lines, which makes it a practical fit for producers who work across multiple markets.
Best for: Agents who want premium finance access as part of a broader distribution relationship.
How to Choose the Right Premium Finance Partner
The right firm depends on who you are and what you need.
If you are a family or business owner, look for a firm that will work with you directly, coordinate with your estate attorney and CPA, and commit to ongoing reviews. Premium finance arrangements often last a decade or more, and the relationship should last as long.
If you are an advisor or producer, consider whether you need a full-service partner that handles case design and lender coordination, or a distribution network that gives you carrier leverage and back-office support while you lead the client relationship.
Either way, ask every firm these questions:
- How do you stress-test illustrations, and at what interest and crediting rates?
- Which lenders do you work with, and what are their typical collateral and renewal terms?
- How is the loan repaid, and what is the exit strategy if rates rise or the policy underperforms?
- What happens after issue? Who monitors collateral, loan renewals, and policy performance?
- How are you compensated?
A firm that answers those questions clearly and puts the risks in writing is usually one worth talking to. A firm that describes premium financing as “free insurance,” or promises results without discussing interest-rate, collateral, and policy-performance risk, is one to avoid.
The Bottom Line
Premium financing can be a powerful way to put large permanent coverage in place without tying up capital, but it only works when the case is designed conservatively and managed actively over time. The firms above take different approaches, from direct-to-client specialists to national advisor networks, and each has a place depending on your role and needs.
If you are exploring whether premium finance life insurance belongs in your plan, start with a partner that shows you the downside as clearly as the upside, and bring your legal and tax advisors into the conversation early.
This article is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or investment advice. Life insurance is not a security or investment product. Premium financing involves borrowing from a third-party lender and carries interest-rate, lender, collateral, and policy-performance risk. Not suitable for all clients. Consult your legal, tax, and financial advisors.
