viatical

[vahy-at-i-kuhl, vee‑]

adjective

1. of or relating to a viaticum.

2. of or relating to a financial transaction in which a company buys life insurance policies from the terminally ill at less than their face value and may sell the policies to investors.

   viatical settlements.

viatical

/ vaɪˈætɪkəl /

adjective

1. of or denoting a road or a journey

2. botany (of a plant) growing by the side of a road

Word History and Origins

Origin of viatical¹

C19: from Latin viāticus belonging to a journey + _-al ¹

Example Sentences

Q: Is a viatical settlement a good way to get some money?

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Mr Freeman defends his willingness to enter into viatical settlements.

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In response, financial planners established the viatical business.

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But it was crime and people went to prison — people like our old friend Gar Hogan,  sentenced to 28 years in prison for the crime of viatical fraud.

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We can all instinctively understand the idea of life insurance; most of us will feel an instinctive repugnance at the thought of the viatical industry or dead peasants insurance.

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