Meet Our Team

Mikel B. Taft

Mikel Taft is the Chief Business Development Officer of Independent Life Insurance Company, leading the company’s sales initiatives across multiple verticals and affiliated subsidiaries. With over 15 years of experience in structured settlements, life insurance, and financial services, he has been instrumental in driving innovation, growth, and industry partnerships. Since Independent Life’s founding in 2018, Mikel has played a key role in its expansion, holding leadership positions across its affiliates and subsidiaries, including Delta Settlements and Life Care Analytics. Over his tenure, he has overseen the placement of more than $2 billion in structured settlement production and helped thousands of injury victims begin their journey post-litigation.

Mikel’s expertise extends to product innovation and business strategy. He helped develop Independent Life’s industry-first Payee Protection Policy (PPP) to safeguard structured settlement recipients from predatory factoring practices and has worked closely with legal teams to leverage data-driven insights for high-value settlements and litigation strategies. Before joining Independent, Mikel, an Eagle Scout, served as a District Executive at the Boy Scouts of America, where he was recognized as the nation’s top fundraiser and youth recruiter.

Mikel earned a Master’s Degree in Insurance Management from Columbia University and his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration & Marketing from the University of North Florida. He also holds the designation of Certified Structured Settlement Consultant (CSSC). An active community member, he is deeply involved in youth sports in Jacksonville, FL, where he lives with his wife and four children.