I am trying - not successfully - to find out what the exclusions are for my employer group life insurance. It is the only life insurance policy I have, so I want to make sure I don't do anything to jeopardize it. The insurance company will not tell me anything - they say the policy belongs to my employer (yes, but I pay the premiums!), and my employer says they don't give out such information - a "company decision".

We all have a "Bucket List" (thank God for that movie - people have a clear picture of what I am talking about). Maybe its Parasailing or Sky Diving or whatever - but I need to know whether this would invalidate my life insurance. The second concern I have is with suicide. We all know that the end of this disease can get very difficult for both the patient and the family. I want to know that if I should make that decision, that it would not invalidate my insurance.

Does anyone have any experience with these issues??? I realize most of you are in the U.S., but I suspect that these policies are fairly similar in North America. Your comments are welcome.

Donna

Donna don't even consider suicide as an alternative. It's not your mind that's sick. it's your body. There is usually a 2 year grace period for the exclusions on policies. Whoever handles youer insurance shoud be able to give you a copy of the policy. Don't let them tell you they can't. You are paying for this policy as well as anyone. There could be an extension for somethings like suicide anyway, I HOPE, but tell them to give you a copy . THat is like holding a gun to your head to not let you understand your coverage.

Therein lies the frustration. They will not give me a copy of the policy and also will not answer my question about exclusions. The insurer says the policy is between my employer and them, and my employer - for whatever reason, isn't talking.

HELP!!

Donna

I have no idea who your employer is, but he has to tell you. Oops, maybe you Canadians are different. I forgot we are in 2 seperate countrys. My mistake for today.

Most life insurance policies do NOT pay if you you die from suicide so that's one exclusion that I think you can count on invalidating the policy.

Take care,
Eileen

Pandora:
I'm not an insurance savy person, but here is what I'd do.
Although you pay the premiums, technically your employer owns the policy. Are you listed specifically as the "insured" on the policy? If you are and you've been paying the premium, you have a legal right to the info. Personally, I believe your case is more with your employer, than with the insurance co. It really doesn't matter to the insurance company who pays, they take their orders from the owner of the policy

1. Get your employer to write a letter giving permission for you to obtain the info and/or stating he's unable to provide the info.
2. Put a little pressure on the insurance company, but only if your listed an "insured." Insurance companies hate it when you ask them for something in writing. Ask them to document and/or write a letter for refusing your request.


I don't know if any of this will work, but push comes to shove, it is worth a try. I'm surprised that your employer won't give you the info. How large is the company; number of employees.

Sorry, I forgot you're in a differnt country. But maybe some of this will apply.



Hope this helps a little.

Sandy

Sandy

Sky Diving here I come!! Despite that 49th parallell, our countries operate similarly with respect to things like insurance. Yes, the policy is owned by my employer and no, I am not specifically listed as "the insured". I agree, the onus is on my employer to provide the information. They keep referring me back to the benefits website, and I have decided that seeing as they list exclusions, but list the exclusions as being applicable only to accident and business travel insurance, that by extrapolation, there are no exclusions for the life insurance policy.

Having documented this, I am going to make my sky diving arrangements. Tandem of course but I can hardly wait to do it.

Donna

Donna, you are one brave soul!!!!

Pandora: Glad you got your information. Have a great time. YOU ARE ONE BRAVE SOUL!!!

Looking forward to reading about the experience.
Sandyst

Donna, you gave me what I needed this morning. A good chuckle to start the day. Go for it gal but don't forget to open the chute. lol

Donna,

Isn't it still snowing up there?

lol

So it snowed a little this morning. At least the snow didn't stay!

(Lord this is a cold spring - even for a Canadian!)

Donna

Jim - it is a tandem jump, so I am not responsible for opening the chute. Talk about trusting someone you don't know! One thing the instructor told me - if I happened to die sky diving, we would be sure to make the front page of the newspaper!

Donna

For those of you in the states that are worried about your life insurance payout and dying with dignity (suicide if you will) then Washington's new death with dignity act took effect in January. The law allows doctors to help the terminally ill patient die and then list the cause of death as the illness that would eventually kill them and not suicide, saving your insurance payout. This is what I understand from the bill anyway. I currently live in Idaho but was a Seattlite for 15 years and will move back if I get a recurrance due to their death with dignity act and thier medical marijuana policies...if I'm gonna go why not have a good time with it? (the last bit was a joke for those without a sense of humor)

FINALLY, my employer coughed up the information. There are no exclusions on my Group Life Insurance Policy. Therefore, my e mail to set up my tandem sky dive was despatched immediately! I can hardly wait. Its good to have a "Bucket List" and even better to try to do some of them. All of us know that life is far too short!

Donna

Hi Donna, we just switched companies and when they found out we had skydived, they about wet themselves. We had to promise to never do it again, which honestly I have no problem with, speaking of wetting yourself. LOL I'm not sure but as worried as they were, I'm thinking they'd have had to pay regardless. Now, that's on a new policy.....I'm assuming your present policy will cover you because it was never brought up. Another thing, you're going to be signing a TON of waivers before you go, even in that case, I think the company is liable because your survivors never signed off. You live in America, everyone sues, haha. When are you scheduled to go? I can't wait to hear what you thought of it. For myself, it's probably the closest I've ever come to a panic without actually doing it. That was before the cancer however, now I'm alot more adventurous with not alot of fear. At grandparents day at the grandkids school, they call me the "extreme grandma". Fun