Ask about life insurance, without being suspicious

[Carina]

OK, so it just hit me within the past 10 minutes that 'oh, I have life insurance at my workplace...' with a 'and I've been there for 1.5 years....' But come to find out that they didn't ask me information like they did others to alter/update/change my plan (so I'm worried they're going to accidentally cancel/redo the start time), to say nothing that they apparently have the policy activation as of 11/01/2018 (apparently they started it almost 6 months after I was there, even though I had insurance before that).

It specifically has a 2-year clause in it. How can I ask questions, without it seeming suspicious that I'm too concerned with the date and length of the insurance? Because I'm pretty sure if I ask anything about the 2-year date, if it takes effect Nov, or Dec, etc... it will raise a lot of flags.

Granted the entire thing annoys me as it is for a number of reasons all overlapping. But, I'm going to have to call them, put on my fake customer service voice (I suck at, been in IT too long). But still curious how to approach it.

 

[LegaliseIt!]

OK, so it just hit me within the past 10 minutes that 'oh, I have life insurance at my workplace...' with a 'and I've been there for 1.5 years....' But come to find out that they didn't ask me information like they did others to alter/update/change my plan (so I'm worried they're going to accidentally cancel/redo the start time), to say nothing that they apparently have the policy activation as of 11/01/2018 (apparently they started it almost 6 months after I was there, even though I had insurance before that).

It specifically has a 2-year clause in it. How can I ask questions, without it seeming suspicious that I'm too concerned with the date and length of the insurance? Because I'm pretty sure if I ask anything about the 2-year date, if it takes effect Nov, or Dec, etc... it will raise a lot of flags.

Granted the entire thing annoys me as it is for a number of reasons all overlapping. But, I'm going to have to call them, put on my fake customer service voice (I suck at, been in IT too long). But still curious how to approach it.

Seems like it would be totally legitimate to review the terms (throw in some benign "warm up" questions that you already know the answers to) as part of "your regularly updated estate planning". Anyone with life insurance typically reviews what is on file, beneficiaries, and payouts, because if a person doesn't, most insurance companies will find a loophole to invalidate it—even before a claim is made. Just based on what I have experienced.

 

[Carina]

Hmm. Actually now that you mention it, I don't know who the beneficiary is... I do need to know that. And then the other question ('it is going to auto renew right?') would make sense... because I "think" there's a "increases per year" thing in it...

Thanks

Granted I was just annoyed it postpones things a year... but then beyond Nov/Dec and like omg why.... So I probably just wasn't thinking clearly as it just hit me I had it. If not for one thing (min amount, and potential amount), I wouldn't even care.

 

[sleepy dog]

If they are professional they will answer your questions. If you are an older person it will seem normal I think. I don't think they will be suspicious about every person that asks questions.

 

[Jeremy]

Even if they are suspicious, which they shouldn't be because you are most certainly not the first person to ask these questions - who the hell cares? Unless you outright tell them what your intentions are, there's no risk to you. The customer service representative for a life insurance company can't send the cops to wheel you off to the psych ward because you asked questions about your life insurance policy. End of story. This is a valid worry, but it's just like people worrying about going to the hardware store to buy rope; the guy on the other end of the transaction just sees it as another mundane interaction unless you make it into something else.

 

[LegaliseIt!]

Also, if they failed to get needed information from you, (but did so for others hired at the same time as you, ) you can remind them that you now have to be extra detailed due to the initial error.
I never like putting people on the defensive, but as long as you sound polite but detail-oriented, you won't be singling out one person.

 

[WingedFallen]

I see nothing wrong with asking all the questions. If I was in your position and DIDN'T want to ctb I would still see it as perfectly legitimate to ask "how exactly does that work?" I mean, people die accidentally all the time, it's normal to worry about how your insurance will function.

I will say it may be vital to read the fine print and make sure that suicide doesn't invalidate the policy. To my knowledge it usually doesn't UNLESS you take out the policy right before you do it, some time has to pass before they will pay out for suicide. I imagine that time period varies from place to place and company to company though, but there's no harm in asking complex questions.

 

[Carina]

Yeah the fine print on their website has the 'we do not pay for suicide unless after 2 years from activation date of policy' as like the very first line.

Oh and fortunately I've had to call them before because the same place has our other insurances (my workplace went to a company that offered multiple services) and they forgot to send out information to me I needed.

If I'm really lucky I might have the company's direct contact person at guardian too.


Thanks all....a lot less worried about asking them info. Was so concerned they'd jump to conclusions