Declined! for life insurance

When we started planning for our new family, Jrock and I decided that we needed some additional life insurance.  We already both had policies, but we decided that if we had kids, I would need more coverage, so he could keep living in the house, etc.  So we called up our old friend B (really, he is a good friend) and said “sign me up for $X more!”

B said that since we were increasing the policy, it was like signing up for a new one.  So he asked the usual questions… including, are you travelling out of Europe or North America any time in the next year? to which I replied “yes, to Ethiopia to pick up my kids” to which he replied are you sure? to which I replied “yes, I’m sure,” and I spit on the spit stick. 

A month later, his office called up - seems the insurance company didn’t like that I was going to Ethiopia and had to fill out a new form.  So I filled out a new form. 

THEN, they sent a nurse to my house to collect a urine sample (which tests for, among other things, AIDS…)

Finally, $50+ in courier fees later, B called me and told me I was declined for any additional coverage until I was back from Ethiopia (and had more tests.) Apparently, Ethiopia is on the dangerous list, according to B.  Nice.  He was a little flustered himself, and said at least you’ve had the existing policy for over three years, so they can’t do anything about that. Nice.

So a warning to any expecting parents out there who are nesting and preparing and buying life insurance before travelling to pick up your kids: Remember, you are not going to Africa.  Nowhere with poverty or illness or crazy stuff like AIDS.  Better pretend you are going to stay in the city, navigating your car around traffic accidents, eating French Fries that clog your arteries and stressing over work until you have a heart attack.  It’s much safer.