X-Message-Number: 12379 From: Thomas Donaldson <> Subject: a short comment on life insurance, plus other things Date: Tue, 7 Sep 1999 11:16:16 +1000 (EST) A comment about life insurance for Brook Norton: Most life insurance companies have contracts which give a time limit during which death by suicide will cause them not to pay up. The time limits do vary, but I don't know of any life insurance company which insists that someone NEVER EVER commit suicide. They seem to have in mind the aim of preventing people from taking out life insurance and them immediately committing suicide, say to give the money to their relatives or children. Naturally we also should look very closely at any proposed law allowing assisted suicide. Bob Ettinger's point that we might be able to find friendly medical examiners, and the further point by Scott Badger about reasons for suicide deserve close attention. Not just Alzheimers but Parkinson's disease, and any florid brain tumor, end by destroying most of our brain. Up to now the only means that cryonicists have used is starvation, but perhaps with a friendly medical examiner we might be able to have a less difficult deanimation. Best and long long life for all, Thomas Donaldson Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=12379