X-Message-Number: 13464 From: Date: Mon, 3 Apr 2000 22:42:45 EDT Subject: Re: CryoNet #13446 - #13452 In a message dated 04/02/2000 5:01:45 AM Eastern Daylight Time, writes: Hi, this is Rudi Hoffman, responding to the below posting: << Message #13452 Date: Sat, 01 Apr 2000 19:38:11 -0700 From: Peter Christiansen <> Subject: Affordable Cryonics Apparently both Alcor and CI intend to use Cryo Transport to perform the initial suspension procedure which would mean the quality of the actual suspension for members of either organization would be the same. CI currently offers a whole body suspension for $28,000 but does not offer a neuro option. Alcor charges $120,000 to $150,000 for a whole body, and $50,000 or 42% the cost of a whole body suspension for a neuro. It is my understanding that long term storage maintenance funding at CI is based on an estimated average annual growth (or draw) of 5%, and at Alcor on an estimated average annual growth (or draw) of %2. Either of which of course is very conservative compared to the average annual growth rate of 10% in the major financial markets in the past century. All this being so, it would seem that it should be possible to offer a competently performed neuro suspension, and long term storage, for $12,000 to $15,000. Comments? Peter Christiansen >> Hello, Peter and others on Cryonet, You may be interested in noting that Alcor has a policy of setting $70,000 (that is seventy thousand dollars) into the patient care trust fund upon each full body suspension. This patient care trust fund is managed by Smith Barney, and is not available for administrative or operating expenses of Alcor. The fund is currently over one million dollars and growing. Documentation of these observations are available from Alcor. The point is to have as much money as possible for long term storage and reanimation. Just thought people should know. The funding aspects of the different orgs are not always well known. I have been a dues paying, fully signed up member of ALCOR since 1994, and only recently found that 70,000 of my insurance funded 120,000 was to be committed to the patient care trust. Some general observations re: costs of funding. (This happens to be a special interest of mine, since I believe many more people would be signed up for cryonics if they understood the insurance financing aspect) There is a range of quality in everything. I understand this concept much better at 43 than I did at age 33 or age 23. Wouldn't you agree, Peter, that there are different value systems and considerations that are important to different people. That is why some folks drive Volvos, others drive Lincolns, others drive Buicks, and others drive beat up Dodges. Diffeerent values and ability to pay. I for one am very comfortable with Alcor. Especially because I can use the magic of life insurance to create 120,000 for a very affordable price. Which is not to say that CI is not a fine alternative. The important thing is that people realize that the cryonics alternative IS an AFFORDABLE option. And that they take action, not procrastinating while the costs of insuring them go up as they get older. Along with the very real possibility that they may become uninsurable, which is a reality of life that currently happens to EVERYONE at some point in time. Having sold life insurance for 23 years, the challenges of obtaining affordable insurance for older age individuals is a very real and daily experience for me. These observations are not merely opinions, but the realit ies of the insurance and mortality tables that all life insurance companies base their policy assumptions on. Thanks for your attention and observation regarding the all important FUNDING question. I would welcome any dialogue on funding and financial matters in this forum. I think a discussion of cryonics FUNDING is very much "ON POINT" in this BB. Warmly and Sincerely Yours, Rudi Hoffman Certified Financial Planner Daytona Beach, FL USA ( BTW, you may be interested to know I am currently to my knowledge the leading writer of life insurance to fund cryotransport in the world, one of the few life insurance agents specializing in writing cryonic suspension policies licensed in multiple states.) (This is more than a hobby to me...about half my Financial Planning practice involves cryostasis life insurance policies.) Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=13464