What To Do? Is It Legal?

[WinoBlues]

Ok, just got disturbing email from a client.

She was in an auto accident couple months ago and is now paralyzed from the waist down.

Here is my concern. She wants to make sure her beneficiaries are set up "correctly" to her daughters as primary. Not only on her life but also on the other policies she owns on her exhusband and her daughters. This woman in in her 50s.

The last sentence is if there "are any stipulations in my policy that would complicate the payoff,ie,suicide etc."

Last time I had a conversation with a client about this. It was a sheriff that wound up eating his gun.

Here is my question, if I call the ex husband or daughter what is my liability regarding privacy. I may do it anyway, depending on how my conversation with her goes. I can only stall her so long with a "let me look into it" answer.

 

[MrKropp]

What is legal and what is right may be two different things.

 

[GreenSky]

You would be in violation of privacy laws to mention anything.

Rick

 

[VaDwayne]

Ok, just got disturbing email from a client.

She was in an auto accident couple months ago and is now paralyzed from the waist down.

Here is my concern. She wants to make sure her beneficiaries are set up "correctly" to her daughters as primary. Not only on her life but also on the other policies she owns on her exhusband and her daughters. This woman in in her 50s.

The last sentence is if there "are any stipulations in my policy that would complicate the payoff,ie,suicide etc."

Last time I had a conversation with a client about this. It was a sheriff that wound up eating his gun.

Here is my question, if I call the ex husband or daughter what is my liability regarding privacy. I may do it anyway, depending on how my conversation with her goes. I can only stall her so long with a "let me look into it" answer.

I would certainly think that their has got to be a way to do this legally. If you don't try to do something about it and the family finds out, you are going to be sued anyway.

I know there are privacy laws but if you know a crime is going to be commited,I guess suicide is a crime, you are obligated by law to report it, at least in Virginia.

Ask a lawyer, this will get it off of your mind.

 

[VolAgent]

I would certainly think that their has got to be a way to do this legally. If you don't try to do something about it and the family finds out, you are going to be sued anyway.

I know there are privacy laws but if you know a crime is going to be commited,I guess suicide is a crime, you are obligated by law to report it, at least in Virginia.

Ask a lawyer, this will get it off of your mind.

Took the words right out of my mouth. Talk to a lawyer. For instance, if you tell a doctor or lawyer that you are about to commit a crime they are obligated to report it to the authorities. Now, if you tell them about a crime you have already committed, that is a different story.

 

[briko3]

I'm torn with this one. On the one hand, you'd think something could be done to help her and make her happy. On the other hand, I would probably want to do the same thing she's thinking about and I would want the right to do it.

That being said, I would call a suicide help line and ask them what you should do. They might know the proper procedure to do it anonymously or help you with what you could say to her.

 

[LGilmore]

I think you may be overthinking it too. Yes, I too have been the last conversation with a client, 2 years and one day after the policy purchase. So, yes, it's a possibility

But I also think it could be she's not sure of what is covered and what is not. I mean how many clients do we have that remember much of anything about their policy? She may want to make sure she's organized just in case she doesn't make it long. I have a brother who has a good friend as a partial beneficary on one policy for a loan. The loan's been paid back for years. I've sent him 6 change of beneficary forms, told him at least 25 times the company pays as specified on the beneficary declaration. But he still hasn't done it. He has round to it deasease. It may take something serious for him to pull his head out of his backside on this.

Could it be this lady is taking stock of the situation and just wants to make sure her ducks are in a row?

 

[Mr. Bill]

It is an honest question and I probably wouldn't read too much into it. If the facts are as you state, then she has had a lot of interaction with many medical personnel, and probably a lot of therapy/psychologist/psychiatrist interaction as well.

Most likely her question didn't stem from her directly, she's probably had access to a lot of literature and probably a lot of "helpful" material, which probably has a "things to consider" or checklist or something like that. In other words, let it go for now, just give her the assistance she needs, and I'm with the others, don't go down the privacy invasion path. Good luck to her, and I hope it's better than perhaps we think!

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

I think there's a big difference between asking about the suicide provision and stating she's going to commit suicide.

 

[WinoBlues]

Worked it out thanks.

She is in rough place.