You know, if we really needed insurance companies, they wouldn't make such high profits.

The soldiers aren't holding up their end of the deal, which makes this really their responsibility.

Too many of them sign up for long-term insurance contracts with lower premiums, but cancel right after their tours are complete. In effect, they are attempting to cheat the system by collecting on low-risk life insurance though they are actually high risk. Even understanding that gaming of the system, the insurance company still covers them, but once the high risk has passed the soldiers bail on their contract.

It's a shiatty thing to do, and soldiers ought to know better than to act like scam artists.

If most people would look at their insurance policies, they'd see it doesn't cover "an act of war".

Bigdogdaddy: If most people would look at their insurance policies, they'd see it doesn't cover "an act of war".

Declared war, or security action?

Privatized profits
Socialized losses

AverageAmericanGuy: The soldiers aren't holding up their end of the deal, which makes this really their responsibility.

Too many of them sign up for long-term insurance contracts with lower premiums, but cancel right after their tours are complete. In effect, they are attempting to cheat the system by collecting on low-risk life insurance though they are actually high risk. Even understanding that gaming of the system, the insurance company still covers them, but once the high risk has passed the soldiers bail on their contract.

It's a shiatty thing to do, and soldiers ought to know better than to act like scam artists.

Meh. I'll give you a conditional 5/10. We'll see how many hits you get.

it was a foreign policy, everyone knows the united states sucks at foreign policy.

Savage Belief: AverageAmericanGuy: The soldiers aren't holding up their end of the deal, which makes this really their responsibility.

Too many of them sign up for long-term insurance contracts with lower premiums, but cancel right after their tours are complete. In effect, they are attempting to cheat the system by collecting on low-risk life insurance though they are actually high risk. Even understanding that gaming of the system, the insurance company still covers them, but once the high risk has passed the soldiers bail on their contract.

It's a shiatty thing to do, and soldiers ought to know better than to act like scam artists.

Meh. I'll give you a conditional 5/10. We'll see how many hits you get.

Sorry. I forgot that it's always the insurance companies' fault and god forbid anyone ever say anything disparaging the troops.

Go war!

sethstorm: Bigdogdaddy: If most people would look at their insurance policies, they'd see it doesn't cover "an act of war".

Declared war, or security action?

Up to the discretion of the Insurance Co, no doubt.

Of course, there's those shareholders to to take care of first. Policyholders? Employees? Just a nuisance..

GEICO spends almost $1 BILLION a year on advertising.

Under the policy changes a soldier serving on the front line in Afghanistan would only be able to buy up to $250,000 of life cover for a premium of $455 per month. $750,000 of cover used to cost $1415 a year after a 12-month waiting period.

"We are not leaving anyone in the lurch and I would like to insure more soldiers," Mr Condon said.

I'M SURE YOU WOULD MR. DICKWAD.

profplump: JackalRabbit: it was a foreign policy, everyone knows the united states sucks at foreign policy.

That's not actually a good joke, but chuckled at the concept. I'll TF sponsor the first farker that applies the proper word-smithery to the concept to make a real joke. (At my sole discretion; no award is guaranteed; void where prohibited).

Everyone but Australia knows that the US sucks at foreign policy.

/that be bout as hard as I'm trying

sethstorm: Bigdogdaddy: If most people would look at their insurance policies, they'd see it doesn't cover "an act of war".

Declared war, or security action?

You can get insurance with an act of war rider so that it will still cover you. Before buying any kind of long-term insurance one should do some research and shop around otherwise you get what you deserve. You can get all kinds of riders on your insurance. Some will cover traumatic injury/illness up to a large % of the total value of the policy without surrendering it. This helps cover things like expensive cancer treatments and life saving surgeries. Other riders can cover your children and no not just 1 but all of them with a single rider...you don't need to plan your family around insurance.

try using your heads people. one size does not fit all. There are lots of decent products out there. Some cover only hospitalization and transport and such but won't include routine doctor visits. It isn't routine that breaks the bank...its the big stuff like hey I've got cancer of the ball-sack and or dirty pillows.

life insurance is widely varied and there are so many kinds that people really need to heed the phrase "buyer beware." Some will try to churn and burn you for commission even though it is illegal to do such a thing. Policy cancellations are only the tip of what can happen. If the soldiers were acting like douches and not paying for the entire term...well that is a good enough reason to cancel the policy imho...not paying? to f'ing bad.

it was a holiday romance, everyone knows americans suck for $s, but will not swallow for AUDs.

doglover: I wish the mob would take on insurance. I'd rather have a gangster with a Tommy Gun trying to collect because I know he'd have some mercy in his soul. Actuaries are heartless creatures with no redeeming qualities.

Insurance here in Japan is especially expensive, for no obvious reason.

I hear those "I got 1,000,000 30yr term life for $30 a month" commercials on the radio when I'm back in the States. Here, a 30,000,000 yen policy is out of my price range.

Insurance = legal ponzi scheme.

So once an insurance company agrees to write a 1 year policy on a risk, they have to write that policy for life? They're not allowed to reevaluate their risk every year and decide if they want to renew?

They've given 60 days. Find a new carrier.

doglover: TDBoedy: There are lots of decent products out there.

Genocidal warlords in Africa occasionally stumble upon sensible economic policy as well.

That doesn't mean they're not still evil. Insurance is like that only they don't use guns to kill people, they use a fat man in a bad tie and a rubber stamp with the word "denied" on it.

Make no mistake, insurance IS evil incarnate and in practice. In fact, insurance might be WORSE than the genocidal maniac because you can only kill about 1500 people with guns before America or Russia bomb you.

the derp is strong with you.

For you insurance is evil idiots:

Without insurance nothing of substance gets built. Do you think an investor will build a $100m factory if it could burn down and he'd lose his whole investment? Or that one worker could do something stupid and paralyze himself, and he lose everything?

There are life policies that don't exclude suicide and acts of war?

We wouldn't even know about this if don't ask don't tell wasn't repealed.
In the past you'd never hear of any american withdrawing protection from soldiers down under.

If you know what I mean.

RDixon: There are life policies that don't exclude suicide and acts of war?

Plenty that don't exclude suicide, and someone's already discussed riders that cover acts of war.

Diggers? Please!

MugzyBrown: Without insurance nothing of substance gets built.

Nope, nothing of substance was ever built without insurance.

profplump: doglover: I was serious about the body count, though. for profit insurance has killed more people than cancer, many of them probably from cancer so they double count.

Insurance kills people? Really!?! And you want us to take you seriously?

Link me to a study that shows how for-profit insurance is statistical correlated (not even causally related -- I'd settle for just statistically correlated) to cancer and I'll subscribe to your newsletter. Until then you should really just keep quiet while the adults discuss legitimate healthcare cost sharing systems.

I'll play along. Cancer: virtually unknown in 1800. Insurance: virtually unknown (outside of shipping) in 1800. Cancer: ubiquitous in 2012. Insurance: ubiquitous (about to be mandated by law) in 2012. Coincidence? YOU BE THE JUDGE.

untaken_name: MugzyBrown: Without insurance nothing of substance gets built.

Nope, nothing of substance was ever built without insurance.

Insurance. It's not as good as slavery.

Nice tagline

AverageAmericanGuy: untaken_name: MugzyBrown: Without insurance nothing of substance gets built.

Nope, nothing of substance was ever built without insurance.

Insurance. It's not as good as slavery.

Nice tagline

I would go with: Insurance: the less-efficient form of slavery.

Haven't insurance companies been known to reneg on serious illnesses requiring lengthy or permanent treatment?

Especially when they say a client lied about preexisting medical conditions (despite a medical checkup which also covers that specific condition, at the period of signing).

More than one case has been fought over in court with insurance claims, insurance companies and their sometimes dubious ethics.

So Yeah, please don't insult us by assuming we're naive, especially when there is serious precedent which warrants casting a doubtful eye on insurance companies. It's mainly themselves they have to blame for their bad public image. That, and people who need to make a claim aren't usually in the happiest of moods considering they need the money to cover for an unforeseen unfavorable or dangerous contingency.

AverageAmericanGuy.The soldiers aren't holding up their end of the deal, which makes this really their responsibility
It's a shiatty thing to do, and soldiers ought to know better than to act like scam artists.

And what insurance conpany do you work for ?
Given the atrocious premiums why would you continue to pay them once you're out of harms way,tihis company made more than enough money off the soldiers in combat,yet you suggest the give them more money when they are civilians or are demobed.

profplump: untaken_name: I'll play along. Cancer: virtually unknown in 1800. Insurance: virtually unknown (outside of shipping) in 1800. Cancer: ubiquitous in 2012. Insurance: ubiquitous (about to be mandated by law) in 2012. Coincidence? YOU BE THE JUDGE.

Cancer: virtually unknown in 1800. Tivo: virtually unknown in 1800. Cancer: ubiquitous in 2012. Tivo: ubiquitous (about to be mandated by law) in 2012. Coincidence? YOU BE THE JUDGE.

Don't even get me started on Tivo. You think you're recording tv....what you don't realize is THEY'RE RECORDING YOU, TOO....

/I'm guessing you didn't understand what "I'll play along" meant.
//I wasn't being serious with my statement and I used fallacious logic on purpose

doglover: AverageAmericanGuy: untaken_name: MugzyBrown: Without insurance nothing of substance gets built.

Nope, nothing of substance was ever built without insurance.

Insurance. It's not as good as slavery.

Nice tagline

The pyramids were built by slaves now?

No... Try around four thousand years ago.

No one is building pyramids of that scale these days except for the Luxor and the Illuminati.