# Can I take out a life insurance policy on Charlie Sheen? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 20, 2011, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-take-out-a-life-insurance-policy-on-charlie-sheen/575371 "2011-03-20T17:31:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-take-out-a-life-insurance-policy-on-charlie-sheen/575371/1 "2011-03-20T17:31:13Z")
I have no personal connection to Sheen; I’ve never met him, and I doubt I ever will. But I’ve learned that there can be multiple policies on any given person, and I’ve heard of stories of companies taking out policies on employees. Presuming I could afford the premiums, could I take out a policy that kicks in if ole Chuck does something wacky (perish the thought!) and ends up kicking the bucket? If we ignore the moral component, what’s to stop a person from taking out policies on high-risk children, and obtain a payout if they die young? ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-take-out-a-life-insurance-policy-on-charlie-sheen/575371/2 "2011-03-20T17:46:58Z")
I don’t know if you could do it but if so, I’ll bet the premium is $100,000 a month! ---
**Author:** ![Patch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Patch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patch)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-take-out-a-life-insurance-policy-on-charlie-sheen/575371/3 "2011-03-20T17:48:29Z")
I was thinking that same thing just last week. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-take-out-a-life-insurance-policy-on-charlie-sheen/575371/4 "2011-03-20T17:51:50Z")
No because you lack insurable interest. Simply put you would suffer no financial loss if he died. Would my wife suffer a financial loss if I died? Yes, she has an insurable interest in my life. Would my company suffer a loss if I died? Maybe, so they would have an insurable interest in my life. The second problem is how are you going to get him to sign the application? Now if you were his buddy he could take out a policy and name you the beneficiary, as everyone has an insurable interest in themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-take-out-a-life-insurance-policy-on-charlie-sheen/575371/5 "2011-03-20T17:54:45Z")
The general principle is that one must have an [“insurable interest”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insurable_interest) in the life of the other person; strangers normally don’t meet the standard\* and even immediate family members are ineligible in many cases. Curiously, though, an existing valid policy may be (according to the [SCotUS, 1911](http://supreme.justia.com/us/222/149/case.html)) _sold_ to somebody without an insurable interest. - If you had a business interest in a project or event which would result in a demonstrable loss if Sheen died, that would qualify. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-take-out-a-life-insurance-policy-on-charlie-sheen/575371/6 "2011-03-20T18:00:33Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > The second problem is how are you going to get him to sign the application? Assuming there was insurable interest, would he have to sign it? I seem to recall hearing about companies that held insurance on employees without their knowledge. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-take-out-a-life-insurance-policy-on-charlie-sheen/575371/7 "2011-03-20T18:08:25Z")
> [@spark240](#): > > Assuming there was insurable interest, would he have to sign it? I seem to recall hearing about companies that held insurance on employees without their knowledge. Taking out blanket policies on a class of employees, possibly not (ask Walmart) but on an individual? Yup, gonna have to have a signature. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-take-out-a-life-insurance-policy-on-charlie-sheen/575371/8 "2011-03-20T18:10:01Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > If we ignore the moral component, what’s to stop a person from taking out policies on high-risk children, and obtain a payout if they die young? Price. First, you’ve got to get someone to _sell_ you the policy, and then you’ve got to get it cheap enough to be worth it. And who do you think is better at assessing risk, you or an insurance company? If you think you can beat the odds, you’re welcomed to try. But like Vegas, the odds favor the house. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-take-out-a-life-insurance-policy-on-charlie-sheen/575371/9 "2011-03-20T18:18:50Z")
> [@spark240](#): > > The general principle is that one must have an [“insurable interest”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insurable_interest) in the life of the other person; strangers normally don’t meet the standard\* and even immediate family members are ineligible in many cases. Curiously, though, an existing valid policy may be (according to the [SCotUS, 1911](http://supreme.justia.com/us/222/149/case.html)) _sold_ to somebody without an insurable interest. > > - If you had a business interest in a project or event which would result in a demonstrable loss if Sheen died, that would qualify. No insurable interest? No insurable interest?! Do his tweets not brighten my pedestrian day? Do his thespian skills, wherein he embodies the persona of a boozy womanizer named Charlie, not bring sweet respite to my otherwise dreary existence? I take umbrage at your dismissive flippancy! But thanks for the knowledge. ---
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-take-out-a-life-insurance-policy-on-charlie-sheen/575371/10 "2011-03-20T23:47:38Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > No insurable interest? > No insurable interest?! > > Do his tweets not brighten my pedestrian day? Do his thespian skills, wherein he embodies the persona of a boozy womanizer named Charlie, not bring sweet respite to my otherwise dreary existence? > > I take umbrage at your dismissive flippancy! > > But thanks for the knowledge. So, you’re the guy that pushed Sherlock Holmes over Reichenbach Falls, and now, out of the goodness of your heart, you want to take out a policy on another famous person. Move along, kind sir, move along. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-take-out-a-life-insurance-policy-on-charlie-sheen/575371/11 "2011-03-21T01:38:51Z")
How about if I invest in whatever show or movie he has a role in next, assuming anyone ever considers him to be employable again? At that point I would have a financial interest in his well being. Could I take out a policy on him then? ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-take-out-a-life-insurance-policy-on-charlie-sheen/575371/12 "2011-03-21T02:38:26Z")
> [@Projammer](#): > > How about if I invest in whatever show or movie he has a role in next, assuming anyone ever considers him to be employable again? > > At that point I would have a financial interest in his well being. Could I take out a policy on him then? I’d suggest that your best bet would be to write a completion bond on the finished work. As long as the work is finished and completed, you get your fee regardless of how the show does (sureties can be very lucrative, if you do your homework). But if the show is not completed, and a claim is made, you’ll have to make good on the shortfall. Regardless, assuming Charlie does his thing (however poorly) and the work is completed, you’ll be paid. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-take-out-a-life-insurance-policy-on-charlie-sheen/575371/13 "2011-03-21T02:50:08Z")
One reason you need an insurable interest is to take temptation out of the hands of the kinds of people who [killed Michael Malloy.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Malloy) ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-take-out-a-life-insurance-policy-on-charlie-sheen/575371/14 "2011-03-21T02:54:42Z")
I’ve heard that London bookmakers can take action on practically anything if they feel they can get a handle on the odds. I don’t know if betting on someone’s life is against the law in this scenario. If it’s legal It might be simpler to simply place a bet with a legal bookie on this happenstance if they like the odds you are giving. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-take-out-a-life-insurance-policy-on-charlie-sheen/575371/15 "2011-03-21T04:43:01Z")
> [@whitetho](#): > > So, you’re the guy that pushed Sherlock Holmes over Reichenbach Falls, and now, out of the goodness of your heart, you want to take out a policy on another famous person. Move along, kind sir, move along. _And…_ didst undertake the insuring of the right Mr. S. Holmes with a firm (Crachit & Sons, Upper Fleet Street, London), merely with the goal of benefitting financially from the aforementioned Mr. Holmes’s untimely demise! Fie on thee, sir! A plot that was derailed by a certain hound from Baskerville Hall and the Baker Street Irregulars… Had it not been for “that dog and those pesky kids”, thou wouldst, in the vernacular of the peasantry, have “gotten away with it”. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-take-out-a-life-insurance-policy-on-charlie-sheen/575371/16 "2011-03-21T04:52:52Z")
IIRC there was a Law and Order episode where the perps would tidy up a skid row bum, claim he was an executive in their company, have a bunch of insurance medicals run on the guy, and then kill him for insurance payouts conveniently a while later. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-take-out-a-life-insurance-policy-on-charlie-sheen/575371/17 "2011-03-21T04:59:28Z")
> [@md2000](#): > > IIRC there was a Law and Order episode where the perps would tidy up a skid row bum, claim he was an executive in their company, have a bunch of insurance medicals run on the guy, and then kill him for insurance payouts conveniently a while later. 'Ripped from the headlines" [2 Arrested in Homeless Life Insurance Scam](http://articles.latimes.com/2006/may/19/local/me-homeless19) > [@](#): > > Two women in their 70s were arrested Thursday after they allegedly befriended two homeless men, took out 19 life insurance policies on them and filed claims worth more than $2.2 million after the transients mysteriously died in hit-and-run pedestrian accidents in Los Angeles. > > One of the men was hit by a car and killed in an alley off La Brea and Melrose avenues in 1999, and the second victim was run down in a Westwood alley last June ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-take-out-a-life-insurance-policy-on-charlie-sheen/575371/18 "2011-03-21T05:56:08Z")
Theoretically you could insure Charlie Sheen’s life in Australia, where there is no longer any requirement for insurable interest. However I’d expect a life insurer to be reluctant to do so unless you could provide some convincing reason for wanting the policy. And even if a life insurer were willing to underwrite the risk, it would require Charlie Sheen to undergo a barrage of medical and financial assessments. As **Rick** notes, Sheen would not be under any obligation to co-operate with the process. ---
**Author:** ![horsetech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dec6dc/32.png) [@horsetech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/horsetech)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-take-out-a-life-insurance-policy-on-charlie-sheen/575371/19 "2011-03-21T06:18:12Z")
And the SDMB Death Pool takes a new twist . . . ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-take-out-a-life-insurance-policy-on-charlie-sheen/575371/20 "2011-03-21T09:23:59Z")
If your only interest is claiming money if Charlie Sheen dies prematurely, why not make a bet with a bookmaker? They’ll give you the odds of him dying within a certain period, and then you place your bet. (Maybe you could even arrange to spread the payments over the duration of the period, just like insurance premiums.) If he dies, you get some multiple of your money; if not, the bookmaker keeps your bet.