# So, How Much are You Worth DEAD? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 21, 2003, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-are-you-worth-dead/214492 "2003-11-21T14:17:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Goofus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7feea3/32.png) [@Goofus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Goofus)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2003, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-are-you-worth-dead/214492/21 "2003-11-22T05:29:48Z")
**RickJay** : “Deathcash”?! Ha! I love it! I sold life insurance for a time, and I’d like to add something to what **fruitbat** said about employer-provided life insurance: if you quit or lose your job, that insurance goes away, so you should have some of your own. Also, if you have young kids, think about how much it will cost to send them to college. Think about how much you owe on your mortgage, if you have one. Think about how much it would take to compensate for the loss of your income. You probably don’t want your surviving spouse to carry that burden alone. Man, I’m starting to sound like I still sell insurance. I’ve got $400K in term life. ---
**Author:** ![aerodave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f08c70/32.png) [@aerodave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aerodave)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2003, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-are-you-worth-dead/214492/22 "2003-11-22T05:32:57Z")
I’ve got about $200,000 through work. I maxed out the available options on coverage. And in my case, it’s a good deal, because it’s the Federal Government. Our group life insurance is pretty cheap, and no physicals, no medical questions. I could smoke three packs a day, never wear a seat belt, and have Russian Roulette as a hobby, and they wouldn’t know or care. ---
**Author:** ![pesch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pesch/32/4925_2.png) [@pesch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pesch)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2003, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-are-you-worth-dead/214492/23 "2003-11-22T06:07:31Z")
My wife and I are insured for $300K, plus a cool $2,000 through USAA. Woo-ho! Plus, social security will kick in something in death bennies, too, so the family will do all right should one of us kick. But if both of us go . . . That’s why I lock the bedroom door at night. My six-year-old’s getting ideas. ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2003, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-are-you-worth-dead/214492/24 "2003-11-22T06:21:14Z")
Not one single cent in insurance or assets alas, well maybe a couple of thousand in stuff. About the same as my hubby was worth when he died. Never cancel insurance because you can’t afford it. You never know when someone may decide to kill themselves 3 mths later. What me bitter? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2003, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-are-you-worth-dead/214492/25 "2003-11-22T06:24:36Z")
Considering the OP’s username and the thread title, I’m not too sure how smart it is to answer her question. :eek: About 300K. Address NOT forthcoming, **belladonna** ---
**Author:** ![spogga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ab097/32.png) [@spogga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spogga)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2003, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-are-you-worth-dead/214492/26 "2003-11-22T14:52:48Z")
About £250K + the house and all the crap in it, total around £500K give or take a few quid. No point in fighting over it, my brother gets the lot ---
**Author:** ![belladonna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9fc29f/32.png) [@belladonna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/belladonna)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2003, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-are-you-worth-dead/214492/27 "2003-11-22T16:06:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by John Carter of Mars \* > \*\*Considering the OP’s username and the thread title, I’m not too sure how smart it is to answer her question. :eek: > > About 300K. Address NOT forthcoming, **belladonna** \*\* Curses! All my planning ruined! ---
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2003, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-are-you-worth-dead/214492/28 "2003-11-22T16:36:34Z")
Around $100,000 or so in life insurance, with an addition $5,000 or so in personal goods. I’m a college student who still lives with his parents, if that help explain it. ---
**Author:** ![mipiace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb9ed0/32.png) [@mipiace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mipiace)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2003, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-are-you-worth-dead/214492/29 "2003-11-22T19:01:56Z")
Sadly I am worth much more dead than alive (don’t tell my kids) Death from illness - $250,000 Death from accident - $375,000 Death while traveling on busines - $1,000,000 Death while traveling on business on a smaller plane (which unfortunately I regularly take) - $3,000,000 ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2003, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-are-you-worth-dead/214492/30 "2003-11-22T23:02:28Z")
About half a mill. It is vaguely depressing to know that, financially, the most responsible thing I could do for my family is die. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![hlanelee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3bc359/32.png) [@hlanelee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hlanelee)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2003, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-are-you-worth-dead/214492/31 "2003-11-23T13:17:51Z")
In 1995 I was in an automobile accident and was intubated and put on a ventilator and respirator at a small hospital then transported to the Medical University. The organ procurement doctor met my wife at the door. I’m not sure of the monetary value but he wanted me badly. Things worked out in my favor. ---
**Author:** ![rolandgunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cdc98d/32.png) [@rolandgunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rolandgunslinger)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2003, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-are-you-worth-dead/214492/32 "2003-11-23T19:41:08Z")
Death from illness- $500,000 Accident at work- $1,000,000 ---
**Author:** ![Chavardz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/91b2a8/32.png) [@Chavardz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chavardz)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2003, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-are-you-worth-dead/214492/33 "2003-11-23T20:05:01Z")
$0 ---
**Author:** ![StanDup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@StanDup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StanDup)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2003, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-are-you-worth-dead/214492/34 "2003-11-23T21:11:34Z")
Two bucks. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2003, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-are-you-worth-dead/214492/35 "2003-11-23T21:39:57Z")
Dead, I’m worth $100,000. Airman took out the spouse option SGLI policy. It costs about twelve bucks a month. (Assuming I don’t die, my future earnings will be a hell of a lot more than that.) Of course, he’s worth a quarter-mill. Robin ---
**Author:** ![Rabid\_Squirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Rabid\_Squirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rabid_Squirrel)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2003, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-are-you-worth-dead/214492/36 "2003-11-23T22:11:03Z")
My old science teacher once told us we’re mostly water with a few dollars of miscellaneous chemicals. I don’t think he took marketable enzymes into account. Call it ~US$200-100. ---
**Author:** ![Matchka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Matchka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Matchka)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2003, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-are-you-worth-dead/214492/37 "2003-11-24T01:25:05Z")
$1mil 20 year term policy (at that time Mrs. Matchka can boot the kittens) $88k group through work–cuz it costs $3/month Was an insurance agent myself for a time. I still beliece that most folks only need term, and usually a ton more than they think. With a few exceptions, the parents always would develop a need for $500k each (term–get the kids taken care of & spouse fends for self thereafter). I got 3 kids in private school, wife is stay at home mom. We came to the $million figure by looking at mortgage payoff, modest new/dependable car at 7 year intervals, daily living expenses, tuition for gradeschool & college or therapy. It adds up pretty quickly. Whole Life I have nothing good to say about unless someone else buys it for you. Universal Life…now THAT’s a cool little thing…let’s hear it for interest free investment growth (well, actually, indefinitely tax-deferred growth)! ---
**Author:** ![Q.N.Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/3da27b/32.png) [@Q.N.Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.N.Jones)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2003, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-are-you-worth-dead/214492/38 "2003-11-24T03:30:47Z")
Regular old boring death: $100,000 If I get accidentally dismembered: $200,000 If I die in an accident which may or may not involve dismemberment: $300,000 ---
**Author:** ![badmana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@badmana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badmana)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2003, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-are-you-worth-dead/214492/39 "2003-11-24T04:17:21Z")
I’m going to ramp up my coverage when I’m older but right now I have basic coverage through work. Works out to: $35K + $70K if work related plus $208K on top of anything I get. If it’s an auto accident I’m worth a cool million CAN. ---
**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2003, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-are-you-worth-dead/214492/40 "2003-11-24T04:39:06Z")
Sure, I sleep with one eye open. Heh. Yeah, our financial planner suggested we do term, amount based on future earnings or as close to that as we could afford. So we got 20-year term, but it’s the amount I can’t remember. It’s really not that expensive, and it’s good peace of mind. I mean, except for worrying about one’s spouse’s intentions. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-are-you-worth-dead/214492.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-are-you-worth-dead/214492.md?page=3)