by Diane Johnson; 2/8/2017
Richard died. I feel like half of me has been torn away. There is a ghostly image of the missing half so ambulances don’t try to pick me up. The good side of being half translucent is that I’m almost half invisible. I’ve always wanted to be invisible. . . or I used to want that.
About two weeks after the funeral I decided I had better get to work on settling our affairs.
I went to look for Richard’s life insurance policy. I was dreading the prospect as the file cabinet had two big boxes of papers on top of it and I didn’t even know where to start looking. I took the boxes off the top and opened the drawer and his policy was sitting right on top. While he was still able to get around he had dug it out and put it where I could find it easily. It was like getting a kiss from Heaven. (He did this when I was not around because it was a complete surprise to me.)
There is a lot of responsibility in being the one left behind. First, I had to beg and plead with the life insurance people to send me the forms I needed to fill out for the death benefit. The insurance company, Allianz, (I’m using the real name to point fingers at the guilty,) informed me they would send the paperwork in 7 to 10 days. They said they needed our/my address. It’s the same one they have been using for 30+ years to receive our premium payments and communicate with us.
In 7 to 10 days, no forms had come so I contacted Julie Blockey’s office, our local representative in Bozeman. I talked to Deena, (an Angel) and she said she would contact them (Allianz) and see that the papers were sent. When she called me back she said they were “researching the claim” and would mail the papers in 7 to 10 days. Fine.
On to other things. I called our credit card company to pay off the balance and change it into my name only. I was transferred to three different people, then I paid the card off by phone, and while still on the line, the perky girl on the other end said the card would be canceled. I asked why. She explained it was in Richard’s name and I couldn’t just change it into my name. I explained that I had just paid the balance and we had had the card for more than ten years. She explained to me that it was company policy to cancel the card when an account owner passed. She then transferred me to someone so I could fill out an application for the card over the phone. I did so. He said I could expect the results of my application in 7 to 10 days.
Exactly 10 days later, I received a reply from the credit card company. I was denied. There was no recourse. I tried to call the 800 number on the back of the card, but the recording said the card had been canceled. I decided to go with a debit card in the meantime, it should come in 7 to 10 days.
I called the life insurance people, the forms were still not in my mailbox. Deena said, “They are usually better about getting things out to people. I’ll call them again.”
She returned my call the next day. Allianz said the paperwork would be in the mail in 7 to 10 days.
I continued down the path to getting things settled. I took the vehicle titles to the courthouse to put the trucks and car in my name only. I think I want to sell both trucks and purchase a newer truck. Even though I had called first, when I arrived they said you need to have a certified death certificate to make the changes. I had 8 of them at home, 15 miles away. I’ll be back, when I’m good and ready. (I’m good enough now but I’m not ready.)
Meanwhile, I kept getting statements from St. Peter’s Hospital and the Funeral Home. I called weekly and gave them a progress report on the life insurance policy.
Finally, the forms came from Allianz. I filled them out and called Deena, (the Angel), in Bozeman. She had me send the forms to her so she could fax them to Allianz (in Texas).
Guess what, the check came in 10 days. I immediately paid off the Funeral Home and St. Peter’s Hospital. (Actually, I had to wait 2 days because the check from Allianz had to clear before I could write any checks on it.)
Now, on to Social Security. Because Richards Social Security was larger than mine I could have his instead of mine. I called the SS 800 number. For once I talked to a person who seemed to know what he was doing. He signed me up for Medicare and set up an appointment by phone for me to do all the paperwork required by the change, the appointment was in 7 days. Today actually. I have to send in a certified copy of our Marriage License, in 7 to 10 days.
Finally, I gave contributions to the ministries we had decided to support with some of the insurance money, set aside funds for taxes and insurance for the next decade, and heaved a sigh of relief.
My dishwasher had quit working in October, but I hadn’t had the time or heart to shop for a new one. I decided it was time. I found one I liked in Home Depot. It would be delivered in 7 to 10 days, really, I’m not making this up. It was delivered last Tuesday, February 2. It was a cold day. When the men brought and installed my beautiful new dishwasher and tried to test it, it wouldn’t work. It had frozen in the truck. The pump was ruined. The delivery men wrote on the invoice that the unit had frozen and told me to call Home Depot in the morning.
The next morning when I talked to them at Home Depot they said they would send an identical replacement in 7 days. It should be here on Thursday the 9th. I hope it isn’t cold.
So now, here I am with a low credit score, in spite of owning my home free and clear and no other debt at all, and a decent income and retirement 401K. I was angry and insulted when I discovered I had a low credit score. We paid our bills on time, I paid the Hospital monthly as well as a lump sum at the end and paid off the Funeral Home entirely ASAP. Did I learn anything from this? Yes, 1. a woman should have her own credit card instead of being on her spouses (or visa versa). 2. Life Insurance companies are evil so take out the big guns early. Get a lawyer to send for the forms. 3. Get a lawyer early and have your will done and handy.
Early preparation is possible if your spouse is terminally ill. Even if nobody is sick, have your ducks lined up. Know where all of your policies are. Have a will, (we both did), and go through your saved very important papers, (VIP’s) every year instead of every other decade, it will likely take 7 to 10 days.
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