Dealing with the VA the other day.
My father, who was a WWII B-17 pilot, died on January 3. Among his papers, I found an ancient military life insurance policy that dated back to 1944. It was a 20-pay-life insurance policy. What that meant is that you paid a premium once a year for 20 years and then the policy was paid off. My father had notations with his policy that showed that he had paid those $126 annual premiums like clockwork, every year for 20 years. The policy value was stated as $5000 on the policy itself.
So, I looked up VA life insurance on Google and found a number to call. I called. A very nice woman was the random representative I talked to. I told her about my father's death and that I had found that policy. "What is the policy number, please?" I told her, and heard her tapping on a keyboard. "Oh, here it is. Yes, it was fully paid up years ago."
I had given my name at the beginning of the call. "Yes, I see your name here as a beneficiary." She asked about the other beneficiaries named on the policy. My mother, who has also died. Myself, my younger sister, and my younger brother, who died in 2017. "So it's just the two beneficiaries left?" I told her yes.
So she got my address and asked if I had death certificates for my parents and my brother. I said that I did. She asked for my sister's address as well, and said she'd send out claim packets for both of us. I thanked her and said I'd fill things out and return them.
"Are you curious about the amount of the benefits?" I said, "Well the policy was for $5000." She said, "Well, that's not really how it works. I see here that the total amount to be divided between the two beneficiaries will be about $68,000. The value has increased over time, due to how those those policies were set up. It has been over 75 year since the policy was issued."
The entire conversation was very pleasant, and the woman offered her condolences about my father, my mother, and my brother. It was very unlike most of the conversations I've been having with people as I deal with necessary communications about the death of my parents. I remember thinking, "This is how it should always be. Bureaucracies should not treat those who contact them as necessary evils" The VA did not do that. The random person who I talked to there actually gave a damn.
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That’s remarkable.
-Laelth
and everything was correct. Impressed as hell. As you say, the way it should always be.
Not overly impressed with $68K after 75 years of exponential increases in investment wealth -- but it's a government-secured guaranteed payout and lot better than a punch in the nose. And the checks or whatever will no doubt arrive promptly.
Here's to our VA. I'm sure your parents would be very pleased.
My husband has done our paperwork for the past (omg!) 20 years, took it over when he retired and I kept working. I set him up with a whole new desk and computer system, mail sorting center, labeled files, etc, all to no good. He's allergic to organization, but I refused to sweat it then and refuse to think about it now. My MIL, who didn't leave a single thing undone or tarnished paper clip undiscarded will be spinning, but I only hope it will be our children's problem. Cost of inheriting.
to spare it might be nice to let her supervisor know what you just told us.
about $34,000? 
Seriously, I am so glad that went well for you after the pain of losing family members. 
