Tuesday, September 30, 2008  Nothing is Automatic  I worked for
a carrier a number of years ago that sold group term life
insurance and practically nothing else. It was a relatively
simple job. You write a case and at renewal tell the client
their rate will be the same as it was last year.  I used to tell
people there was nothing to this. The policy was simple. If you
die we pay if you don't we don't.  It doesn't get much more
simple than that.  But the life insurance business isn't always
that easy. Take the case of Heath Ledger.  Heath is an actor who
died earlier this year. He is best known for his role in
Brokeback Mountain and more recently, as the Joker in the Batman
flick, The Dark Knight.  According to reports Heath died of "an
accidental drug overdose."  He had a $10,000,000 policy through
ING/ReliaStar.  Paying the claim should be a no brainer, right?
Not necessarily.  ReliaStar states in its legal response it is
seeking more information about whether Ledger may have lied on
paperwork and about whe