Did you join "areivim" ?

Raisin

Sun, Apr 30 2017, 6:41 pm

We have life insurance so do not belong. If we could not afford life insurance, I would join areivim. It's not perfect, but it certainly would provide some peace of mind. I like that it makes a widow/widower more marriageable since a potential spouse would not have to worry financially about marrying off stepchildren. I don't like that it doesn't provide a lot of money for immedeate needs. If someone has 6 kids under 10 I can imagine they would need more money then arevim can provide for day to day living.

Its also not clear if there are any benefits to joining if you already have life insurance.

crust

Sun, Apr 30 2017, 6:45 pm

Raisin wrote:

The gain would be that you take part in a Karen yesoimim fund for maximum 28 dollars per month and sometimes much less.
If you can afford to do this mitzvah then why not?

amother

Chartreuse

Sun, Apr 30 2017, 9:05 pm

I posted my experience above. A close relative was niftar, leaving 8 motherless children. Areivim helped them put their lives back together. The widower remarried and all of the children are financially and emotionally secure.

amother

Ruby

Sun, Apr 30 2017, 9:30 pm

amother wrote:

We can't afford life insurance (pre-existing medical condition and irregular income). If chas veshalom we needed to get tzedakah for such a situation, this is a much less humiliating way than sending out letters and setting up matching campaigns.

I think that even if we can afford life insurance, we will still stay members - not to receive, but to give.

I thought they don't pay if there is a pre existing condition.

amother

Forestgreen

Thu, Jun 15 2017, 11:09 am

bumping this up - curious if anyone has anything to add. I'm considering joining, but their website isn't very definitive.

Does anyone know how they define "significant medical issues"? It sounds more serious than a life insurance policy would define pre-existing condition.

(can't afford life insurance at this point in time)

LittleDucky

Thu, Jun 15 2017, 2:25 pm

They should be able and willing to answer your questions Forestgreen. If they cannot or will not give a precise answer if you will be covered, I will be even more hesitant...

I already think it's a bad decision as there doesn't seem to be an oversight board with definitive rules. Too many decisions are "at the discretion of the Rabbanim" (who aren't named) and there are so many caveats- only for widow with a minimum of 3 unmarried kids, only for kids if unmarried and under 35, max 100,000. But they decide if you even get that money, because if you have too many resources or ACCORDING TO THEM are not struggling enough, you can get less and maybe nothing at all. There are no definitions of preexisting conditions or "ill health" and they can request your medical records in order to not have to pay out after a death CV even though you have paid in all those years. They should tell you up front, in writing, that they will cover you despite any medical conditions. But yen again if they backtrack on paying after 120 you have waived your right to sue.

Life Insurance can be quite cheap for a 250,000 policy and you are guaranteed it at the end.