Huh 1: We could play at Questions

[Kepler]

I’m thinking about that last part. If I don’t want to go broke on housing and don’t want to be surrounded by orcs, what are the options? Santa Fe? Parts of Colorado?

I was thinking about psychic weather. :-)

But for intelligent, interesting people: basically every city outside the northeast not named Colorado Springs, many suburbs, and almost every college town. And then you just pick the weather you like. Sounds like you like mountain/high desert.

It's a big country:

[Deutsche Gopher Fan]

I’m not sure I prefer high desert, but California is too expensive, nc and area are humid, and the pnw is too expensive

[Kepler]

I’m not sure I prefer high desert, but California is too expensive, nc and area are humid, and the pnw is too expensive

I think expensive cities scare people because they don't account for the fact that the housing market is a bell curve. Sure, the mean and higher are pricey, but there's also an entire left tail. You can live even in NYC affordably if you are careful. Same for Seattle, Portland, even San Diego. And even though you can't live in San Fran itself you can live in the East Bay.

By definition, millions of people live in cities. The vast majority of them are not rich.

[Kepler]

I’m not sure I prefer high desert, but California is too expensive, nc and area are humid, and the pnw is too expensive

If by NC you mean North Carolina, the Piedmont (Raleigh-Durham-RTP) is NOT humid. It's the most perfect weather I have ever experienced. And as long as you stay away from the natives the carpetbaggers are all the First World and wonderful.

[Deutsche Gopher Fan]

I think expensive cities scare people because they don't account for the fact that the housing market is a bell curve. Sure, the mean and higher are pricey, but there's also an entire left tail. You can live even in NYC affordably if you are careful. Same for Seattle, Portland, even San Diego. And even though you can't live in San Fran itself you can live in the East Bay.

By definition, millions of people live in cities. The vast majority of them are not rich.

I’ve lived in nyc and Seattle so I get that to a degree. One thing to consider is that with remote working now, a place like Seattle could work if you’re no longer commuting and distance from city isn’t as big of a deal.

I really like the Bend area too

[Deutsche Gopher Fan]

If by NC you mean North Carolina, the Piedmont (Raleigh-Durham-RTP) is NOT humid. It's the most perfect weather I have ever experienced. And as long as you stay away from the natives the carpetbaggers are all the First World and wonderful.

Really? Good to know

[Kepler]

I’ve lived in nyc and Seattle so I get that to a degree. One thing to consider is that with remote working now, a place like Seattle could work if you’re no longer commuting and distance from city isn’t as big of a deal.

I really like the Bend area too

Bend is wonderful. And talk about great people. (Although 15 miles outside Bend in every direction is straight up Aryan Nation.)

[Jimjamesak]

I’ve lived in nyc and Seattle so I get that to a degree. One thing to consider is that with remote working now, a place like Seattle could work if you’re no longer commuting and distance from city isn’t as big of a deal.

I really like the Bend area too

As the light rail lines expand Seattle is getting better. By the time the current projects are done it’ll be significantly easier to commute.

[dxmnkd316]

Benefits enrollment time.

I know I always blow past these things because they’re usually scams. But I like to reconfirm my understanding of things like this from time to time.

Accident insurance (not AD&D, life, auto), critical illness, and group legal are more or less not worth it, right?

I’ve got auto, life, and AD&D but the accident and critical illness just seem like completely unnecessary adders because that should be covered under any health plan you have. Is this basically the equivalent of Gap Insurance to help cover the OOP maxes?

Group legal seems like it might be worth it with aging parents. I’m just not sure if this is going to get you basically a referral in the end. I don’t want to pay for the privilege of getting referred. I’m also aware it’s not even remotely the same as having a lawyer on retainer (do people still do that?)

Dows this match the consensus?

[Kepler]

Not sure what you mean by "critical illness."

Catastrophic (LT/ permanent disability) is worth it. It costs a pittance. Push it to the highest percentage of your current income you can -- it usually tops off at something like 80% for LTD / 60% for permanent.

Always look at the partial dismemberment numbers because they're funny. You can calculate exactly what an arm and a leg is worth.

The auto insurance etc are crap assuming you have your own insurance. That is just your employer selling you as a commodity to the insurer as a profit center. Because capitalism sucks and the last corporate executive should be strangled with the entrails of the last banker.

Life insurance is a con assuming your spouse is not a braindead fundy incubator.

If there's access to a legal counsel sign up for it; it usually costs something like a buck a month (literally) and it can save you on minimal PITA legal services. Obviously don't use them in any litigation targeting your employer because there is no such thing as lawyer integrity.

[dxmnkd316]

Life insurance is with it for me because my wife makes significantly less than I do and has fairly large student debt. She chose to forgo being another chemical engineer and decided to make the world a better place as a masters-level therapist. For $20 a month, I can sleep easier knowing she’s financially secure no matter what.

Critical illness is like “You have a heart attack, we’ll cut you a check for $15k”. I have health insurance with an OOP max of $5.5k. I don’t see the need.

We do have LT disability through work. I need to figure out how that works if I’m no longer able to work. Can my employer just fire me and I lose it?

[SJHovey]

Benefits enrollment time.

I know I always blow past these things because they’re usually scams. But I like to reconfirm my understanding of things like this from time to time.

Accident insurance (not AD&D, life, auto), critical illness, and group legal are more or less not worth it, right?

I’ve got auto, life, and AD&D but the accident and critical illness just seem like completely unnecessary adders because that should be covered under any health plan you have. Is this basically the equivalent of Gap Insurance to help cover the OOP maxes?

Group legal seems like it might be worth it with aging parents. I’m just not sure if this is going to get you basically a referral in the end. I don’t want to pay for the privilege of getting referred. I’m also aware it’s not even remotely the same as having a lawyer on retainer (do people still do that?)

Dows this match the consensus?

I'll throw in my two cents.

First, it's probably a good idea to figure out exactly what you are buying before you decide to enroll. I think your employer should have some sort of "plan summary" that generally describes what you get under that plan.

It's my understanding that "accident insurance" in the context of an employer sponsored group plan is somewhat similar to the AFLAC insurance you see advertised on tv. It provides you with certain benefits that are sort of supplementary to what you'd receive under your standard health insurance, with the primary difference (I believe) that the money comes directly to you rather than to the hospital. Thus, you've got some flexibility over what you spend the money on, and could even use it to pay something like your rent or mortgage.

I believe that "critical illness" insurance can best be described as being similar to an umbrella liability insurance policy. It's intended to cover you when you end up having some sort of catastrophic event where your medical bills overwhelm whatever basic medical insurance you might have. For example, a lengthy bout with cancer, or maybe you need an organ transplant or something.

As for group legal insurance, again it's in the details. Exactly what do you get for your coverage? Most of the plans I've seen basically give the participant maybe a handful of consultations (calls, usually) each year of maybe a half hour in length each. It might also give you the ability to have them review a contract, like a lease or a purchase agreement for a home, or something like that. There may also be some very basic estate planning coverage. Before I'd sign up for that, I'd review carefully exactly what benefits are provided, ask yourself how likely it is you'll need those services, and weigh that against the cost.

If you think about it, when will you need a lawyer? If you're in a car accident and someone sues you, your car insurance will provide the lawyer. If you're in a car accident and you need to sue someone else, there will be a line of lawyers waiting to take your case on a contingency fee basis, which won't require you to pay anything.

Most homeowners or renters insurance policies also provide a level of liability insurance, not only on your property, but even outside your property for certain events (not car accidents obviously).

If you commit a crime, your defense costs will be large, so don't commit a crime. If you get a divorce you can spend endless sums of money fighting with your ex, but honestly the size of that expense will depend largely on how much you want to fight.

There are certainly lots of situations where you could need a lawyer, but I'm not sure most of them will rise to the expense level where you need to purchase insurance to cover the cost. But again, I'd certainly want to review the plan summary on any of these before making a decision.

Good luck.

[Kepler]

As for group legal insurance, again it's in the details. Exactly what do you get for your coverage? Most of the plans I've seen basically give the participant maybe a handful of consultations (calls, usually) each year of maybe a half hour in length each. It might also give you the ability to have them review a contract, like a lease or a purchase agreement for a home, or something like that. There may also be some very basic estate planning coverage. Before I'd sign up for that, I'd review carefully exactly what benefits are provided, ask yourself how likely it is you'll need those services, and weigh that against the cost.

If you think about it, when will you need a lawyer? If you're in a car accident and someone sues you, your car insurance will provide the lawyer. If you're in a car accident and you need to sue someone else, there will be a line of lawyers waiting to take your case on a contingency fee basis, which won't require you to pay anything.

Most homeowners or renters insurance policies also provide a level of liability insurance, not only on your property, but even outside your property for certain events (not car accidents obviously).

If you commit a crime, your defense costs will be large, so don't commit a crime. If you get a divorce you can spend endless sums of money fighting with your ex, but honestly the size of that expense will depend largely on how much you want to fight.

There are certainly lots of situations where you could need a lawyer, but I'm not sure most of them will rise to the expense level where you need to purchase insurance to cover the cost. But again, I'd certainly want to review the plan summary on any of these before making a decision.

One dollar a month.

I wouldn't use it for anything real. When I murder my wife I will be using a personal lawyer.

[Deutsche Gopher Fan]

One dollar a month.

I wouldn't use it for anything real. When I murder my wife I will be using a personal lawyer.

I’m putting my money on your wife offing you

[Kepler]

I’m putting my money on your wife offing you

You and me both.

I have a bet on it in Vegas in her name so she can't collect.