J
justkonfused
Guest
What is the name of your state? Nevada My husband passed away two weeks ago. At the time of death he worked as a mail carrier with U.S. Postal Service and was insured under the Federal Employees Group Life Insurance Program. The Health & Life insurance programs are set up that any changes to either of the insuring policies can only be done when a life event has occurred; i.e. birth, death, marriage,and divorce. After my husband's divorce was finalized from his previous marriage in 1997 he removed his ex-wife's name and I was named as the beneficiary in her place with my share at 50% with my relationship listed as "friend". In 1998 we were married. The following day we stopped by the personnel office to submit the forms for health benefits & life insurance benefits and a friend of ours who works in the administration offices of the main post office "witnessed" the documents by signing and intialing her name on both insurance forms. The forms are triplicate with one copy being given to the employee, the second copy is placed in the employees personnel file and the third - depending on whom you have spoken to in the personnel office is either placed along with the second copy in the employee's file or is thrown away, where I had thought the third copy would be sent to the underwriting insurance company, Metropolitan Life for their files - but I was told that is not the case. The day after my husband died a "grief counselor" who helps the spouse came to talk with me about what I could expect to recieve from the insurance proceeds, stating I would be getting 50% from the life insurance claim. The new paperwork we had submitted 5 1/2 years ago had me listed as the sole inheritor at 100%. To shorten this story somewhat the Postal Service is now saying the forms are not in my husband's file and they have no proof that they ever were, though the witness who verified their existence 5 1/2 years told the department head that the paperwork had been turned in that day and she would attest to it because she had been the "witness" and remembered signing them, but she couldn't remember what the benefit amounts were because of all the time that has since passed. The death benefit department at the post office has now said that it was my place to prove that new benefit elections were done 5 1/2 years ago by providing them with the copy we received not theirs. Which in itself would not be too much of a problem if there weren't extenuating circumstances added. We were in the process of getting ready to move and packing when my husband died and to say the house is in a shambles would be putting it mildly and the fact that I am also disabled. I'm not supposed to do any packing as it is and prior to moving into this home 3 years ago my daughter and daughter in-law had did all of the packing and they didn't know that you don't have to take everything out of drawers when moving. So when they packed my office all the files were taken out of the drawers. And suffice to say I never got everything completely unpacked and so far I haven't found the life insurance election just the health form that my son managed to find. So my question is: Is the burden of proof solely on me? And: Wouldn't the post office be liable in some way because there is a witness, though she doesn't remember the exact monetary amounts?
Sorry this is so long. I appreciate any and all help you may be able to give as my only income is $478 that I receive from social security disablity each month with $200 going for my meds so this money is my "livelihood" for the rest of my life.
Sorry this is so long. I appreciate any and all help you may be able to give as my only income is $478 that I receive from social security disablity each month with $200 going for my meds so this money is my "livelihood" for the rest of my life.