A NJ woman, whose husband recently died from COVID-19, had to deal with terminating the lease for her late husband’s nearly-new car while she was grieving and dealing with her own illness. Luckily, the Consumer Affairs reporter for my local newspaper intervened with Chase, and the bank finally did the right thing.
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When my parents bought a new Nissan Maxima in 1989, they purchased credit life insurance so that if my father were to die before it was paid off, my mother wouldn’t have to make any more car payments. When he died suddenly in 1991, that insurance helped my mother a lot.
My mother and I recently purchased a home together, and we’re thinking of getting similar policy on her if the premiums are reasonable.
When it comes to finances, it pays to have a plan, and to be realistic about the inevitable nature of death.
I agree with @Whitey that it pays to have a plan. I have always paid cash for my cars, so I don’t need the credit life insurance.
However, for our mortgage, I shopped around and bought decreasing term insurance with Mrs. Triedaq as the beneficiary. We took out the mortgage when there was a low interest rate. If something happened to me, my wife might not want to pay off the mortgage right away, and use the insurance payoff for other investments or purchases. Also, the interest paid on the mortgage can be deducted from the income tax. Had I purchased mortgage insurance from the bank, the bank would be the beneficiary.
I agree, but in the month when this man contracted the virus, we were still being told by a very powerful person that this disease was “a hoax” and that the number of cases would soon be “down to zero”. Shame on that deceased gentlemen if he bought-into those transparently bogus claims, and wound-up putting his wife’s financial stability in jeopardy.
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What is it going to take for people to realize that this person is not nearly as smart as he thinks he is ?
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The hard-core followers will never admit to that reality.
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Isn’t there a fable about this? Something about an emperor?
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I’ve met very few people who would lie when the truth would have sounded better, but for some reason, they exist, and there are people who are gullible enough to believe them.
So… I guess this discussion was begun not so much to discuss the “topic” as it was to express political views, eh?
I get it! 
Jeeze you guys will you never stop?? Play the tape of Dr. Fauci from about Feb. 21 weeks after flights from China were stopped that caused some to yell racism, or listen to what WHO said, or who was it in California that told everyone to have a good time in China Town, or the NY Health Commissioner encouraging everyone to go to the China celebration events, or the governor that decided to invest in solar instead of the recommended 16,000 ventilators, or what administration was it that used up 75% of the PPE stockpile and never replenished? But for some facts don’t matter if they don’t match their chosen narrative.
At any rate what that insurance is called is declining term insurance. It’s just a term life insurance policy that the principle declines instead of staying the same. Actually they are fairly expensive dollar for dollar compared to just a straight term policy and insurance folks like to sell them. I had one for a little while but then just canceled it and increased straight term to compensate. A lot cheaper unless in poor health.
You might want to check out a term life insurance for the length of the mortgage. It might be cheaper than the mortgage insurance and would have the added benefit of covering the whole amount.
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What makes you think the conversation is political? Aren’t we all on the same side of the issue when the issue is that honesty is better than lying?
“A very powerful person” could refer to a great number of people. The fact that some of us have made a few comments in favor of honesty, and two staunch conservatives have objected, is very telling.
It’s like complaining about anti-fascists. Aren’t we all anti-fascist? Aren’t we all pro-honesty?
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Companies should abide to the terms of the contract unless it becomes inconvenient to the consumer, at least that is what I have learned at Car Talk.
I can understand the widows inability to to use and enjoy the leased vehicle, my step mother was the same way after my father pasted away but that does not release the lessee form the contract.
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Yeah that’s what I said. See above.
It might be worth it for everyone to read the fine print of your contracts-I mean the real fine print for pages that you need a magnifying glass for. Can’t remember the exact verbiage on our Acura contract but I was surprised to read that in the event of a death, the whole contract was canceled and the balance due or the car goes back. Never really thought about it and just figured whoever is left just makes the payments or sells the thing but that’s not the way the contract reads. Maybe they don’t enforce it but they could. I don’t have a warm spot in my heart for Chase but they probably had every right to call in the $23,000 pay off.
Let’s not insult intelligence now. It was perfectly clear what was being referred to so lets just bring it back to car finance. Like I said though check rates on straight term versus declining term first.
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I was 42 when I bought my current house, not having done this, I asked the finance guy if they would give me a 30 yr loan. He was surprised. I mentioned that it is kinda odd for them to bet that I will still be paying monthly at age 72. He said not giving the loan would be age discrimination. I realized the onus is on me to make sure this doesn’t become a long term issue. So, I saved up and 2 years later refinanced to a 15 yr loan. I guess the bank is more than happy to take your house and leave your heirs on the street.
Yes, I had composed it before you wrote but had not posted the reply. I saw your post but did not read to the end because when posts veer into the political arena, I lose interest. I dislike all politicians and don’t care what their stated positions are because I see them all as representing the special interests that give them the campaign funds to get re-elected.
Well we’re on the same page anyway.
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He was proud of his new car (showed it off, gave rides in it). Even though he leased it he still considers it a purchase. Maybe he planned on paying it off at the end? Who knows 
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