The first thing you realize after getting laid off is that a lot of bills come due. If you don’t have other insurance COBRA comes calling. If you want to convert your life insurance policy MetLife gives you a ring. The good news is that all of these places are willing to extend benefits to the unemployed.
I can remain on COBRA for 18 months and I can convert my life insurance to an individual policy without a medical exam. The bad news is that once I review the options and make decisions I need to pay the bills.
Since my employer used to pay a good portion of these benefits I had no idea just how much they cost. With COBRA my medical and dental insurance will now cost me over $1400 a month. By the way since coverage is retroactive I now owe three months worth of premiums. That’s right by the end of January I’ll need to fork over nearly $3000.
This wouldn’t be such a big deal if my employer mailed my severance check, but alas my check is no where to be found. It seems I must fill out a bunch of forms before I can receive payment and surprise, surprise the paperwork was lost in the mail. Well my former employer is claiming it was lost in the mail.
So here I thought a check would arrive this week and instead I find out my former employer hasn’t even begun processing the paperwork for my severance. Now they’ll need to resend the documentation and won’t begin the process until they receive a copy back with my signature. That may mean waiting another month to receive that big check.
It’s a good thing we have emergency savings. I know a lot of people in the same situation would be unable to pay their medical bills.
Mom of G
Saturday 24th of December 2011
That's not cool! Hope the process is rectified soon.
Leigh
Saturday 24th of December 2011
It's stituations like this that make me want to change my ways. If this happened to me today, I would have no way to pay it and that would be so very scary.
Thank you for sharing.
Channy
Saturday 24th of December 2011
I would make a copy of all the paperwork, so if it gets "lost in the mail" again then you won't have to wait for them to resend it. I would copy it before I sign it, you can always sign again. I hope that it all works out for you. Have a Merry Christmas,