No Money For Matilda
It's bad enough that she has to grow up without her daddy but now the insurance company won't pay out the life insurance policy to Matilda that Heath Ledger had taken out prior to his death because they say they believe he may have committed suicide.
The firm, which is owned by ING Americas, wrote the policy in June
2007, and the insurance money was due to be paid out to an unnamed
trustee who would hold the money until two-year-old Matilda comes of
age.But they have so far failed to honour the document and have
launched their own probe into Ledger's death to establish if he
committed suicide, therefore voiding the policy.
The policy is worth $10 million dollars and Matilda's trustee has filed suit against the insurance company. But, it's an uphill battle. The company also claims that Heath lied about saying he was not taking prescription drugs on the application.
The greed of insurance companies is disgusting but fortunately Matilda is too young to know what's going on.
But, in better news, Heath's family has gifted his entire $16.6 million dollar estate to Matilda, so she won't be hurting for cash.
29698 points
Hopefully it all gets straightened out. Imagine all of the bad press for this company if they refuse to pay it out. The records indicate it was accidental so they should definitely have to pay. And they are in violation of laws by re-examining the application, too.
Uh, I don't see how you can say the "greed of the insurance companies is disgusting." Ledger knew what the policy said when he signed it. The company is not in the wrong. Ledger should not have been abusing prescription drugs. He was being an irresponsible father to his daughter in that regard. It's not the insurance company's job to give his daughter money because he threw his life away. Whether he meant to kill himself or not, the fact is that he took the drugs and he knew the risks. Instead of the insurance company, Matilda's legal team ought to force Mary Kate Olsen to tell what she knows about that afternoon. There is a reason she won't talk, and it might mean the difference between this being ruled a suicide or an accidental overdose. Either way, though, he lied to the company about taking drugs.
Capturing Life, what about the fact that Ledger said he didn't use prescription drugs when he signed off on the policy? He obviously lied to the insurance company. That makes the policy null and void. Bad press? The person who should be held accountable here is dead. Accidental, suicide, either way: Heath Ledger, tragic though it is, caused his own death.
Bitches!
insurance companies can be so greedy...they have a ruling from the medical examiner...i say pay up.
Greed? A lot of people go through life without 10 million dollars. I feel SO sorry for her, for losing her dad at such a young age... But the money thing? Nope.
I agree that its terrible that Matilda will go through life without her daddy but im not feeling bad about the insurance money. His family gifted his inheritance of 16 million to her and Johnny Depp, Colin Farrel and Jude Law donated their salaries from the Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus to her after they completed Heath's role.
That little girl is set for life. She won't have to work a day. People go through life comfortably without a tenth of that wealth
Maybe a few million from a certain rich Olsen twin is due to be discretely deposited in Matilda's savings account right now?
Good idea!
Oh please! People are dieing in the war and kids are being left without anything and I don't hear people feeling sorry for them. This kid will be just fine since mommy makes enough money.
15955 points
there is no denying that insurance companies are greedy. i am in no way surprised.
29698 points
The thing that I find interesting (for lack of a better word) is that he just took out this policy 6 months beforehand. So, part of me thinks that the company should only have to pay out a prorated amount? But the fact remains..he paid premiums, they accepted his application without investigating it back then..so they shouldn't be crying foul now.
insurance companies are GREEDY and the ppl saying otherwise probably has never dealt with them. you pay all that money out every month and when it's time to pay up they start finding this wrong and that wrong. if the medical examiner said it was an accident did it was an accident. that's there problem: they think they know more than everybody. i don care if she got 16 billion from his estate, his policy belongs to her and they need to pay up. like the person said above "they accepted the application with no problems then." so, what the problem now? i really don't understand how someone can say he cause his own death when NO ONE knows what went on in that room. he had prescription drugs and he was prescribe them for a reason. if they were narcotics, i can try honestly say i can see how ppl get addicted to those things.
The kid is already a multi-millionaire due to Ledger's estate, not to mention her mother is still alive and well---and a wealthy famous person in her own right. She isn't going to starve by any stretch of the imagination. Would it make everyone feel better if she were a billionaire? Extreme wealth before you're potty trained isn't necessarily the great cure all. Case in point: the Olsen twins.
I don't think that kid would ever be out of cash, her mom works........
The insurance company should cover their butts by adding a special clause regarding druggies.
300 points
He might not have been on any scripts when he started the policy.
I'm glad his family stepped up to take care of her, I'm not sure the insurance battle is worth it.
Ledger was always known as a hard partying guy with a dark side. He wasn't taking those drugs for a legitimate reason...he was addicted to them and took them recreationally. He knew he had a child depending on him, he knew what he was doing was dangerous, and he chose to do it anyway. Sometimes people make bad choices and the outcome is tragic. But he caused his own death...accidental or on purpose, he is dead because he took too many drugs at one time. His daughter will be well-taken care of. If this were any other non-famous person who died in the same way, the insurance company would do the same thing.
i hope heath ledger and anna nicole's daughters have happy lives. it will be difficult growing up without a parent no matter how much money you have. they will constantly hear about how wonderful their deceased parent was. sad.
to passingthru2
You talk like you knew Heath Ledger personally. You don´t have a clue what was going on with him or who he really was and still you are making all those presumptions like you can really know a person through the media.
And to all the others who go on about how she doesn´t need the money because she is all rich and yada yada its not about the fact that she needs the money its about the right that she has. Legally that money belongs to her so why shouldn´t she get it ? Why should the insurance keep the money?
19825 points
Murder and suicide are not usually covered on insurance. If they were people would be claiming on policies everyday.
If he would have waited one more year, they would have paid. His estate will cover it. All insurance policies have a 2 year suicide rider. It isn't greed. It is business.
Nina, I didn't know Heath Ledger, but I can read, and we all know that he died from a drug overdose. He was an addict. Face it, you sanctimonious little twit. He might have been a fine actor, but he was a screwed up person who caused his own death, whether he meant to or not. I am all about common sense. He signed a policy, he knew what was expected, he violated the agreement, and his survivors don't deserve the money. It's business, dear, not greed.
Vera,
Business is business. My hubby is in the insurance industry. Life insurance contracts are actually quite generous. They usually ask that you disclose all information regarding your health when you sign those papers. Failure to do so makes the contract void. Most life policies also require no suicide incidents in the first two years from signing. While it is really sad that Matilda may not get that money, it is the way it is, whether it is $10,000 or $10 Million. It is all really sad and unfortunate.
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