X-Message-Number: 4327
Date:  Mon, 01 May 95 17:39:05 
From: Derek Ryan <>
Subject: Re: The Finances of Signing Up

In Message #4304 (Re: The finances of signing up), Joseph J. Strout writes:

>Jim wrote about the benefits of signing up early, when life insurance is 
>cheap.  But it should be pointed out that one can sign up for (large 
>amounts of life insurance) now, and sign up for cryonics much later.  In 
>fact, this is exactly what my wife and I have done.  It requires merely 
>checking that the beneficiary can be transferred to an organization at 
>some time in the future.  (Allstate appears to be cooperative about this.)

This is a very good point.  Younger individuals especially will find
that maintaining an appropriate life insurance policy actually can
cost less than yearly suspension membership dues with a cryonics
organization, meaning that suspension funding is less than half of
the total cost of cryonics.

For the interested, there are a few more intermediate steps that can
be taken to make your cryonic suspension possible should you be
unlucky enough to need it before you have completed suspension
arrangements with a cryonics organization:

1)  Sign a "Declaration of Intent to be Cryonically Suspended."  Put
your desire in writing, and have it witnessed.  Alcor has a standard
Declaration of Intent available upon request.  A Declaration is not
a suspension contract, and does not obligate any person or
organization to freeze you.  It MIGHT make it possible for your next
of kin to have you frozen, though.

2)  Appoint a Medical Surrogate (via a Durable Power of Attorney for
Health Care) who is sympathetic to your wishes, and include
pro-cryonics wording in the body of the document.  

These two acts, combined with appropriate funding, MIGHT provide
enough leverage for your spouse or next of kin to get you frozen in
an emergency.

Naturally, there is no guarantee, express or implied, that any
cryonics organization will take your case.  Alcor adds a $25,000
surcharge for "last minute cases" (i.e., patients who cannot sign
their own membership documents).  I assume other organizations have
similar policies.

Long Life!

Derek Ryan 
Membership Administrator 
Alcor Life Extension Foundation
Phone: 602-922-9013
Email:  


Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=4327