It's a Wonderful Life (Insurance Policy)

Yesterday, I received a statement from the Social Security Office informing me that, as it stands now, my monthly retirement payments will be $470/month. However, if I were to die, my family would get $2134 per month. Dave then informed me that he has taken out a $200,000 life insurance policy against me as well. This reminded me of the line in "It's a Wonderful Life" where Mr. Potter says to George, "You are worth more dead than alive" when George tries to use his life insurance for collateral. This makes George decide to jump off the bridge, which of course spurs Clarence into action.

I don't know if this film gets shown ritually in Iceland during December the way it does in the U.S., but it occurs to me it may not for a number of reasons: it is an old black and white film, Jimmy Stewart is a bit goofy, and it is set in small town America. Now I'm wondering if it might also be because purchasing life insurance does not seem to be nearly so common in Iceland as it is here.

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