Idaho kidnapping suspect Jim DiMaggio reportedly named a member of his victims’ family as the primary beneficiary of his $100,000+ life insurance policy.
DiMaggio was shot and killed by FBI agents over a week ago after kidnapping 16-year-old Hannah Anderson and retreating with her into the Idaho wilderness. Before kidnapping the teen, DiMaggio had tortured and killed her younger brother and mother . He was thought of as an “uncle” to the Anderson children, and was the “best friend” of Hannah’s father, Brett.
The investigation into the events is still ongoing, but authorities discovered last week that DiMaggio named Hannah Anderson’s paternal grandmother as the beneficiary of his employer-issued life insurance policy. Bernice Anderson will receive $112,000 instead of Lora Robinson, DiMaggio’s sister and the lone survivor of his immediate family.
Authorities don’t know why DiMaggio left his life insurance to the Anderson family, but family spokesman Andrew Spanswick believes that the money was intended for Hannah, DiMaggio’s kidnapping victim.
Lora Robinson phoned Brett Anderson last Friday to inform him of the life insurance payment.
“They had a long conversation about their mutual loss, trying to make sense of what happened, and neither of them had an explanation,” Spanswick said. “Brett seemed to recognize that Lora was as much a victim in this as everyone else. He wished her the best.”
Insurers will likely grant the claim. They would generally only challenge it if the beneficiary is suspected of involvement in the policy holder’s death, said Steven Weisbart, chief economist at the industry-backed Insurance Information Institute.
“Pretty much as long you’re dead, the insurance company has very little opportunity to deny the claim,” he said.
Are you surprised that Jim DiMaggio named a member of the Anderson family as his life insurance beneficiary? Do you think that the family will accept the money?
