Thanks Mitchell. This actually raises a dilemma for me, do I sign up for US cryonics now, or wait and see if the Australian facility pans out? I’m in my 20s so the odds of me dying in the next decade are pretty slim, so I could afford to wait for a few years at least. Preservation in Australia would increase the odds of successful revival.
On the other hand, the odds of my death in that time isn’t zero and nothing might come of an Australian facility, meaning I could be risking my future existence for nothing.
Because the optimal solution would be to sign up for cryonics in the US now, and switch to Australia at a later time if that becomes an option. How easy is it to break a cryonics contract?
The concept doesn’t apply; you stop paying dues to one org, pay dues to a different org instead, fill out new paperwork and change the beneficiary on your life insurance.
The main thing, I would say, is to get the life insurance now—though signing up for cryo at the last minute is also difficult, so again, sign up with CI for now (membership dues and costs cheaper) and then worry later about switching to a local Australian org if one gets started.
It’s my perception, if you pay up front at CI, you can get your money back, no problem.
But that’s bad if your spouse wants the money, and has you cremated.
Can’t speak for Alcor…
You make the cryonics org a beneficiary of the life insurance, or even have the life insurance in their name, so the spouse can’t get hold of it—a situation that has arisen a few times, apparently.
The best case would be if I had enough notice of my death I could relocate to the Us a month or so before death, preferably somewhere close to the facility.
But I might not get that kind of notice, in which case I have to face the prospect of my remains being refrigerated or packed in ice or something and get shipped as fast as I can arrange to the US. If I put it in my will that my remains are to be transported, the legalities at my end should be OK, but what if there’s some kind of quarantine issue or something in bring a human body into the US?
Australia’s a quick flight from New Zealand, about a 2 hour flight to cross the Tasman Sea. The US is a lot further away and we don’t have a Free Trade Agreement with them at this time so I’m less confident of being able to get a package into the country without delay.
Does anyone know what the progress is like on the Australian facility? The article about Rhoades is four years old and there’s nothing on the CAA site about it.
If it is difficult to break a cryonics contract—something I hadn’t considered, then this greatly increases the utility of waiting to see what technology brings over the next 10-20 years verses signing up now. If a government program is developed, for example, I’d want to go with them.
There has been talk of a cryosuspension facility in Australia. But flying the body to North America is the only way it’s been done so far.
Thanks Mitchell. This actually raises a dilemma for me, do I sign up for US cryonics now, or wait and see if the Australian facility pans out? I’m in my 20s so the odds of me dying in the next decade are pretty slim, so I could afford to wait for a few years at least. Preservation in Australia would increase the odds of successful revival.
On the other hand, the odds of my death in that time isn’t zero and nothing might come of an Australian facility, meaning I could be risking my future existence for nothing.
Because the optimal solution would be to sign up for cryonics in the US now, and switch to Australia at a later time if that becomes an option. How easy is it to break a cryonics contract?
The concept doesn’t apply; you stop paying dues to one org, pay dues to a different org instead, fill out new paperwork and change the beneficiary on your life insurance.
The main thing, I would say, is to get the life insurance now—though signing up for cryo at the last minute is also difficult, so again, sign up with CI for now (membership dues and costs cheaper) and then worry later about switching to a local Australian org if one gets started.
Thanks Eliezer, that’s exactly what I wanted to know. With no barrier to exit, there’s no reason for me not to sign up now.
I’ll think I’ll be checking out the Cryonics Association of Australasia over the weekend.
How easy is it to break a cryonics contract?
It’s my perception, if you pay up front at CI, you can get your money back, no problem. But that’s bad if your spouse wants the money, and has you cremated. Can’t speak for Alcor…
You make the cryonics org a beneficiary of the life insurance, or even have the life insurance in their name, so the spouse can’t get hold of it—a situation that has arisen a few times, apparently.
How does signing up for cryonics in another country work exactly?
Do they keep your body refrigerated after your death and then ship it to the other country? What are the legalities?
Or were you talking about signing up in the US and then going there if you learn that you are sick (but that wouldn’t work with unexpected death)?
I’m not really sure, hence all the questions.
The best case would be if I had enough notice of my death I could relocate to the Us a month or so before death, preferably somewhere close to the facility.
But I might not get that kind of notice, in which case I have to face the prospect of my remains being refrigerated or packed in ice or something and get shipped as fast as I can arrange to the US. If I put it in my will that my remains are to be transported, the legalities at my end should be OK, but what if there’s some kind of quarantine issue or something in bring a human body into the US?
Australia’s a quick flight from New Zealand, about a 2 hour flight to cross the Tasman Sea. The US is a lot further away and we don’t have a Free Trade Agreement with them at this time so I’m less confident of being able to get a package into the country without delay.
Does anyone know what the progress is like on the Australian facility? The article about Rhoades is four years old and there’s nothing on the CAA site about it.
Google Trends suggests that the region has a lot of latent interest. Check out the top search origins. http://www.google.com/trends?q=cryonics
FYI Here are Rhoades’ cryonet messages. http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/findmsgs.cgi?author=philip%20rhoades
I believe CI has a yearly membership option.
If it is difficult to break a cryonics contract—something I hadn’t considered, then this greatly increases the utility of waiting to see what technology brings over the next 10-20 years verses signing up now. If a government program is developed, for example, I’d want to go with them.