A Puzzling Crime

But there’s another facet to this, and it has to do with underwriting.

Here’s what I’m talking about:

In this story, tipped to us b FoIB Holly R, we learn about Joaquin Shadow Rams, who seems to have a habit of buying, and then collecting on, life insurance policies for his intended victims, including (allegedly) his mother and his girlfriend. And he might still get away with his most recent adventure:

“Prosecutors say Rams drowned his son after taking out more than $500,000 in life insurance on the boy.“

Of course, Mr Rams is still entitled to his day in court, and that’s fine, because I really want to focus not on the (alleged) murder itself, but on a much more curious item (from an insurance agent’s viewpoint):

What rocket surgeon underwriter approved a half million dollars of life insurance on a toddler? Perhaps if the family name was Gates or Rockefeller, but here? I just don’t see it. That just screams moral hazard.

I don’t get it.