Why is it illegal to kill yourself? (In the USA)

[Eug]

AFAIK, attempted suicide laws predate when life insurance became popular.

My disability insurance guy was unhappy when I told him I had skydived and rock climbed, but yet I am still fully covered for both.

Anyways, something doesn't have to be illegal for a life insurance company not to cover you. They usually don't cover suicide, but it is not illegal.

The reason why attempted suicide became illegal was because of cultural and religious beliefs at the time.

 

[Windogg]

Economics, if you end your life @ age 20. The goverment is screwed out of 40+ years worth of tax revenue.

 

[hpkeeper]

yeah, I meant life insurance, thanks whitedog

 

[Frenchie]

apoppin is correct in that Suicide in not illegal. You cant prosecute a dead person. Attmepted suicide MAY be illegal. It depends upon your jurisdiction. It is not a federal law, therefore it is up to each state whether or not to consider the act criminal.

Eug is also correct. The insurance policy terms clearly state that suicide voids the policy and they are not required to pay out. There is, therefore, no reason to make attempted suicide a crime as the insurance companies are already insulated. I guess it is an additional deterrant, but isnt state and possibly federal insurance fraud enough of a deterrant.

I believe that the law has two starting points: 1) religion, as it is a sin to commit suicide ans 2) to prevent a drain on the system. We dont want to encourage people killing themselves to avoiud debts and to leave a family without a supporting member.

 

[Azraele]

<<Why can you not decide to die rationally>>

I think the rational behind that is that people who want to die are depressed and thus cannot be in their right minds. That's why people who fail have to be admitted for psychiatric help.

 

[impulse]

I think I'm gonna attempt to kill myself...

 

[iceliquid]

Ya know in China its against the law to kill yourself. But since you're dead, the government can't punish you, but they sure can make it hard on your surviving family members.

Don't want to get into it but interesting reasoning behind it.