My predicament:
United States, father passed away, mother is disabled. I've been here for a few weeks taking care of all of their affairs, including filing the life insurance claim. Apparently, the insurance company will be mailing my mom a check, a paper check, for a six figure payout **
The big problem is that I live a full day's travel away and I won't be here when it arrives, and my mom cannot walk or even open an envelope. She will only have non-family caregivers with her whom we don't really know. I am scrambling and need to go home for a while to tend to my own affairs but then I intend to return but it could be 2 or 3 weeks after the check has been delivered and it'll have been sitting in the house.
My concern:
That the check would fall into the wrong hands and be cashed by someone other than my mom.
Is that possible? Would any bank let the wrong person cash a six figure check?
** I made a mistake when I filed the claim; I checked the "send a check" box on the form instead of "put it in some kind of account", but I expected it would come right away. It has already been 2 weeks!