Life.file is a web program created by Claire Keet and Sinal Govender that allows users to create, save, and distribute a file with all the legal life information that their loved ones will require when they are no longer alive.
“It’s a bit like ‘Dropbox for death’ but so much more. People don’t like to think about and plan for life’s worst moments – like dying or getting really sick. Seventy percent of South Africans don’t even have a will. Getting your affairs in order is confronting, costly, time-consuming, and overwhelming. But worse, dying without your legal ‘ducks in a row’ causes immense stress for the people you leave behind,” Keet said.
“Having your legal life stuff organised is more than being on top of your admin for “just in case”. It’s an empowering way of living your best life. Reduce stress, avoid disaster and look after the people you love most when things go pear-shaped.”
Life.file is now assisting people in doing so. The software walks users through the process of creating a life.file that contains all the legal life items that they should have taken care of. The colorful, intuitive interface of life.file suggests all the more obvious legal things, such as wills and living wills, as well as all the things that users probably haven’t considered, such as “what happens to my pets when I’m six feet under?” and “what happens to the domestic worker I employ when I die?”
Life.file, which charges customers an annual membership, debuted in June, and Keet said the team has been “blown away” by the response thus far. She stated the startup’s aim is to grow to another five legal countries over the next five years, despite the fact that it is already functioning in South Africa.
