“I agree with you. There is no substitute for having sufficient life insurance. What if he had died in a car accident? She would possibly not be getting even the benefits she will receive now (without the lawsuit)”
A seasonal firefighter might have a hard time buying affordable life insurance. This would have to be disclosed to the insurer, who would put a hefty extra premium on top of the normal premium due to the larger risk that job entails.
Not knowing what his family financial situation was it’s possible (they were pretty young and maybe not financially secure) he couldn’t afford more insurance. It’s not fair to make the assumption that a firefighter could purchase a lot of insurance, even at a young age when its’ cheapest.
In your rebuttal you miss the obvious: he didn’t have to be in that profession. It was his and her responsibility to make sure the family was provided for in case one or the other died. With both nearly 30, not 20, there’s no excuse.