Does anyone work with life insurance claims?

[tiredmommy]

I have a few questions...

First, there were two small policies on my mother through the same company; I submitted the claim and death certificate and the payout was processed last week.

I need to send in a claimant's affidavit on the second policy and another death certificate. I don't have another but I am including a letter referencing the first policy number since they have one in their possession. Do you think this will be sufficient? The alternative is to wait another fifteen weeks until I can order one from the Province of Ontario.

The second is regarding heirs... I am assuming, at this point, that this policy will be divided three ways as my mother has three surviving heirs: myself, my brother & my aunt. Does this sound correct?

Thanks in advance!

 

[klmno]

The second is regarding heirs... I am assuming, at this point, that this policy will be divided three ways as my mother has three surviving heirs: myself, my brother & my aunt. Does this sound correct?

I don't process insurance, but when I was getting life insurance for myself I was told that this depends on how the policy holder listed a beneficiary. If it was listed to go to the estate, it goes to the esstate account and whatever money needs to be paid from the estate will be drawn out first, then the rest will be divided either according to the will or in the event of no will, in accordance with the laws of the jurisdiction where the person lived.

If a beneficiary (one or more) was listed, it will go from the insurance company to the beneficiary, unless that person is a minor and then it gets held up. Somtimes a person lists one beneficiary, then leaves written "directions" (really, a request) to that person about how they want the money spent: for instance, it might all be left to the closest kin and a letter somewhere asking that after that heir reimburses his/herself for funeral costs, put $10,000 in a education fund for each minor grandchild and keep the rest for yourself. (That's just an example.)

I don't know about Canada at all, but I believe most US states view the next of kin as a spouse, if there is one, and then the person's children. I don't think they would automatically divide to a sibling if there is an adult child of the deceased. Now, if you and your brother chose to share a small percentage with her sibling because maybe they were very close and she could use the money, that would be your option.

My grandfather died without a will- per the law in that state, his estate was divided like this: 50% to his widow and 50% to be divided equally amongst his children, who were adults. But since my father (his son) was already deceased, my fathers portion was divided between my father's children by law. My grandfather had a living sister but she was not included in this. If I die without a will, nobody better give my bro anything. LOL! Then, my grandmother divided up her personal stuff before she died but anything she had inherited from my grandfather also got divided equally among the adult children upon her death.

 

[DammitJanet]

VA law is exactly as how Klmno stated property transference works. I tend to think most places use the same basic form or at least my parents stick with it because it works well and we cant see a reason to change it.

When my grandmother died, my mom had already transferred the amounts of money she was giving her brothers over to them ahead of time. Then she transferred the rest of moms money the herself. There was no estate for us grandchildren to inherit anything from.


I do expect my dad will have a will and an estate. he will be the first one.

 

[klmno]

My family that I was referring to (my father's family) was actually in a different state but when I checked into laws in VA for my life insurance and how to make sure difficult child would be covered as I wanted in the future, should anything happen to me, I pretty much found the same thing here. That's why I think it is probably typical among most states. And because it makes sense. I have to worry more about my bro challenging my will than anything.

 

[busywend]

TM, I know nothing about the insurance, but I do recall our lawyer telling us to order several copies of the death certificate when my dad passed. I recall is being VERY expensive!

 

[trinityroyal]

TM, I don't have an answer to the insurance question.

However, with regard to ordering another Death Certificate from Ontario, the province offers an online service for birth, marriage and death certificates with a 15-day turnaround. I'm not sure whether the service is available outside the province or out of country, but it's worth a shot. They really do process the paperwork pretty quickly, considering the expectations from a typical government bureacracy.

At any rate, here's the link:
http://www.ontario.ca/en/services_for_residents/121591

Trinity

 

[tiredmommy]

Trinity- that's the link I used that took 15 weeks, lol! Thanks everyone! I had four death certificates but they've been used for other things so far... so I'll need to order another if the insurance company can't use their first policy being paid out as proof of death for the second policy. I had planned on ordering more anyway, but I was hoping to get this policy resolved ASAP.

 

[trinityroyal]

Well, at least they got the 15 right.
(They need to update their site so it says 15 weeks not 15 days.)

 

[timer lady]

TM, when husband died the funeral director advised me to have at least 18 death certificates on hand. AND in the year & 5 months since husband has died I've used 10 of them. One will be going out to the state of MN shortly. I needed them for bank accounts & to close cell phone accounts, transfer titles, mortgages, etc. It's amazing how many places require a certified death certificate of late.

Good luck.