- DivorceIf a policyholder does not wish their ex spouse to benefit from their death, they must update their group life insurance beneficiary themselves as any state revocation-upon-divorce law has no effect.
- Child SupportAlso, if the policyholder is a child support or spousal support obligor, is under court order to name their support obligees as life insurance beneficiaries, and fails to do so, those support obligees may be entitled to the death benefit regardless of who is the named beneficiary.
- GuardianshipMinor children cannot legally manage their own financial affairs. That is the responsibility of parents until children turn 18. If the parents die, states require appointment of a custodian of the property or a custodian of the estate, who acts as the minor’s fiduciary and manages the finances of the child. Guardianships over property end when the minor turns 18. At that time, all remaining money is turned over to the youth.
- Spousal SupportSomeone with limited power of attorney may not have the power to change beneficiaries even if permitted to do so under state law. If they do have the authority to change beneficiary designations, they may do so up until the policyholder’s death, unless the policyholder designated an irrevocable beneficiary such as in divorce judgments regarding life insurance and spousal support court orders regarding life insurance.
- DUI/DWIThat said, there are private services which provide life insurance companies with prescription histories and lab test results for a fee, without your permission. Also, life insurance companies can obtain anything in the public record, such as a DUI or a bankruptcy filing.
- FraudThe definition of life insurance fraud varies from state-to-state. In many states, the life insurance company must show that the policyholder intended to deceive. The life insurance lawyers at Boonswang Law have over 30 years of combined experience helping life insurance beneficiaries get what they deserve in every state in the country. Call us for help if your claim was denied due to alleged fraud or misrepresentation.
- Theft
- AssaultSt. Louis is home to a beautiful art museum, zoo, science center, and more. Unfortunately, it is also home to some of the highest crime rates in the United States. Petty theft, aggravated assault, and carjackings are some of the common crimes that tourists may face. Like any city, you should be safe to enjoy St. Louis so long as you keep your wits about you and remain vigilant.
- MurderIf the insured was murdered, the life insurance company will wait to pay a claim until the beneficiary gets cleared of the crime by police. This often delays the payout, as a murder investigation can take some time.
- HomicideTerm life insurance may not cover accidental demise, death by self-inflicted injuries or hazardous activities, intoxication, drug overdose, homicide, or natural calamity such as a tsunami.
- Premises LiabilityHave you been injured due to an unsafe location or faulty equipment because a landlord, company, or organization did not make sure the premises were safe?
- Personal InjuryIn the US, every year tens of thousands of people suffer serious injuries or die from accidents or situations where someone else is at fault. These injuries take place in hospitals, nursing homes, mass transit, the workplace, and in a wide variety of other premises. Boonswang Law’s personal injury team is experienced in litigating cases across the spectrum of personal injury. Let us fight for you.
- Medical MalpracticeFamilies suffering due to a loved one’s death many times have grief compounded by unnecessary hassles or even financial distress due to unfulfilled claims. Enter Boonswang Law led by Chad G. Boonswang, former captain of the University of Pennsylvania golf team, now tireless top 100 litigation lawyer. He has recovered millions of dollars on behalf of clients involved in life insurance claims along with personal injury litigation, medical malpractice and products liability litigation. Boonswang and associates are so confident of putting on the best claim defense, they don’t take fees if the claim is denied permanently.
- Auto Accidents
- Estate PlanningWhere a minor is named as the beneficiary of a policy, the court will likely appoint someone to act as custodian of the child’s inheritance until they turn 18. However, even if you anticipate this issue and name a custodian, there is little to prevent this individual from using the money as they see fit, either lavishing the child and squandering their inheritance or refusing to dip into the funds for anything but absolute necessities. Few parents would wish for either scenario to come to pass. The best way to make a minor your beneficiary is to create a trust and name the child as the beneficiary of the trust. While this permits you much greater control of how your death benefit is spent for your child’s benefit, it creates a complicated tax situation and an estate planning attorney should be consulted as well.
- WillsAs a legal document, state law governs a power of attorney and the law varies from state to state. If you seek to draft a power of attorney, be sure to consult with a wills and estate attorney for help in drafting a document that conforms to the law in your state and is binding.
- Power of AttorneyPower of attorney for insurance purposes can mean any of several different things. Renowned national life insurance attorney Chad G. Boonswang explains everything you need to know about power of attorney in life insurance.
- Probate
- Bankruptcy
- Tax Law
- Debt CollectionUsually, life insurance death benefits are paid out directly from the insurer to the beneficiary or beneficiaries without going through probate. Life insurance is not part of the insured’s estate and is not subject to debt collection, payment of the insured’s bills, or taxation as inheritance.