Divorce Life Insurance Arizona AZ

Reader’s Question:

I am from Arizona. When my husband died this week, I learned that he changed the beneficiary of his life insurance to a female friend of his. My divorce decree ordered him to continue to name me as his insurance beneficiary. Will the insurance company honor the divorce decree in Arizona?

Meg

Chandler, AZ

If this “female friend” is NOT his spouse and if you know the insurance company’s name, then you have to consult with either a civil law attorney or business law attorney in Arizona who has experience in filing interplead actions with insurance companies. Such action will put the life insurance company on notice that you object to the designated payee. The life insurance will then let the court decide on who rightfully gets the money.

Your hired attorney can look at the law in Arizona to determine whether there is a stipulation on this case. Remember that some life insurance companies operate on their ruled which might not agreeable with state law.

Also, you need to check whether your divorce decree specified any penalties in the event that your late husband did not keep the life insurance policy in force. Determine the payout value of his policy. Verify if he left a last will and testament that is being probated. Your prayer in court will be that you will be placed as an irrevocable beneficiary.