My mother, who is the stated beneficiary of my father's life insurance policy, passed away over 20 years ago, and my father, who remarried after her death, passed away a few months ago. After my father died, his life insurance company (private) contacted me for help in contacting my mother, and I informed them that my mother already predeceased my father. They want me to submit death certificates for both my mother and my father in order to expedite the policy's proceeds. The life insurance company, on the first couple of calls, would not tell me if the policy has any listed contingency beneficiaries (such as me and my siblings), saying that they could only determine that after reviewing the policy once the needed documents are submitted. However, their order of precedence for proceeds is the following: 1) the living spouse of the insured; 2) children of the living spouse; 3) etc
Today, I contacted them after they again contacted me concerning receiving the documents (which I have yet not submitted). The representative told me she didn't see any listed contingency beneficiaries for the policy, which contrasts with what earlier reps told me, since they had to research the matter. (Could she be wrong?)
Do I understand this correctly: my father's widow, who had nothing to do with the policy's stated beneficiary (my mother) would then receive the policy's proceeds instead of me and my siblings (their children)? Is there a way to legally challenge this, because had my father passed away before he remarried, we, his children would have been the beneficiaries. What incentive does the insurance company think I have to submit documents that would only serve to expedite our father's living spouse in receiving the policy's proceeds?
Today, I contacted them after they again contacted me concerning receiving the documents (which I have yet not submitted). The representative told me she didn't see any listed contingency beneficiaries for the policy, which contrasts with what earlier reps told me, since they had to research the matter. (Could she be wrong?)
Do I understand this correctly: my father's widow, who had nothing to do with the policy's stated beneficiary (my mother) would then receive the policy's proceeds instead of me and my siblings (their children)? Is there a way to legally challenge this, because had my father passed away before he remarried, we, his children would have been the beneficiaries. What incentive does the insurance company think I have to submit documents that would only serve to expedite our father's living spouse in receiving the policy's proceeds?