Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in Connecticut
Named as insurance beneficiary, but mother said ''it was a mistake''
I was named as a beneficiary in my Grandfather's
insurance policy through MetLife. When my grandfather
passed, my mother informed me that my being named
''was a mistake and that it was really meant for her.''
She instructed me to turn the money over to her when I
received it... so I did - what reason should I have to not
trust her word?
This was almost 4 years ago. I recently was informed
that this was most likely not ''a mistake,'' so I have been
looking into why it could have been perceived that way
and have found only one possibility: the policy was
''assigned'' to my mother and her brother previous to my
grandfather's passing.
Does this assignment give her the right to change the
beneficiaries after the death? If not, what legal recourse
do I have in addressing this with her and asking for the
money back? If I ask for the money back using the court
system, would it be reasonable to ask for lawyers' fees
in the settlement?
Thanks for you time.
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: Named as insurance beneficiary, but mother said ''it was a mistake''
I'm not sure what went on here--you may have turned over your share of the policy to her, or perhaps she changed beneficiaries without your knowing about it. Either way, you'll have to act quickly to make sure no deadlines have passed or will pass--it would likely require a lawsuit filed to recover your share of the life insurance policy. As for attorney fees, you can always ask for them, but it's up to the court to decide whether a defendant will have to pay her opponent's legal fees.
Related Questions & Answers
Looking for something else?
10,200 active attorneys ready to answer your legal questions today.
Featured Attorneys
Earn additional revenue and grow your business.
