Legal Question in Family Law in Virginia
ex husband passed away,I was always the beneficery on his policy.I pd for this policy for over 30 yrs.Ins co refused to pay because I didnt have a copy of our divorce decree.At the time of divorce there was no settlement & I was always on that policy
2 Answers from Attorneys
This could be a bigger problem for you than you might think. Better make
whatever extra effort it might take to roundup a copy of that decree.
There is a most unfortunate (in my view) law in Virginia that says a revokable beneficiary designation of in an existing insurance policy owned by one spouse that names the other spouse as beneficiary becomes void upon the entry of a decree of divorce unless the designation was irrevokably made, or ther was a separate written agreement stating the intention of both parties that the beneficiary designation is to remain in effect beyond the entry of the divorce decree. Va. Code Section 20-111.1.