The insured or the beneficiary: Who actually owns a life insurance policy?
There are three main components to a life insurance policy: the owner, the life insured and the beneficiary. Depending on the ownership type, the policy owner can be owner by either the insured or the beneficiary.
- The policy owner. The owner can be either the insured, the beneficiary or a joint ownership between the two parties. The policy owner has full and total control and can cancel or change the policy.
- The life insured. This is the person who’s life is insured against them passing away. If the life insured passes away within the term of the policy, then a payment is made to a beneficiary.
- The beneficiary. This is the person who’s paid out in the event where the life insured passes away.
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What types of life insurance policy ownership are there?
Several types of policy ownership are available. Policy ownership can usually be changed, depending on the terms of the policy. Ownership types are as follows:
- Self ownership. Owned by the life insured.
- Cross ownership. Owned by the spouse or partner of the life insured
- Joint. Owned by both the life insured and their spouse/partner
- Corporate-owned life insurance (COLI). Owned by a corporate entity, for example, the employer of the life insured.
Can ownership be changed?
Policy ownership can usually be changed, depending on the terms of the policy.
What is the role of a life insurance owner?
Because the insurance contract is actually an agreement between the policy owner and the insurance company, the policy owner has complete control over the policy in question. The key roles of the policy owner can include:
- Cancelling the policy
- Updating the policy to include additional benefits or options
- Adjusting the amount insured
- Making changes to listed beneficiaries
- Becoming the default beneficiary if there’s no beneficiary selected
- Paying for premiums
Who can be the owner of a life insurance policy?
It’s important to understand the ownership structure of your life insurance policy. Each ownership structure has its own advantages and disadvantages, so read on to find out which one best suits your situation.
- Self ownership. Self-owned policies are perhaps the most common form of life insurance. The life insured owns the policy and has full control over their own life insurance.
- Cross ownership. This common approach for married couples entails each spouse owning their partner’s policy. Cross ownership has its advantages, especially for those who rely on someone else for a stream of income. However, if you get divorced and you have cross owned life insurance policies, difficulties may arise.
- Joint ownership. A hybrid of self and cross ownership, joint ownership allows you to still have some control over your policy. However, keep in mind that any proposed changes to the policy must be approved and signed off by both owners. Once again, a divorce or relationship breakdown can result in difficulties.
- Via a company or organization. Insurance policies can also be owned by a corporate entity. Businesses may take out key person insurance on an employee, and this lets them claim a tax deduction for the premium and also cover the loss of revenue resulting from the loss of a key person.
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Life insurance owner vs. beneficiary
It’s important to point out that the role of the owner of a life insurance policy is different to the policy’s beneficiary.
The policy owner
The policy owner is ultimately in control and oversees many aspects of the policy, such as:
- Paying premiums
- Ensuring the right level of coverage remains in place
- Determining the policy’s beneficiaries
- Can change beneficiaries at a later date
- Can make changes to the policy or even cancel it
- Can also be the beneficiary
The beneficiary
A beneficiary is a person who will receive the life insurance payout upon death. Most people nominate their spouse or a child as their primary beneficiary, but who you choose is entirely up to you.
If a person listed as a primary beneficiary dies before the life insured, however, the payment passes to others listed on the policy — these people are known as contingent beneficiaries.
It’s possible for policies to have multiple primary and contingent beneficiaries, and you can determine the amount (in terms of a percentage) you wish each beneficiary to receive.
If a minor child is listed as a beneficiary, a guardian or trust will need to be assigned to receive any funds.
What happens if the life insurance policy owner dies?
What happens in these circumstances depends on whether the owner of the policy is also the life insured or not. If the policy owner and the life insured are one and the same, a benefit will be paid to the beneficiary and the policy will then be terminated.
However, if the policy owner is not the life insured, ownership of the policy would become part of the deceased’s will. Ownership can then be passed on according to the terms of the will. If no such terms are in the will, ownership will be set by laws of intestate succession.
What can I update on my life insurance policy?
It’s not uncommon for people to make adjustments to their life insurance policy as situations change. Such changes can include:
- Change of policy owner
- Change of policy beneficiary
- Change of payment frequency
- Change of amount insured
- Change of address listed on the policy
- Change of name on policy
In the event that you need to make adjustments to your policy, each insurer will have forms located on their website that can be accessed to request a change to the policy ownership or beneficiary. It’s worth noting that the policy can only be updated by the policy owner.
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I was contacted by a life insurance company about my “estate”. Apparently it was opened in error, as I am still alive. It did however lead to me discovering that my grandpa, who passed in 2011 opened this policy on me when I was a baby, I am the insured person. He was the policy owner, and is now deceased. I was told that I need to have whoever was the executor of his estate send documentation in and that they can give them all of the information regarding the policy and I can be appointed as the policy owner. Obviously his estate has been closed for nearly a decade, I don’t know how that influences things. Is this something I can cash out? My grandma, his wife, passed away two years ago. Thank you!
Hi Brittany,
Thank you for leaving a question.
If the policy owner is not the life insured, ownership of the policy would become part of the deceased’s will. Ownership can then be passed on according to the terms of the will. If no such terms are in the will, ownership will be set by laws of intestate succession. If you have documentation to prove that your name is on the policy or the will then you may contact the insurer directly to check on how to cash out money.
Hope this helps.
Regards,
Val
How can I change the policy owner on my life insurance policy if the current owner is in jail?
Hi Deedee,
Thanks for getting in touch with Finder. I hope all is well with you. :)
Generally, it is only the policy owner who can give up ownership of the policy. This means that you would need the consent and cooperation of the current owner. You can then contact the insurer to obtain a change of policyholder form. The owner who is in jail can then accomplish that form and it is up to you who are outside the jail to take care of the rest.
Since changing of ownership can be different from one provider to another and your situation may differ, please discuss this with your insurer to ensure you are taking the right steps.
I hope this helps. Should you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach us out again.
Have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Joshua
Been paying the premium on a policy to keep it from lapsing. However, when I contacted the issuing insurance company to find data on the owner, the insured, and beneficiary, I was told I could not have access to those names. How can this info be obtained legally?
Hi Horace,
Thanks for getting in touch with Finder. I hope all is well with you. :)
In most cases, you would need to find the owner of the policy to ask them directly for your needed information. If this does not work, you would need the help of a legal consultant. Speak with one of them and see how you can legally obtain these details.
I hope this helps. Should you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach us out again.
Have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Joshua
My grand son is minor and I am in court if his father get full custody can I request that all my daughter estate go to my grand son when he reach 21 years my daughter and my grand son father was never living together
Hi Cindy,
Thank you for leaving a question. Transferring of ownership is possible but this depends on the insurer and the policy that you have. In such case for custody and all the queries involved, it would be a good idea to first discuss your options with your insurer.
I hope this helps. Should you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach us out again.
Regards,
Val
My dad opened a life insurance policy in my name he has passed .xan my sister take rge policy ans close it take tge money
Hi Jim,
Thank you for leaving a question.
If the policy owner is not the life insured, ownership of the policy would become part of the deceased’s will. Ownership can then be passed on according to the terms of the will. If no such terms are in the will, ownership will be set by laws of intestate succession. If you have documentation to show that you are the policy owner of the insurance that your dad opened for you, then this is something that you could inquire with the insurer on how the process should be. Hope this helps!
Cheers,
Reggie
Hi! My question is. I have been named successor of three insurance policies that my grandma had. She passed away. She was left the owner of them after my grandpa passed away. So before she got bad she named me as successor of them. Two of the insurance policies my brother and sister are the insured. And other one I’m the insured. My question is can my brother and sister sue me to get them. My grandma left them to me cause they are not responsible with money.
Hi Jamie,
Thank you for reaching out to finder.
If you being the successor is written and documented then you have the right over the succession of what your Grandfather bestowed upon you and suing you would become fruitless since it is the will of your Grandfather to you. You may want to speak with your siblings though to get to an agreement that would be okay between all of you just to ensure that the relationship is maintained between all of you. Hope this helps!
Cheers,
Reggie
Which would be easier on the person taking over a life insurance policy if the owner dies: Naming the person as a contingent owner or naming the person a joint owner?
Hi Mickey,
Thanks for getting in touch with finder. I hope all is well with you. :)
Generally, a contingent owner controls who owns a policy or an interest in it once the owner of the policy dies. It is worth remembering that the contingent owner has no rights under the policy as long as the original owner is alive.
On the other hand, if you are a joint owner, you both have the same total control of the policy.
Now, based on this information, you can better decide which route to take when purchasing a life insurance policy. It would also be a good idea to directly speak to your insurer and discuss your needs, preference, and budget. From there, your insurer should be able to present to you the best option.
I hope this helps. Should you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach us out again.
Have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Joshua
I own my life insurance if I sign it over to my daughter and she changes the beneficiaries and I want it back can she sign it back to me using her husband’s signature and not hers or is that fraud
Hi Sharon,
Thanks for getting in touch with finder. I hope all is well with you. :)
It is possible to transfer the ownership of your life insurance. However, you may need to check with your insurer.
When it comes to transferring life insurance ownership, it is important to do it not just properly, but legally. Forging a signature may render your document as invalid and false. Not only that, you may potentially face criminal charges.
Before doing anything with your policy, it would be a good idea to first discuss your options with your insurer.
I hope this helps. Should you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach us out again.
Have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Joshua
My father died July 2018. He had several insurance life policies, with me as beneficiary. How do i find them, thanks Jon
Hi Jon,
Thanks for leaving a question on finder.
Making a claim is an important process that both policyholders and beneficiaries of a life insurance policy should understand. Whether you are about to make a claim or are making sure that your next of kin is familiar with the claims process, here are some simple steps you need to do:
1. Notify your insurer or your life insurance adviser. This is where your insurer will let you know what types of forms and documentation is required.
2. Your claim is assessed. Once you provide whats needed, your claim will be assessed. Some insurers will have a dedicated claims assessor to keep you updated and ask for any additional details.
3. Get to an outcome. You’ll either receive a payment or be rejected e.g. non-disclosure of a pre-existing medical condition at the time of application.
Making a claim on a life insurance policy is not necessarily a complicated procedure but it can be time consuming if the appropriate steps are not taken. Bear in mind that the claims procedure may differ from one provider to the other. However, you can manage this process more efficiently by taking some key considerations into account when making a life insurance claim. These include:
– Check the life insurance policy documentation: Life insurance policies and procedures can vary between providers, so before you do anything else relating to the life insurance plan, you need to check the policy document carefully. This is to make sure that you are aware of the process that you need to go through and that you have all of the relevant information that the provider is likely to ask for on hand. Have a clear understanding of the claims procedure when you first apply for the policy and store all the necessary documentation in a safe place.
– Contact the insurance provider as soon as possible: to notify them of your intention to claim. While there may be a lot of other things going on in your life that you need to get sorted, it is critical to begin organising the claim as soon as possible to ensure the payment runs smoothly.
– Keep a detailed record of your calls and contact: Because life insurance claims can take a considerable amount of time to process, it is all too easy to forget details that may prove important later on during the claim process. You may have to contact the life insurance provider on a number of occasions by phone, in writing, by email etc. Make sure that you keep notes of when you made contact, names of people you spoke to, copies of any letters and correspondence that you send in, etc. Keep all of these in a safe place so that you know exactly where to go should you need to refer back to them.
– Be organised and get all the required documents ready as soon as you can to start lodging in your claim: The insurance provider will require different types of documentation and they are normally specified in the policy documentation, but you can also contact the provider for verification. This can include things such as a copy of the death certificate and details about the policyholder’s doctor/surgeon. Being organised is absolutely essential or you experience delays in receiving your benefits.
It usually takes up to a few weeks to process a straightforward claim. However, it may take longer to process claims that are more complex in nature.
Cheers,
Joel
Person insures self w wife as beneficiary. Wife dies. Then person dies without naming beneficiary. Is policy dissolved? does it go under will? Thank you.
Hi lm!
Thanks for contacting finder.
The policy will not be dissolved unless it is paid out or used by the beneficiary. If the policy owner passes, it will go to the will. If there isn’t any will, ownership will be set by laws of intestate succession.
Hope this helps!
Nikki