Children and beneficiaries of life insurance

[Stacymarie]

What is the name of your state? Kentucky.

My father passed away in 2003. He resided in the state of Indiana. He was married to his third wife and has five surviving children (none of the children belong to this third wife). When my father was still living, he had explained that all five of his children were included as beneficiaries on his life insurance. Because relations were not good and are still not with this third wife, none of the children know how to ask if this was still the case. None of these five children (all are of age) recieved a single cent. Please help me to understand.

My questions?

If the five children were included as beneficiaries on his life insurance policy, who would the insurance company notify? Is there a way for the third wife to change the policy to exclude the children? Was she responsible for notifying the children? Do the children have any right's to any part of his estate? We were told that there was no will.

 

[Dandy Don]

Yes, his children do have rights to his estate. Check at the county courthouse to see if anyone has filed to be administrator of the estate, and if not, then hire your own attorney to get probate opened up (if you are sure that he has any assets worth being probated) if wifey won't do it.

So if you all are too afraid of wifey to ask her point blank what the name of the insurance company is and if you can see the policy, then have your attorney send her a letter asking for the insurance company information.

Insurance company may not be able to contact the beneficiaries directly if dad didn't provide their addresses on the beneficiary designation form and if he only listed their names.