Please help...Im desperate(Michigan)

[dbig9937]

We live in G.R. Michigan. My grandchildrens father was killed 1 1/2 mos ago. He worked for Co-Ca Cola co. He was never married to my daughter, but they had 2 children together. He later married and had 3 more children with another woman. They were seperated 2 yrs when he died. When he first started with the company he came and ask my daughter if she would sign a paper stating it was ok the not have her children as first beneficerary on his life ins. policy, as his new was was having a fit about it. My daughter declined to do so .Since he has passed we dont know about how to find out about the policy, or anything to do with it. We are thinking his ex went and is/has claimed the policy. Under his friend of the court obligations, his first son was to be named as first beneficary on the policy. The company will give no info since they were not married. What , if anything can be done? We even had a problem filing for Social Security for the kids, as they told us they had to wait for the wife to apply for her kids so that the $ amt. would be correct.My daughter really needs the support to help with raising her children, we just have no idea how to proceed. Thankyou, Denise

 

[Dandy Don]

Did this man leave a last will and testament? The will is normally filed within 30 days after the death--have you checked at the county courthouse to see if a will has been filed?

What is the value of the insurance policy?

What would be the value of his estate not including the insurance policy?

Did your daughter ever go to court to get an award of child support from this man?

DANDY DON IN OKLAHOMA ([email protected])

 

[Dandy Don]

If this man left a will that is being probated, then contact the county courthouse probate court to find out who the executor is, and ask the executor to find out whether your grandchildren are named as beneficiaries or not. Insurance company will normally not release information to anyone besides the executor, but I guess sometimes they will tell the beneficiaries if they ask.

If your grandchildren were named as beneficiaries, the insurance company may not necessarily know how to contact them if they don't have a current address for them.

Or, send the insurance company a certified letter yourself asking if your grandchildren are named as beneficiaries.

If you get no response, file a complaint with the Michigan State Insurance Commissioner (www.michigan.gov, Office of Financial and Insurance Services, select the CONTACT US link) and file a complaint so he can investigate it for you.

If he has back child support that hasn't been paid, then your attorney can tell you how to file a claim with the estate if he has enough assets in it.

The bad news is that your son didn't need to get your daughter's permission in order to change beneficiaries--he could have done it anyway WITHOUT her permission since it's HIS policy. But let's hope that he didn't know that and didn't make the change, so that hopefully your grandchildren are still named as beneficiaries!

DANDY DON IN OKLAHOMA ([email protected])