live4christp27
Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Tennessee
I have been at my employer since 2001. I've always carried my families insurance through work, medical, dental, life, etc. In April 2013 we divorced. At open enrollment in October of that year I was talking with the benefits coordinator about dropping the life insurance policy on my ex husband. He advised I should keep it since we had minor children, it cost less than $10 a month so I agreed. Been through open enrollment in 2014 and 2015 (October), noted it was ex husband and rolled right along.
Well, he was killed last Friday. Our son is now 18 and next of kin legally. We still have a 13 year old daughter. He had no life insurance or burial policy of his own. My 18 year old son does not have the means to handle this. His mother does not have the finances to do so. I thought about the life insurance and called our benefits department. They said yes you have a policy and we will mail the forms out to you.
Today the benefits department called me and said sorry, since you are divorced we are not going to pay out on this policy. Can they do that? Everything I can find on life insurance says divorce does not void or change a pre existing policy. I can't understand why I was advised and have paid into it an additional three years and now to be told this.
They said they would reimburse my premiums but that's just peanuts since the divorce compared to what the policy is worth. If I had been advised otherwise I could have taken a private policy and been putting those funds toward it instead. Can't do that after the fact.
Please note - this isn't a ploy to benefit from someone death. These are funds being contributed to burial costs of my children's father and what is left will help the gap of no support with the kids.
I'm so very upset over all this. It has been a nightmare to deal with. He is in a different state and over six hours away so we've had to coordinate having him transported etc.
Anyone have any insight or advice?
I have been at my employer since 2001. I've always carried my families insurance through work, medical, dental, life, etc. In April 2013 we divorced. At open enrollment in October of that year I was talking with the benefits coordinator about dropping the life insurance policy on my ex husband. He advised I should keep it since we had minor children, it cost less than $10 a month so I agreed. Been through open enrollment in 2014 and 2015 (October), noted it was ex husband and rolled right along.
Well, he was killed last Friday. Our son is now 18 and next of kin legally. We still have a 13 year old daughter. He had no life insurance or burial policy of his own. My 18 year old son does not have the means to handle this. His mother does not have the finances to do so. I thought about the life insurance and called our benefits department. They said yes you have a policy and we will mail the forms out to you.
Today the benefits department called me and said sorry, since you are divorced we are not going to pay out on this policy. Can they do that? Everything I can find on life insurance says divorce does not void or change a pre existing policy. I can't understand why I was advised and have paid into it an additional three years and now to be told this.
They said they would reimburse my premiums but that's just peanuts since the divorce compared to what the policy is worth. If I had been advised otherwise I could have taken a private policy and been putting those funds toward it instead. Can't do that after the fact.
Please note - this isn't a ploy to benefit from someone death. These are funds being contributed to burial costs of my children's father and what is left will help the gap of no support with the kids.
I'm so very upset over all this. It has been a nightmare to deal with. He is in a different state and over six hours away so we've had to coordinate having him transported etc.
Anyone have any insight or advice?
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