Fred and Wilma each have life insurance naming the other as the primary beneficiary. On returning from a football game, they are hit head on by a drunk driver and killed. There is no evidence of either one surviving longer than the other. What law determines how their policies are to be paid?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Uniform Simultaneous Death Law has been adopted by many states to assist in determining beneficiaries when there is a simultaneous death. If it can be proven that one individual outlived the other, even briefly, then the chain of primary, contingent, tertiary beneficiaries would be used. However, if it cannot be determined if one outlived the other, the Uniform Simultaneous Death Law states that the proceeds are to be as if the primary was the first to die.

Fred and Wilma Each Have Life Insurance Naming the Other