Dallas Fort Worth Insurance Lawyer Blog
There are situations where the person named as a beneficiary under a life insurance is responsible for the death of the named insured. It doesn’t seem right that the person who kills an insured should be able to recover the life insurance benefits. Well, it isn’t fight and there is a law to prevent that from happening.
The Slayer’s Rule is found in the Texas Insurance Code, Section 1103.151. It says:
Sec. 1103.151. FORFEITURE. A beneficiary of a life insurance policy or contract forfeits the beneficiary’s interest in the policy or contract if the beneficiary is a principal or an accomplice in wilfully bringing about the death of the insured.
The 1987, Texas Supreme Court opinion styled, Crawford v. Coleman discusses the application of this rule and discusses what happens to the life insurance proceeds when the rule is applied. It is a must read for those faced with this situation.