Garda Life Assurance

F1fan

Hi,

I am hoping that someone can help. My father, a Garda, passed away and his death certificate has just been issued following an inquest. I am just enquiringly on mother's behalf if it is necessary for his life assurance to go through probate? We will find out for sure in approximately a fortnight following the receipt of documents but obviously Mam is anxious to know as soon as possible. All advice seems to be different on the Internet.

Thanks in advance.

amdublin

I am sorry for your loss.Ring the insurance company his life assurance is with and they'll tell you.

F1fan

Thanks, I did but the representative is not available Mon so will do it then. Just wondering if anyone had any experience with pen pro.

PaulM1977

Very sorry for your loss. Did your father leave a will? As this may state who the beneficiary of the policy should be and you may be able to avoid it going through Probate?

Henry Ford III

Are we talking about a death in service benefit (part of the pension scheme) or a separate stand alone life assurance policy?

A letter of wishes will often be sufficient for the former, but chances are the latter will require probate to be extracted.

coylemj

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Are we talking about a death in service benefit (part of the pension scheme) or a separate stand alone life assurance policy?

I believe the OP is talking about a separate life policy, not an in-service death benefit.

Is an assignment in the life policy legally binding or do all policies end up as an asset to be dealt with as per the will and probate?

Henry Ford III

coylemj wrote: »

I believe the OP is talking about a separate life policy, not an in-service death benefit.

Is an assignment in the life policy legally binding or do all policies end up as an asset to be dealt with as per the will and probate?

If that's the case an assignment is still valid.

F1fan

Thanks for all your help. It is life assurance taken out through the GRA with Irish life, seperate to a death in service payment. Have contacted the GRA who say it will go through probate, and penpro who say it will not...I am waiting for confirmation. There was no will.

coylemj

F1fan wrote: »

Thanks for all your help. It is life assurance taken out through the GRA with Irish life, seperate to a death in service payment. Have contacted the GRA who say it will go through probate, and penpro who say it will not...I am waiting for confirmation. There was no will.

Is there an assignment in the policy i.e. does the policy state who the money goes to on death? If the money goes through probate then what will happen is that that it and any other of your father's assets will be divided up according to the rules on intestacy because your father died intestate. That states that your mother will get 2/3 and the remaining 1/3 will be divided up amongst you and your siblings.

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1965/act/27/section/67/enacted/en/html#sec67