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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>60714</law_id><section_number>20-107.1:1</section_number><catch_line>Court may decree as to maintenance of life insurance policy</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>20-107.3</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="20">Domestic Relations</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="6">Divorce, Affirmation and Annulment</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Upon entry of a <span class="dictionary">decree</span> providing for (i) the dissolution of a marriage, (ii) a divorce, whether from the <span class="dictionary">bond</span> of matrimony or from bed and board, or (iii) separate maintenance, where an <span class="dictionary">order</span> for spousal support or separate maintenance has been entered by the <span class="dictionary">court</span>, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> may <span class="dictionary">order</span> a <span class="dictionary">party</span> to (a) maintain any existing life insurance policy on the insured <span class="dictionary">party</span>&#x2019;s life that was purchased during the marriage, is issued through the insured&#x2019;s employment, or is within effective control of the insured, provided that the <span class="dictionary">party</span> so ordered has the right to designate a beneficiary and that the payee has been designated as a beneficiary of such policy during the marriage and the payee is a <span class="dictionary">party</span> with an insurable interest pursuant to subsection B of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Insurable interest required; life, accident and sickness insurance" href="/38.2-301/">38.2-301</a>; (b) designate the other <span class="dictionary">party</span> as beneficiary of all or a portion of the death benefit of such life insurance for so long as the insured <span class="dictionary">party</span> so ordered has an obligation to pay spousal support to the other <span class="dictionary">party</span>, provided that the <span class="dictionary">party</span> so ordered has the right to designate a beneficiary and that the payee has been designated as a beneficiary of such policy during the marriage and the payee is a <span class="dictionary">party</span> with an insurable interest pursuant to subsection B of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Insurable interest required; life, accident and sickness insurance" href="/38.2-301/">38.2-301</a> in accordance with the terms of the policy; (c) allocate the premium cost of such life insurance between the parties, provided that all premiums shall be billed to the policyholder; and (d) <span class="dictionary">order</span> the insured <span class="dictionary">party</span> to execute all appropriate forms or written consents to require the insurer to provide information to the <span class="dictionary">party</span> beneficiary as to the good standing of the policy and the maintenance of that <span class="dictionary">party</span> as beneficiary to the extent required by the <span class="dictionary">order</span> entered pursuant to this section. Any obligation or requirement under such an <span class="dictionary">order</span> shall cease upon the termination of the <span class="dictionary">party</span>&#x2019;s obligation to pay spousal support or separate maintenance. <a id="paragraph-221939" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-107.1_1/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> In making a determination under subsection A, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall consider: <a id="paragraph-221940" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-107.1_1/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> The age, health, and insurability of the insured <span class="dictionary">party</span>; <a id="paragraph-221941" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-107.1_1/#B1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> The age and health of the payee spouse; <a id="paragraph-221942" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-107.1_1/#B2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> The cost of the life insurance policy; <a id="paragraph-221943" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-107.1_1/#B3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B4" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> The amount and term of the award of spousal support or separate maintenance; <a id="paragraph-221944" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-107.1_1/#B4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B5" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">5.</span> The prevailing insurance rates at the time of the <span class="dictionary">order</span>; <a id="paragraph-221945" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-107.1_1/#B5"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B6" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">6.</span> The ability of either spouse to pay the premium cost of the life insurance; and <a id="paragraph-221946" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-107.1_1/#B6"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B7" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">7.</span> Such other factors as the <span class="dictionary">court</span> deems necessary or appropriate to consider in <span class="dictionary">order</span> to arrive at a fair <span class="dictionary">order</span>. <a id="paragraph-221947" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-107.1_1/#B7"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> Upon <span class="dictionary">motion</span> of either <span class="dictionary">party</span>, any <span class="dictionary">order</span> entered pursuant to this section may be modified upon a <span class="dictionary">material</span> change of circumstances, including a change in marital status of the payor spouse, and in consideration of the factors set forth in subsection B. This provision shall not permit the change in marital status of the payor spouse to be considered as a factor under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Court may decree as to maintenance and support of spouses" href="/20-107.1/">20-107.1</a> or considered a <span class="dictionary">material</span> change in circumstances in any proceeding related to the modification of spousal support. <a id="paragraph-221948" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-107.1_1/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> Nothing in this section shall be construed to create an independent <span class="dictionary">cause of action</span> on the part of any beneficiary against the insurer or to require an insurer to provide information relating to such policy to any person other than the policyholder without the written consent of the policyholder or unless ordered by the <span class="dictionary">court</span>. <a id="paragraph-221949" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-107.1_1/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> Nothing in this section shall be construed to require an insurance company to renew or reinstate any insurance policy other than as provided in such insurance policy. <a id="paragraph-221950" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-107.1_1/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="F"><p><span class="prefix-number">F.</span> In the event a group policy issued by an employer that is subject to a <span class="dictionary">court order</span> pursuant to this section is terminated or canceled by the employer or there is an involuntary change in employment by the payor causing the policy to no longer be in effect, such circumstances shall not be the basis of any <span class="dictionary">finding</span> of <span class="dictionary">contempt</span> against the payor arising out of an order entered pursuant to this section. <a id="paragraph-221951" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-107.1_1/#F"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="G"><p><span class="prefix-number">G.</span> This section shall not apply to any second to die insurance policies on the lives of the payor and payee. <a id="paragraph-221952" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-107.1_1/#G"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="H"><p><span class="prefix-number">H.</span> In the case of a term life insurance policy that has the ability to convert to a permanent policy, the court shall not impose an obligation to pay for such a conversion. <a id="paragraph-221953" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-107.1_1/#H"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2017, c. 797.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
