                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

REQUEST FOR LIFE INSURANCE INFORMATION; NOTIFICATION OF BENEFICIARIES (§
54.1-2818.5)

A. In any case in which a funeral service provider licensed pursuant to this
chapter believes that a decedent for whom funeral services are being provided is
insured under an individual or group life insurance policy, the funeral service
provider may request information regarding the deceased person&#8217;s life
insurance policy from the life insurer believed to have issued the policy. Such
request for information shall include (i) a copy of the deceased person&#8217;s
death certificate filed in accordance with &#xA7; 32.1-263; (ii) written
authorization for the funeral service provider&#8217;s submission of the request
that is executed by a person designated to make arrangements for the
decedent&#8217;s burial or disposition of his remains pursuant to &#xA7;
54.1-2825, an agent named in an advance directive pursuant to &#xA7; 54.1-2984,
a guardian appointed pursuant to Chapter 20 (&#xA7; 64.2-2000 et seq.) of Title
64.2 who may exercise the powers conferred in the order of appointment or by
&#xA7; 64.2-2019, or the next of kin as defined in &#xA7; 54.1-2800; and (iii)
if the deceased person was covered or is believed to have been covered under a
group life insurance policy, the affiliation of the deceased person entitling
the deceased to coverage under the group life insurance policy.

B. Upon receipt of the information requested pursuant to subsection A, if the
beneficiary of record under the life insurance contract or group life insurance
policy is not the estate of the deceased person, the requesting funeral service
provider shall make all reasonable efforts to contact all the beneficiaries of
record within four calendar days of receiving such information and provide to
the beneficiaries all information provided to the funeral service provider by
the life insurer. The funeral service provider shall, prior to providing any
information to the beneficiaries in accordance with this subsection, inform the
beneficiaries that the beneficiary of a life insurance policy has no legal duty
or obligation to pay any amounts associated with the provision of funeral
services or the debts or obligations of the deceased person.

HISTORY: 2017, c. 482.