Minnesota Life Ins. Co. v. Kagan

Dist. Ct. did not err in granting motion for summary judgment by wife of decedent in instant interpleader action seeking to determine ownership of life insurance proceeds, where wife was beneficiary by default since decedent had not designated any beneficiary of said policy. While children of decedent argued that they were entitled to said proceeds where decedent had named them as beneficiaries on form provided by insurance company 15 months prior to decedent’s death, decedent failed to notify insurance company that he had named children as beneficiaries, as required by policy language, and Ct. found that said failure precluded finding that decedent had substantially complied with policy so as to effectuate change in beneficiaries from wife to children.