- Amount
- $639,000 (annuity death benefit awarded to our client, plus interest)
- Counsel
- Interpleader Law
- Result for
- The insured's estate, our client
- Case
- Estate of Budinski v. AAA Life Insurance Co.
- Court
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
- Docket
- No. 2:25-cv-10964-TGB-EAS
- Decided
- August 21, 2026
- Issue
- An estate's claim to an annuity death benefit against a named beneficiary who failed to appear
The insured owned an annuity that named a family member as beneficiary when he died. His estate claimed the death benefit instead, alleging that he had intended to exclude her from receiving any of his assets. The estate sued the insurer, and the insurer filed an interpleader against both the estate and the named beneficiary.
We represented the estate. The named beneficiary could not be located for personal service and was served by publication with the court’s permission. She never answered, the clerk entered her default, and the court entered a default judgment against her and discharged the insurer. The court then ordered the death benefit, with interest, paid to our client and dismissed the case.
What it shows. A named beneficiary’s claim is not self-executing. When a competing claimant steps forward and the beneficiary does not defend, the court can award the benefit to the estate.
Read the court's order
For a detailed legal summary of this decision, see interpleader.com's decisions library.
Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. This summary describes the court's ruling; it is not legal advice about any other case.
Back to all results · Interpleader lawsuits · Beneficiary disputes