- Amount
- $246,000 (life insurance and annuity proceeds deposited with the court)
- Counsel
- Interpleader Law
- Result for
- The insured's son, our client
- Case
- New York Life Insurance Co. v. Anderman
- Court
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas
- Docket
- No. 4:25-cv-06165
- Decided
- July 22, 2026
- Issue
- Whether beneficiary changes made by an agent under a power of attorney, naming the agent herself, defeat the prior beneficiary's claim
The insured had named his son as sole beneficiary of a whole life policy and a variable annuity. Shortly before the insured died, his spouse used a power of attorney to submit online beneficiary changes naming herself on both. Our client challenged the changes, arguing that the power of attorney did not expressly authorize the agent to make herself the beneficiary.
With competing claims, the insurers filed an interpleader in December 2025 and asked the court to decide who should be paid. Our client declined to compromise and pressed his claim. The spouse was served but did not answer. The court entered default judgment ruling that she take nothing from the proceeds, accepted the insurers’ deposit of the policy and annuity values, and then ordered the full registry fund, with interest, paid to our client.
What it shows. A beneficiary change made by an agent acting under a power of attorney can be contested. When the person who made the change does not defend it in the interpleader, the prior beneficiary can recover the full fund.
Read the court's order
- Order granting default judgment (Apr. 27, 2026) (PDF)
- Order of interpleader disbursement (July 22, 2026) (PDF)
Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. This summary describes the court's ruling; it is not legal advice about any other case.
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