- Amount
- $134,000 (group life insurance proceeds awarded to our client)
- Counsel
- Interpleader Law
- Result for
- The insured's sole designated beneficiary, our client
- Case
- Reliance Standard Life Insurance Co. v. Coleman
- Court
- U.S. District Court, District of Kansas
- Docket
- No. 2:25-cv-02587-HLT-GEB
- Decided
- September 1, 2026
- Issue
- Competing spousal and family claims to employer group life insurance, resolved by disclaimer and default judgment
The insured had $144,900 in group life insurance through his employer and named our client as his sole beneficiary. After funeral and burial costs that she assigned from the benefit were paid, $134,162.69 remained.
Two other people disputed her claim. The insured’s daughter said he and our client had divorced, and another woman told the insurer that she, not our client, was his legal wife. Faced with competing claims, the insurer filed an interpleader action in federal court.
We represented the designated beneficiary. The daughter disclaimed any interest in the proceeds. The other claimant waived service but never answered, and the clerk entered her default. The court granted our client’s motion for default judgment, held that the other claimant had forfeited any interest in the proceeds, and ordered the insurer to pay our client.
What it shows. A claimant who disputes a beneficiary designation has to appear and press the claim. One who stays silent forfeits it, and the designated beneficiary is paid.
Read the court's order
- Order granting default judgment (Sept. 1, 2026) (PDF)
- Earlier order setting the default judgment deadline (June 26, 2026) (PDF)
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.
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