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Question about my life insurance claim for a death
Life insuranceHow to fileTexasChecked Nov 6, 2026
From K.Actuary, founded by Sangmin Kwon, ASA · sources checked 2026-11-06 · Source: Texas Insurance Code · Chapter 542 · § 542.055(a) (Receipt of Notice of Claim) View original ↗
In short
- The insurer has 15 days to say your claim arrived, and ask what it needs.
- If two people say they are the right one to pay, the insurer has 90 days to pay a court instead.
- The sources don't list every paper an insurer may ask for.
What this means
The insurer must say it got your claim within 15 days [1]. For a surplus lines insurer, that window is 30 business days [1]. It must also say what else it needs [1].
Do two people claim to be the right beneficiary? Texas law then gives the insurer up to 90 days after it gets your paperwork [2]. In that time it must pay, or send the money to a court instead [2]. That is called an "interpleader." Missing that 90-day mark, without doing either one, can cost the insurer extra damages [2].
Your next step
Contact the insurer and ask in writing what papers it needs to process the claim. Send those as soon as you can. If there's a beneficiary dispute, track the 90-day interpleader deadline in [2].
Check it yourself
Read § 542.058 in full for the interpleader rule.
Where this comes from (2)
[1] Texas Insurance Code · Chapter 542 · § 542.055(a) (Receipt of Notice of Claim) · checked 2026-11-06
Not later than the 15th day or, if the insurer is an eligible surplus lines insurer, the 30th business day after the date an insurer receives notice of a claim, the insurer shall: (1) acknowledge receipt of the claim; (2) commence any investigation of the claim; and (3) request from the claimant all items, statements, and forms that the insurer reasonably believes, at that time, will be required from the claimant.
[2] Texas Insurance Code · Chapter 542 · § 542.058(c) (Delay in Payment of Claim) · checked 2026-11-06
A life insurer that receives notice of an adverse, bona fide claim to all or part of the proceeds of the policy before the applicable payment deadline under Subsection (a) shall pay the claim or properly file an interpleader action and tender the benefits into the registry of the court not later than the 90th day after the date the insurer receives all items, statements, and forms reasonably requested and required un…
How we found this
We matched your question to 2 official sources, quoted the exact lines, and re-checked each quote against its source on 2026-11-06.
What we don’t know yet
Your own plan or notice may say something different. If your letter cites another rule, send it and we will look again.
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Information only — not legal advice. Your plan, insurer or agency decides.
This answer quotes the official sources listed above, with the date we checked them. Your own policy, notice and state rules control. We are not your lawyer or your insurer. We don’t file, argue or negotiate claims for you — you send any letter or form yourself.
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