Slayer Rule Prevents Murderer from Receiving Benefits

In Metropolitan LifeIns. Co. v. Little, a federal district court in New York applied the commonlaw “slayer rule” to forfeit a beneficiary’s claim to insurance proceeds.

Rosemary Little’s grandson was a 40% beneficiary of her ERISA-governedlife insurance plan before he murdered her. The remaining proceeds will now go to the only other beneficiary,Rosemary’s son.

See Joseph E. Clark,Life Insurance Beneficiary Who MurderedPolicyholder Is Not Entitled to Benefits, Mondaq, Sept. 11, 2013.