58-58-97. Provision of life insurance information upon notification of insured's death.

(a) Any person licensed to practice funeral directing or any employee of a funeral establishment licensed under the provisions of Article 13A of Chapter 90 of the General Statutes providing funeral service, as that term is defined in G.S. 90-210.20, for a deceased person insured or believed to be insured under a contract of life insurance or under a group life insurance policy may request information regarding the deceased person's life insurance contracts by providing an insurer with (i) a copy of a notification of death filed pursuant to G.S. 130A-112, (ii) written authorization from the person or persons with legal authority to direct disposition of the deceased's body as prescribed under G.S. 90-210.124 or G.S. 130A-420, and (iii) in the case of a person covered or believed to be covered under a group life insurance policy, the affiliation of the deceased entitling them to coverage under the group life insurance policy. As soon as possible after receipt of the request, the life insurance company shall inform the person authorized by this section to make an inquiry of the following:

(1) The existence of any contract insuring the life of the deceased person.

(2) Any beneficiaries on record under any life insurance contract insuring the life of the deceased person.

(3) The amount of any liens or loans outstanding on the policy.

(4) The amount of benefits payable to the beneficiaries.

(5) Whether the policy has been reinstated within the last 24 months.

(b) If any person making a written request under subsection (a) of this section who has provided all the information required by subsection (a) of this section does not receive a timely response from the insurer, then the person may refer the request to the Consumer Services Division of the Department, which shall treat the referral as a consumer complaint. The referral shall include all the information provided to the insurer under subsection (a) of this section as well as copies of all communications and information received from the insurer regarding the request for information.

(c) If the beneficiary of record under the life insurance contract or group life insurance policy is not the estate of the deceased, then any person authorized to request information under subsection (a) of this section shall make reasonable efforts to locate the beneficiaries within 100 hours of receiving information from the insurance carrier regarding any life insurance contracts or group life insurance policies and shall provide to all beneficiaries all documents and information obtained from the insurance carrier. The person obtaining the information also shall inform all beneficiaries in writing in bold print that "THE BENEFICIARY OF A LIFE INSURANCE POLICY HAS NO LEGAL DUTY OR OBLIGATION TO SPEND ANY OF THAT MONEY ON THE FUNERAL, DEBTS, OR OBLIGATIONS OF THE DECEASED" and shall do so before discussing with the beneficiaries financial arrangements for burial of the deceased.

(d) Any licensee or employee of a funeral establishment licensed under Article 13A of Chapter 90 of the General Statutes who makes a false request for information under this section or fails to do that required by subsection (c) of this section shall be deemed guilty of fraud or misrepresentation in the practice of funeral service as defined in G.S. 90-210.25(e)(1)b. and unfit to practice funeral service.

(e) This section shall apply to life insurance companies as defined in G.S. 58-58-1 and to all contracts subject to the provisions of this Article.