endowment after a death

[mermie2511]

Can someone please help me. My mum recently passed away. She and my father had an life insurance / endowment policy...my father divorced my mum a few years back. But they kept the policy.
Basically my father is saying that we are not entitled to any of this money, s my mums next of kin im a bit confused. Sadly he did the same when my grandad passed away, and ran off and spent it all. We have a big funeral bill to pay so any help anyone could give us would be most apprecitated.
Obvisuly I know its in my father name too, but surely as her next of kin there must be something we are entitled too????

[buildersmate]

Unless the death benefit goes to a nominated person (nominated by the person who held the policy whilst alive), the payout goes into the estate of the deceased.
Who is dealing with your mum's afairs? - did she leave a will?

[mermie2511]

Im dealing with everything, bar that...as my father has all the paper work. Its just so confusing as my mum didnt have an estate they never split the house.

[factor-fiction]

so you are the executor?

[Barmaid]

If this was a joint lives policy, it is quite possible that it does belong to your father. You need to seek advice and only when the type of policy and its exact wording has been looked at will anyone be able to give you a definitive answer.