Citation: Stat. - Mich. Comp. Laws § 500.2207

The Insurance Code of 1956 (Refs & Annos)

Chapter 22. The Insurance Contract (Refs & Annos)

500.2207. Insurable interest; personal insurance; rights of beneficiaries, creditors

Sec. 2207. (1) It shall be lawful for any husband to insure his life for the benefit of his wife, and for any father to insure his life for the benefit of his children, or of any one or more of them; and in case that any money shall become payable under the insurance, the same shall be payable to the person or persons for whose benefit the insurance was procured, his, her or their representatives or assigns, for his, her or their own use and benefit, free from all claims of the representatives of such husband or father, or of any of his creditors; and any married woman, either in her own name or in the name of any third person as her trustee, may cause to be insured the life of her husband, or of any other person, for any definite period, or for the term of life, and the moneys that may become payable on the contract of insurance, shall be payable to her, her representatives or assigns, free from the claims of the representatives of the husband, or of such other person insured, or of any of his creditors; and in any contract of insurance, it shall be lawful to provide that on the decease of the person or persons for whose benefit it is obtained, before the sum insured shall become payable, the benefit thereof shall accrue to any other person or persons designated; and such other person or persons shall, on the happening of such contingency, succeed to all the rights and benefits of the deceased beneficiary or beneficiaries of the policy of insurance, notwithstanding he, she or they may not at the time have any such insurable interest as would have enabled him, her or them to obtain a new insurance; and the proceeds of any policy of life or endowment insurance, which is payable to the wife, husband or children of the insured or to a trustee for the benefit of the wife, husband or children of the insured, including the cash value thereof, shall be exempt from execution or liability to any creditor of the insured; and said exemption shall apply to insurance heretofore or hereafter issued; and shall apply to insurance payable to the above enumerated persons or classes of persons, whether they shall have become entitled thereto as originally designated beneficiaries, by beneficiary designation subsequent to the issuance of the policy, or by assignment (except in case of transfer with intent to defraud creditors).

(2) If a policy of insurance, or contract of annuity (whether heretofore or hereafter issued) is effected by any person on his own life or on another life in favor of a person other than himself, or (except in cases of transfer with intent to defraud creditors) if a policy of life insurance is assigned or in any way made payable to any such person, the lawful beneficiary or assignee thereof (other than the insured or the person so effecting such insurance, or his executors or administrators) shall be entitled to the proceeds and avails (including the cash value thereof) against the creditors and representatives of the insured and of the person effecting the same, (whether or not the right to change the beneficiary is reserved or permitted and whether or not the policy is made payable in the event that the beneficiary or assignee shall predecease such person, to the person whose life is insured or the person effecting the insurance): Provided, That, subject to the statute of limitations, the amount of any premiums for said insurance paid with intent to defraud creditors, with interest thereon, shall inure to their benefit from the proceeds of the policy: Provided further, That proof that such transfer was made and a particular debt or claim existed at the time of such transfer shall be prima facie evidence of intent to defraud said creditor as to said debt or claim; but the company issuing the policy shall be discharged of all liability thereon by payment of its proceeds in accordance with its terms, unless before such payment the company shall have written notice at its home office, by or in behalf of a creditor of a claim to recover for transfer made or premiums paid with intent to defraud creditors, with specification of the amount claimed.