Coroner's Inquest & Pensions help!!!

GDB2222

Suicide doesn’t cancel out pensions. So, any fund he has is secure. Who will receive it is apparently at the discretion of the insurance company, and they are not in a hurry. It’s not part of the estate. 

Any insurance policies taken out in the last two years may not pay out anything because of the suicide, but longer standing policies usually do. 

Marcon

KJR123 said:

Thanks for the additional advice. There's a complicated family dynamic because my dad never married my mum.

That could be causing the delay. If this is a defined benefit (aka final salary) pension scheme, the rules will set out whether any benefits are payable in respect of 'survivors' - and that term may not necessarily include unmarried partners, unfashionable and outdated as that comment might sound.

KJR123

The matter is subject to English jurisdiction & there is no will.

The pension is a standard pay in monthly from your salary kind of pension & contributions from the employer etc.

The life insurance already paid out to my mother as she was the beneficiary of the policy but my father is classed as single having never married. 

It's useful to know the position regarding the Pensions as that does leave the estate insolvenant. Thank you. 

Although he committed suicide there's potential that the Coroner could find his death as neglect by or contributed to by the hospital. As the hospital have held their hands up that staff made some serious mistakes & policy was not followed which led to the death whilst my father was under their care. This is why the inquest is being dragged out & likely not to be heard until substantially into next year.

Malthusian

The pension is a standard pay in monthly from your salary kind of pension & contributions from the employer etc.

That doesn't in itself tell us whether it was "defined contribution" (contributions go into a pot in the name of the member which they can draw down from directly or use to buy an annuity) or "defined benefit" (the member receives a promise to pay a given level of income from normal retirement age).
If it's defined contribution the pension trustees will have discretion over who receives the money. (But someone will - the trustees do not have discretion to not pay out at all.) If it's defined benefit the scheme rules will decide what death benefits are payable if any. 
Either way the cause of death will not come into it.

The life insurance already paid out to my mother as she was the beneficiary of the policy but my father is classed as single having never married. 

Is this the same one which you said had your sister as the sole beneficiary?

KJR123

Yes there's two policies.

One names my sister as the sole beneficiary. Another family member is adamant that the money goes into the estate, as someone has advised her of that. But they are going to contact that link you've sent.

The other policy I have asked a few questions to try & determine what type it is & if anyone is named.

Thanks for helping 😊