Current through the 2024 legislative session
Section 26-15-102 - Life insurance upon individual or person in whom he has insurable interest; "insurable interest" defined(a) Any individual of competent legal capacity may procure or effect an insurance contract upon his own life or body for the benefit of any person. Except as provided in W.S. 26-15-103, no person shall procure or cause to be procured any insurance contract upon the life or body of another individual unless the benefits under the contract are payable to the individual insured or his personal representatives, or to a person having, at the time when the contract is made, an insurable interest in the individual insured.(b) If the beneficiary, assignee or other payee under any contract made in violation of this section receives from the insurer any benefits thereunder accruing upon the death, disablement or injury of the individual insured, the individual insured or his executor or administrator, as the case may be, may maintain an action to recover the benefits from the person receiving them. (c) "Insurable interest" as to personal insurance means that any individual has an insurable interest in the life, body and health of himself, and of other persons as follows: (i) In the case of individuals related closely by blood or by law, a substantial interest engendered by love and affection; (ii) In the case of other persons, a lawful and substantial economic interest in having the life, health or bodily safety of the individual insured continue, as distinguished from an interest arising only by, or enhanced in value by, the death, disablement or injury of the individual insured; and (iii) An individual party to a contract or option for the purchase or sale of an interest in a business partnership or firm, or of shares of stock of a closed corporation or of an interest in those shares, has an insurable interest in the life of each individual party to the contract and for the purposes of the contract only, in addition to any insurable interest which otherwise exists as to that individual's life. (d) An insurer may rely upon all statements, declarations and representations made by an applicant for insurance relative to the applicant's insurable interest in the insured. No insurer incurs legal liability, except as set forth in the policy, by virtue of any untrue statements, declarations or representations relied upon in good faith.