Who gets the insurance check?

Q: If a house is owned by several family members and it was damaged, can one family member cash the Insurance check issued for repairs? Brothers and sisters own a house that one sister lived in. It was damaged during a Hurricane. Now the one sister left with the insurance check and won’t return our calls.

A: More information is needed. Who owns the policy? Who is the listed payee or beneficiary? If she pays the premiums and is on the policy as the owner or beneficiary, the insurance company may have no liability if they pay her. You may go after her if she was paid and did not use the proceeds to repair the property. If it is clear-cut case that the proceeds were payable to all owners for the purpose of home repair, she may have committed the crime of Theft. I would get more details from the insurance company, contact a lawyer and possibly the police if certain facts exist.

If you feel like this issue relates to you, or a problem that you are experiencing, please contact me so that we can discuss your situation.