(A) On and after January 1, 1993, any life insurance company authorized to do business in this state shall pay interest, in accordance with division (B) of this section and subject to division (C) of this section, on any proceeds that become due pursuant to the terms of a life insurance policy other than a credit life insurance policy.

Terms Used In Ohio Code 3915.052

  • Beneficiary: A person who is entitled to receive the benefits or proceeds of a will, trust, insurance policy, retirement plan, annuity, or other contract. Source: OCC
  • company: includes corporations and associations. See Ohio Code 3915.01
  • in writing: includes any representation of words, letters, symbols, or figures; this provision does not affect any law relating to signatures. See Ohio Code 1.59
  • Settlement: Parties to a lawsuit resolve their difference without having a trial. Settlements often involve the payment of compensation by one party in satisfaction of the other party's claims.
  • state: means the state of Ohio. See Ohio Code 1.59

(B) The interest payable pursuant to division (A) of this section shall be computed from the date of the death of the insured to the date of the payment of the proceeds and shall be at whichever of the following rates is greater:

(1) The annual short-term applicable federal rate for purposes of section 1274(d) of the Internal Revenue Code, as defined in section 5747.01 of the Revised Code, in effect for the month in which the insured died;

(2) The current rate of interest on proceeds left on deposit with the company under an interest settlement option contained in the life insurance policy.

(C) Division (A) of this section does not require, and shall not be construed as requiring, the payment of interest unless the insured was a resident of this state on the date of his death and unless the beneficiary under the life insurance policy elects in writing to receive, or a written election has been made for the beneficiary to receive, the proceeds of the policy by means of a lump sum payment.

(D) Nothing in this section allows, or shall be construed as allowing, any insurance company to withhold the payment to any beneficiary of death proceeds under a life insurance policy for a period that is inconsistent with division (K) of section 3915.05 of the Revised Code or is longer than reasonably necessary to transmit the death proceeds.