EAST ST. LOUIS — A life insurance company seeks the court's assistance in determining who the appropriate beneficiaries of a life insurance policy are.
Minnesota Life Insurance Company filed a complaint Jan. 28 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois against Laura Krumm, Edward Florian, George Florian, Susan Marler, individually and as the executor of the Estate of Edward J. Florian, and Kutis Funeral Home Inc.
According to the complaint, Edward Florian died on May 31, 2020. He was an employee of the State of Illinois and held a "basic and optional" life insurance policy with Minnesota Life with payment to beneficiaries totaling $122,100. Minnesota Life claims Laura Krumm was named as the primary beneficiary of Edward Florian's policy on Sept. 12, 2002. However the couple divorced in 2013 with no reference to the insurance policy being named in their dissolution of marriage.
Minnesota Life alleges Krumm and the other defendants, including Edward Florian's father, brother and sister, submitted beneficiary statements seeking payment for themselves. They also allege three assignments of insurance proceeds for $5,209.90 on Florian's policy were received from Kutis Funeral Home. Minnesota Life claims they are a "disinterested stakeholder" and "unable to determine who is entitled" to the proceeds from Florian's policy.
Minnesota Life seeks monetary relief, an order for the defendants to interplead and to be dismissed from the litigation.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois case number 3:21-CC-00104