Are civil unions recognized for life insurance benefits?

The short answer to the question of whether civil unions are recognized for life insurance benefits in Texas is no. Texas does not currently recognize civil unions or domestic partnerships in any form, and most life insurance companies that operate in Texas do not recognize them either. This means that a partner in a civil union will not be able to enjoy the same life insurance benefits as married couples. Currently, the only way in Texas for a couple in a civil union to enjoy any sort of legal recognition is to have their union solemnized in another state that recognizes civil unions. This would involve a trip to a different jurisdiction, and could be costly. When it comes to life insurance benefits, the best option for two partners in a civil union is to have the partner who is more likely to outlive the other buy the life insurance policy. If the life insurance policy is written solely in the name of one partner, then the surviving partner would be able to collect the death benefit. To be clear, while life insurance policies in Texas will not consider a civil union or domestic partnership when it comes to benefit eligibility, they will often consider a partner as a beneficiary. Having a beneficiary listed on a life insurance policy means that the policy’s death benefit will be paid to them in the event of the policyholder’s death.

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