§ 431:10-232. Exemption of proceeds; life, endowment and annuity
431:10-232. Exemption of proceeds; life, endowment and annuity
(a) All proceeds payable because of the death of the insured and the aggregate net cash value of any or all life and endowment policies and annuity contracts payable to a spouse of the insured, or to a child, parent or other person dependent upon the insured, whether the power to change the beneficiary is reserved to the insured or not, and whether the insured or the insured's estate is a contingent beneficiary or not, shall be exempt from execution, attachment, garnishment, or other process, for the debts or liabilities of the insured incurred subsequent to May 19, 1939, except as to premiums paid in fraud of creditors within the period limited by law for the recovery of such payments.
(b) When the terms of any life or endowment policy or annuity contract require that the proceeds thereof be retained by the insurer upon the death of the insured, or other maturity of the policy or contract, for payment to any beneficiary other than the insured in accordance with a settlement plan selected by the insured, the beneficiary shall have no right or power, nor shall the beneficiary be permitted by any insurer, to commute, encumber, assign, or otherwise anticipate the beneficiary's interests under the plan if the right or power is expressly denied the beneficiary by the terms of the contract or policy. If the beneficiary under the settlement plan is or was the spouse of the insured, or a child, parent or other person dependent upon the insured, the beneficiary's interests thereunder, in any case, shall be exempt from execution, attachment, garnishment, or other process for the beneficiary's debts or liabilities incurred after December 31, 1955.
(c) This section does not apply to group life insurance.