Who receives the money when you die, and how do you make sure it is the right people?

You decide who receives the payout. The Civil Transactions Law in force from 1 June 2026 lets you name specific people in the contract, or name people later.¹

What happens if you name “my children” or “my heirs”?

The money goes to whoever fits that description on the day you die. If the policy is for your spouse, children, descendants or heirs, the law gives the sum to the people who hold that position at your death. If the beneficiaries are your heirs, they share the money according to the statutory shares of inheritance.¹

Statutory shares depend on the inheritance law that applies to you, which is explained in inheritance. If you want a particular split, name each person and their share.

Is the payout part of your estate?

No. Article 985 of the law in force from 1 June 2026 says: “The amounts agreed to be paid upon the death of the insured shall not form part of the estate of the insured.”¹

Asked whether life insurance forms part of the estate, the DIFC Courts’ wills FAQ replies only that a Full Will covers all movable and immovable property in the jurisdiction it names.² If your case involves a will, an estate in another country or a dispute, ask a lawyer how the payout and the will fit together.

What does the insurer need when the beneficiaries are named?

Less than when they are not. MetLife’s published checklist for a death claim on an individual policy asks each beneficiary for a claimant statement, ID and contact details, with the death certificate and the original policy. A succession certificate is needed only where beneficiaries are not named or are described as “legal heirs”.³

With named people, MetLife does not ask for a succession certificate, which the court issues on request to identify the heirs and their shares.¹ Check that your policy schedule shows full names, as on passports.

What if a beneficiary is a child?

The insurer pays the child’s share to the person entitled to receive it on the child’s behalf. MetLife asks for an original guardianship or tutorship certificate from a court where any beneficiary is a minor, and pays only the guardian or tutor entitled by law or court order to “cash proceeds and give valid discharge”.³ A guardian must sign the claim form for a minor.³

If you have children, read about guardianship in a will in wills.

Can a beneficiary lose the right to the money?

Yes, in one case set by law. A beneficiary who intentionally causes the insured person’s death, or whose instigation leads to it, is deprived of the sum. After a mere attempt, the insured can name a different beneficiary.¹

The Central Bank law defines a beneficiary as the person who first acquired the rights under a policy or to whom they were legally transferred.⁴

How do you change your beneficiaries?

Through the insurer, on its form. The law allows you to name beneficiaries after the contract is made, and does not set a procedure.¹ Ask your insurer for its change of beneficiary form and a new policy schedule after any marriage, divorce or birth.

The small print

• Articles. Naming beneficiaries is Article 981, the beneficiary who causes the death Article 980 and the estate rule Article 985 of Federal Decree by Law No. (25) of 2025, which replaced Federal Law No. (5) of 1985 from 1 June 2026.¹
• Definition. “Beneficiary” is defined in Article 1 of Federal Decree-Law No. (6) of 2025, in force from 16 September 2025.⁴
• Notarised forms. MetLife requires each death claim form to be notarised or signed in front of its claims manager.³