Payment of life policy and accident and health claims without probate, etc.
61.—(1)  In any case where the policy owner of any life policy or accident and health policy of an insurer dies, and the policy moneys are payable thereunder on his death, the insurer may make payment to any proper claimant a prescribed amount of the policy moneys of all such policies issued by the insurer on the deceased’s life without the production of any probate or letters of administration; and the insurer shall be discharged from all liability in respect of the amount paid.
[11/86]
(2)  If, in any case as is mentioned in subsection (1), estate duty is payable in Singapore on any such policy moneys as are there mentioned, the insurer may, notwithstanding section 43(2) of the Estate Duty Act (Cap. 96), pay to any proper claimant a prescribed amount of the policy moneys of all such policies issued by the insurer, without the policy moneys having been included in such a schedule or certificate as is mentioned in that subsection.
[11/86]
(3)  Before making any payment under subsection (2), the insurer shall give notice by registered post to the Commissioner of Estate Duties with such particulars as the Commissioner may require.
[11/86]
(4)  Subsection (2) shall apply in relation to policy moneys under policies of which the deceased was not the policy owner at his death as it applies in relation to any such policy moneys as are mentioned in subsection (1).
[22/73; 11/86]
(5)  Where an amount is paid under subsection (2) on account of any policy moneys, the insurer may, before payment of the balance of such policy moneys to any proper claimant, apply the whole or part of the policy moneys to pay any unpaid estate duty payable on the death of the insured.
[11/86]
(6)  In this section —
(a)“policy owner” includes a part owner of a policy;
(b)“proper claimant” means a person who claims to be entitled to the sums in question as executor of the deceased, or who claims to be entitled to that sum (whether for his own benefit or not) and is the widower, widow, parent, child, brother, sister, nephew or niece of the deceased; and
(c)in deducing any relationship for the purposes of this subsection, an illegitimate person shall be treated as the legitimate child of his actual parents.