In a life insurance assignment, a policy owner transfers his ownership rights of the policy to another party. The original owner is the assignor and the second party is the assignee.
For the most part, there are two types of life insurance plans - either term or permanent plans or some combination of the two. Life insurers offer various forms of term plans and traditional life policies as well as "interest sensitive" products which have become more prevalent since the 1980's .
There are two types of assignment: contract assignment and assignment of rights. Contract assignment is when the assignor assigns the rights, responsibilities and obligations of a contract to the assignee. Assignment of rights is when the assignor only transfers the rights of the contract to the assignee.
The insured needs to either endorse the policy document or make a deed of assignment and register the same with the insurer. A form prescribed by the insurers must be filled and signed. In case of conditional assignment, your reason needs to be mentioned as well.
Unlike a conditional assignment, which may have specific conditions attached, an absolute assignment represents an unqualified transfer of ownership. Absolute assignment can be used not only in the context of life insurance but also for transferring ownership of other valuable assets such as real estate and securities.
This form permanently transfers ownership of your FEGLI insurance to another individual, trustee, or corporation (however, premiums continue to be withheld from your salary/annuity). An assignment is irrevocable, and cannot be changed later.
--(1) A transfer or assignment of a policy of insurance, wholly or in part, whether with or without consideration, may be made only by an endorsement upon the policy itself or by a separate instrument, signed in either case by the transferor or by the assignor or his duly authorised agent and attested by at least one ...