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<section article="gcl" article_name="Commercial Law" number="17-302.1" title_number="17" title_name="Disposition of Abandoned Property" subtitle_number="3" subtitle_name="Abandoned Property in This State">
  <level label="a">
    <text>In this section, “death master file” means:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Social Security Administration Death Master File; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Any other database or service that is at least as comprehensive as the Social Security Administration Death Master File for determining that an individual reportedly has died.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>For purposes of this section:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>A death master file match described under subsection (c)(3) and (4) of this section occurs if the criteria for an exact or partial match are satisfied as provided by:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>The Insurance Article; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>A rule or policy adopted by the Maryland Insurance Commissioner.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A death master file match or validation of the insured’s or annuitant’s death does not alter the requirements for a beneficiary, annuitant, or owner of the policy or contract to make a claim to receive proceeds under the terms of the policy or contract.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>An insured or an annuitant is presumed dead if the date of the insured’s or annuitant’s death is indicated by a death master file match described under subsection (c)(3) and (4) of this section, unless the insurance company has competent and substantial evidence that the insured or annuitant is living, including a contact made by the company with the insured or annuitant or the insured’s or annuitant’s legal representative.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>With respect to a life or endowment insurance policy or annuity contract for which an amount is owed on proof of death, but that has not matured by proof of death of the insured or annuitant, the insurance company shall be deemed to have knowledge of the death of an insured or annuitant when:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>The company receives a death certificate or court order determining that the insured or annuitant has died;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The company receives notice of the death of the insured or annuitant from:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>The Administrator or an unclaimed property administrator of another state;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>A beneficiary;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>A policy owner;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>A relative of the insured or annuitant;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>A representative of the insured or annuitant, including an administrator, a guardian, a standby guardian, or a temporary guardian; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vi">
        <text>An executor or other legal representative of the insured’s or annuitant’s estate;</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <level label="i">
        <text>The company conducts a comparison for any purpose between a death master file and the names of some or all of the company’s insureds or annuitants; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Finds a match that provides notice that the insured or annuitant has died; or</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <level label="i">
        <text>The Administrator or the Administrator’s agent in the normal course of business conducts a comparison for the purpose of finding matches between a death master file and the names of some or all of the company’s insureds or annuitants; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Finds a match that provides notice that the insured or annuitant has died.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>A holder of funds under § 17–302 of this subtitle shall, on at least an annual basis:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Conduct a death master file examination and comparison described under subsection (c)(3) of this section on all insureds and annuitants; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Make a record of the date on which any examination and comparison under item (1) of this subsection occurs.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
