362.488. Death of lessee, duties of lessor--additional duties by contract.

MISSOURI STATUTES AND CODES

362.488. Death of lessee, duties of lessor--additional duties by contract.

Death of lessee, duties of lessor--additional duties by contract.

362.488. 1. In the event the sole lessee or all lessees asjoint renters named in the lease agreement covering a safedeposit box rental shall die, the lessor by contract may acceptthe following additional duties: The safe deposit box may beopened at any time thereafter, in the presence of personsclaiming to be interested in the contents thereof, by twoemployees of the lessor, one of whom shall be an officer of thelessor; and such employees may remove all instruments of atestamentary nature and deposit the same with the probatedivision of the circuit court, taking its receipt therefor, andsuch employees in their discretion may deliver life insurancepolicies therein contained to the beneficiaries named in suchpolicies, and any deed to a cemetery lot and any burialinstructions found therein to the appropriate parties; and suchlease shall state that the lessor retains the right to open thesafe deposit box on the death of any lessee, including jointrenters. When a safe deposit box is opened as authorized in thissubsection, the contents not specifically authorized for removalshall remain in the box leased to joint renters. The remainingcontents of all other safe deposit boxes so opened shall be keptand retained by the bank, trust company, or safe deposit companyand shall be delivered only to the parties legally entitled tothe same. In the event no person claims to be interested in thecontents of a box within sixty days after the death of thelessee, the lessor may open the box by forcible entry and removethe contents and dispose of the same in accordance with theprocedures specified in section 362.485.

2. Upon the death of any lessee of a safe deposit box andupon request of the probate division of the circuit court, thelessor shall reply to such request and inform such official ifthe designated person was the lessee of a safe deposit box at thetime of death.