§47-14-6 Withdrawal of funds. - West Virginia Statutes

§47-14-6. Withdrawal of funds.
(a) Disbursements of funds discharging any preneed funeral contract shall be made by the trustee to the person named in the contract upon receipt of a certified photostatic copy of the death certificate of the contract beneficiary and evidence satisfactory to the trustee that the preneed funeral contract has been fully performed. In the event that, after the death of the contract beneficiary, the contract services or goods are not desired by the heirs or by the personal representative of the contract beneficiary, the party obligated to provide the funeral services, funeral goods or burial goods under the contract shall have authority to provide such services or goods despite the desires to the contrary expressed by such heirs or personal representative. If the service and goods are not provided upon the death of the contract beneficiary because of actions of the seller, provider or person making the preneed funeral contract available, then all of the funds held on deposit shall in ten days be refunded to the contract buyer or his legal representative who also has available any other remedy set forth in this article.

(b) Any contract buyer or legally authorized person, acting in his behalf, may cancel a preneed funeral contract prior to the death of the contract beneficiary by notifying in writing the contract seller or present obligor of the provisions thereof, if a different person, of such desire to cancel. The seller or obligor shall, in ten days after receipt of such notice, notify the trustee of such cancellation and the trustee shall within thirty days after receipt of written notification pay to the contract buyer, or his legal representative all funds placed in the trust account and paid on the contract.

(c) If the contract buyer is more than one hundred eighty days in default with respect to any payment or installment due on or pursuant to the preneed funeral contract, the contract seller or provider may, on ten days' prior written notice, cancel the contract. All funds in the trust account shall be refunded to the contract purchaser or to the estate of the contract beneficiary.

(d) The seller of a preneed funeral contract may not cancel the contract unless the contract is in default as to the buyer's obligations.

(e) Payment by any depository or any trustee made in good faith pursuant to the terms of this section shall forever relieve such depository or trustee, as such, for any further liability for such funds under the contract and in law.