One of the most exciting developments in child support enforcement over the past decade has been the move by several states to require insurance companies, not just property and casualty carriers but life insurers too, to check for past-due child support before paying out on certain claims. For families who have waited years for support, these laws can be game changers.

Within the CSLN consortium, six member states, including California, Colorado, Nevada, Rhode Island, Texas, and Washington, have now enacted legislation that explicitly brings life insurance (and, in many cases, annuities) into their child support intercept framework. Each state did it a little differently, but the outcome is the same: more opportunities to identify an otherwise undisclosed asset and direct it to children and families who are owed support.

CSLN has been proud to stand alongside these states as a supporting partner, supplying match statistics, explaining how insurers already interact with CSLN, and, in several cases, testifying or answering technical questions for legislators and regulators. Because CSLN already provides the secure, web-based lookup and data-matching infrastructure, it was a natural resource for states as they drafted their laws and for insurers as they worked out how to comply.

Here’s a quick look at the six trailblazers:

• California (Cal. Ins. Code § 13550)

California requires insurers to identify or report payments made to the owner or beneficiary of a life insurance policy or annuity in the state. That explicit wording made it clear from day one that life products were in scope, and CSLN offered insurers multiple reporting options (secure lookup, batch, or automated data match) to help them meet the requirement.

• Colorado (C.R.S. § 26-13-122.7)

Colorado extended its existing insurance reporting framework to explicitly include life insurance policies and annuity contracts payable to a beneficiary. The law even allows the insurer to withhold payment if a claimant will not provide identifying information needed to search for child support arrears, something CSLN’s secure lookup supports today.

• Nevada (2019 SB 33)

Nevada amended its law to name life insurance claims alongside bodily injury and workers’ compensation. Because CSLN was already working with Nevada on P&C insurance reporting, extending to life insurance was a logical next step, and CSLN was able to provide the same quality-assured match process for these new claims.

• Rhode Island (R.I. Gen. Laws § 27-57-1)

Rhode Island’s Child Support Intercept Act was updated to make clear that, before making a payment of $500 or more, including cash surrender, loans against the cash value, or other life-policy benefits, insurers must check with child support. CSLN is referenced explicitly as the mechanism for that review, and CSLN has been doing outreach to Rhode Island life insurers to make compliance as straightforward as possible.

• Texas (Tex. Fam. Code § 231.015 / 1 TAC § 55.601)

Texas has long been a national leader in intercepts of life insurance policies. Its rule requires insurers to report “any claim seeking an economic benefit,” including payments to life policy owners and beneficiaries. CSLN helped Texas operationalize the law, and the results have been dramatic: everything from $75,000 matches to six-figure life insurance payouts that fully satisfied old arrears cases.

• Washington (WAC 388-14A-4900)



Washington’s rule is refreshingly straightforward: insurers must report “a claim under a policy of life insurance, including an annuity” within 10 days of opening it. CSLN helped Washington develop outreach materials for insurers, so the industry understood both the “what” and the “how” of reporting.

What all six states recognized is that life insurance payouts are often the last, best opportunity to collect on long-standing arrears, especially when the noncustodial parent is the beneficiary of a life insurance claim, is no longer employed, or traditional enforcement tools have been exhausted. By adding a simple “check with child support first” step to the statute and using CSLN to power that check, they opened a new revenue stream for families without placing an undue burden on insurers.

Just as necessary, CSLN didn’t stop at legislation. The consortium has continued to do what it does best:

• Educate insurers and third-party administrators on how to comply.
• Verify matches so insurers only get actionable cases.
• Help states generate and deliver lien or income withholding documents electronically.

And we have seen what is possible: Texas alone has reported many five- and six-figure life insurance intercepts through CSLN, and more recent collections, including a nearly $400,000 life insurance claim (as reported on in the Summer 2024 Wrap-Up CSLN Newsletter) on behalf of eight children, show the true potential of these laws when paired with a functioning data-matching process.

If your state is considering similar legislation or your life insurance company wants to confirm it reports efficiently, CSLN can share model language, sample outreach, and real performance data to support your efforts.

Each issue, CSLN proudly highlights the incredible partnerships that turn data matches into life-changing financial support for families. Behind every collection are dedicated child support professionals, diligent insurance partners, and the shared goal of helping children receive what they are owed. The top five collections of 2025 showcase the powerful results possible when collaboration meets commitment.