term:

Simultaneous Death Act

simultaneous death act n

: an act providing for the disposition of property or insurance benefits when there is no sufficient evidence that persons (as spouses) died other than simultaneously (as in an accident) NOTE: The simultaneous death act is a uniform act that has been adopted by most states. It covers situations where the title to or transfer of property depends on priority of death. In general, for determining the disposal of property, each decedent is considered to have survived the other, and an insured individual is considered to have survived a beneficiary.

Source: Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law ©1996. Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. Published under license with Merriam-Webster, Incorporated.