I hear you and share your frustration 

If you were married and got divorced all this should have been sorted by your divorce solicitors in your financial separation. I would speak to the Insurance Ombudsmen to get their help.

Hi,

I'm going to take a completely different tack and suggest you say 'Ok, you can have half, please sign immediately'.

Keeps the money out of the hands of lawyers, you presumably get more then you paid in and the insurance company are obliged to pay up, something they try to avoid.

Forget about your ex's reasoning, forget about him. He, along with everybody you tell, which should be everybody you can tell, will see him for what he is and treat him appropriately.

And this issue ceases to be a problem. One less that you have to deal with. One negative removed from your life.

I wish you the best

Taff

Edit - just had a thought. If you can agree to pay him half and get the money put into your account, you can then refuse to pay him and tell him to sue you for it.

At worst you'll still get half and maybe he won't actually have the gall to sue you. And you'll have annoyed him no end.

Even if you make out a contract with him, you can defend breaking it by saying it was coerced.

Hi,

I'm currently in this situation. In August I was diagnosed with PMP cancer. I had the major op and now am having six months of chemo.

i have paid  a life and critical illness policy for 19 years. Five years ago my wife and I separated and I continued to pay the policy. My cancer triggered the policy to pay out but my ex is demanding 50% even though she has never paid into the policy and it's 5 years since we separated and the money is there as I can't work etc. How did you settle your issue with your ex? 

Hi Jamesey,

I'm so sorry you've found yourself in the same situation. It's horrific to think that someone who once cared about us can behave so selfishly and, quite frankly, with such lack of morals. I hope your treatment is successful and you go on to make a full recovery.

Unfortunately, even hiring a solicitor failed to resolve the issue. He failed to respond to letters constantly, the insurance company agreed for him to continue a new policy in a solo capacity (obviously not an option for us) and I offered 150% of what he had paid in but this failed to sway him. He eventually offered a 60/40 split and drew the whole process out for 12 months. I was skint by this point and the stress wasn't doing me any good. The money paid for me to live through my two years of intensive treatment, he's paid off half of his mortgage. These policies really should be changed to pay out to the person with the critical condition. The insurance company acknowledged to me that it was an issue but said the majority of ex partners usually back down. 
 

It may be worth talking to a solicitor, as we had both paid 50/50 in, so you may have more weight to revoke her claim. It's also worth reminder her that she can take out a new policy, so if she becomes ill in the future and needs the money, it will pay out. That option is no longer open to you.

I've let the anger go and moved on. Karma is a trusty friend.

I really hope your ex takes a long look at herself and the situation is resolved in your favour and truly hope the future is bright for you.

Thank you for your reply. It was the answer I feared but hopefully as it will probably go to court I might get a sympathetic or moral judge ;)

The worst bit is she gets to keep my house and her pension whilst she knows my chemo is palliative. Still at least I'm still here and that must be an annoyance ;)

I hope you are better and your ex will have to live every day knowing he's not a man and had to live of his ex's payout! 

I'm currently stuck in the same situation. Was diagnosed with cancer two years ago. We had a joint policy which paid out and I stupidly paid off our mortgage in full. We're not married and now going our separate ways. The mortgage is joint so he wants half meaning half my payout money. 
He's now got his own new critical illness policy and will get his full mortgage paid if the worst happens and I'm stuck trying to get a new mortgage for myself, manage my illness and panic about the future. 
it all seems so so wrong that he is benefiting from my illness and I can't do anything about it. 
 

please let me know if anyone has had success in keeping their full award.