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UNIFORM SIMULTANEOUS DEATH ACT

Iowa Code tit. XV, ch. 633, subch. X
in effect

Iowa Code § 633.523 No sufficient evidence of survivorship.

633.523. No sufficient evidence of survivorship. Where the title to property or the devolution thereof depends upon priority of death, and there is no sufficient evidence that the persons have died otherwise than simultaneously, the property of each person shall be disposed of as if the person had survived, except as provided otherwise in sections 633.524 through 633.527. [C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, §637.1; C66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §633.523] 2021 Acts, ch 80, §363

Iowa Code § 633.524 Beneficiaries of another person’s disposition of property.

633.524. Beneficiaries of another person’s disposition of property. Where two or more beneficiaries are designated to take successively, by reason of survivorship, under another person’s disposition of property, and there is no sufficient evidence that these beneficiaries have died otherwise than simultaneously, the property thus disposed of shall be divided into as many equal portions as there are successive beneficiaries, and these portions shall be distributed respectively to those who would have taken in the event that each designated beneficiary had survived. [C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, §637.2; C66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §633.524]

Iowa Code § 633.525 Joint tenants.

633.525. Joint tenants. Where there is no sufficient evidence that two joint tenants have died otherwise than simultaneously, the property so held shall be distributed one-half as if one had survived and one-half as if the other had survived. If there are more than two joint tenants and all of them have so died, the property thus distributed shall be in the proportion that one bears to the whole number of joint tenants. [C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, §637.3; C66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §633.525]

Iowa Code § 633.526 Insurance policies.

633.526. Insurance policies. Where the insured and the beneficiary in a policy of life or accident insurance have died, and there is no sufficient evidence that they have died otherwise than simultaneously, the proceeds of the policy shall be distributed as if the insured had survived the beneficiary. [C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, §637.4; C66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §633.526]

Iowa Code § 633.527 Limitation of application.

633.527. Limitation of application. Sections 633.523, 633.524, and 633.526 shall not apply in the case of wills, living trusts, deeds, contracts of insurance, or other contracts wherein provision has been made for distribution of property different from the provisions of those sections. [C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, §637.6; C66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §633.527] 2003 Acts, ch 95, §5

Iowa Code § 633.528 Uniformity of interpretation.

633.528. Uniformity of interpretation. Sections 633.523 through 633.527 shall be so construed and interpreted as to effectuate their general purpose to make uniform the law relating to simultaneous death. [C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, §637.7; C66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §633.528] 2020 Acts, ch 1063, §347
Source: Iowa Legislature (legis.iowa.gov)URL: https://www.legis.iowa.gov/law/iowaCode/sections?codeChapter=633&year=2026Fetched: 10/20/2026

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