1 Short title.
This Act may be cited as the Life Assurance Companies (Payment into Court) Act, 1896.

2 Interpretation.
In this Act—
The expression " life assurance company " means any corporation, company, or society carrying on the business of life assurance, not being a society registered under the Acts relating to friendly societies;
The expression " life policy " includes any policy not foreign to the business of life assurance.

3 Power to pay money into court.
Subject to rules of court any life assurance company may pay into the High Court, or where the head office of the company is situated within the jurisdiction of the Chancery Court of the County Palatine of Lancaster either into that court or into the High Court, any moneys payable by them under a life policy in respect of which, in the opinion of their board of directors, no sufficient discharge can otherwise be obtained.

4 Receipt of officer sufficient discharge.
The receipt or certificate of the proper officer shall be a sufficient discharge to the company for the moneys so paid into court, and such moneys shall, subject to rules of court, be dealt with according to the orders of the High Court or the Palatine Court, as the case may be.

5 Extent of Act.
This Act does not extend to Scotland.