At least you won eventually. What might you have done if you lost? Oh...

Was your mother believing she could hold on to memories of your brother by possessing everything? That is about the least selfish way I can imagine things. Having lost several brothers I know that pain. To add insult to injury was uncalled for. I hope your children can learn a lesson or two and avoid similar struggles in the future.

I cannot imagine the level of moral reprehensibility to do that to your own child and grandchildren. I’m so sorry.

A tragedy tends to amplify the characteristics that people already have. It can bring out the good like generosity and self-sacrifice and it can bring out the bad like selfishness and manipulation as you saw. This also points out the need to have a will or at least some signed, dated, and notarized document that informs others of your final wishes. Without that there would have been no recourse. And you need to update your life insurance benefactor as your wishes change. Nobody likes doing this, of course because it forces us to think of our own death. OP, I am very sorry for you - Not only did you tragically lose your brother, you also lost having a normal relationship with your mom. But to be honest, some relatives are so toxic and flawed that the best you can do is to stay away from them.

Truly I am sad and sorry that your brother took his own life… his soul is truly in a much better place compared to what’s here on Earth and this so called experience we call, “Life” Sorry that humanity ultimately ends up with “Greed” in this capitalistic and materialistic society!

I was under the impression that, if a death is rendered a suicide, no one gets anything - money, estate, valuables, etc. Regardless, that was very rude of your mother to do such a thing, and the fact that the insurance company fell for it is maddening.