Can a life insurance company say you are not eligible to cash policy on Ex husband who died recently that you have been paying for 19 years?

When an insured person dies, presuming the policy is "in force," and the contestable period is past (two years from the date of issue), the insurance company pays the death benefit to the beneficary(ies). Cashing in a policy usually can only be done by the owner of the policy, or by someone to whom the policy has been assigned, prior to the death of the insured.