no valid will

Under New Zealand law, if an unmarried de facto partner dies without leaving a valid will, their surviving partner inherits their ‘personal chattels’ and the first $155,000 of what else they left. (Children and parents get a share of anything above $155,000. If the de facto partner was also still married to someone else, the surviving spouse and the surviving de facto partner share that $155,000 plus the over-$155,000 entitlement.)

Are you still the ‘surviving partner’ if you were living apart?