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Beneficiary

The person or entity named to receive your life insurance payout.

What it actually means

A beneficiary is whoever you designate to receive the death benefit — it can be a spouse, child, trust, or charity. Beneficiary designations override what's written in a will, so they need to be kept up to date after major life events like marriage, divorce, or a new child.

Example: After a divorce, forgetting to update a beneficiary could mean an ex-spouse still legally receives the payout.

See it in context

Run the free Insurance Coverage Blueprint to see how beneficiary and terms like it apply to your specific situation — no signup required.

Related terms

Death BenefitTerm Life InsuranceRider

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