Beneficiaries✓ Verified · outline & fact-checked · Sep 2026Difficulty 1/5
A 'primary beneficiary' under a life insurance policy is:
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Answer & full 3-part explanation (select an option above, or peek)
Why A is correct
The primary beneficiary is the person or entity first in line to receive the death proceeds when the insured dies, provided that beneficiary survives the insured. The owner selects the primary beneficiary and may change the designation if it is revocable. If the primary beneficiary dies before the insured or disclaims the benefit, the proceeds pass to the contingent beneficiary, if any, and otherwise to the insured's estate. Naming a primary beneficiary keeps the proceeds out of probate and directs them to the intended party, which is one of the main advantages of life insurance.
Why the other options are wrong
- B) The policyowner pays premiums and owns the contract but is not automatically the beneficiary. The two roles are separate and may be held by different people.
- C) Only an irrevocable beneficiary must consent to changes. A primary beneficiary, even if revocable, generally has no consent rights over the policy.
- D) A spouse is not automatically the beneficiary. The owner must actually name the spouse in the policy for the spouse to receive the proceeds.
Memory hook
Primary equals first in line at the death-benefit window.