1. The owner of a benefit contract may change the beneficiary or beneficiaries in accordance with the laws or regulations of the society unless the owner waives this right by specifically requesting in writing that the beneficiary designation be irrevocable. A society may, through its laws or regulations, limit the scope of beneficiary designations and shall provide that a revocable beneficiary shall not have or obtain a vested interest in the proceeds of a certificate until the certificate has become due and payable in conformity with the benefit contract.

Terms Used In Iowa Code 512B.17

  • Beneficiary: A person who is entitled to receive the benefits or proceeds of a will, trust, insurance policy, retirement plan, annuity, or other contract. Source: OCC
  • Benefit contract: means the agreement for provision of benefits authorized by section 512B. See Iowa Code 512B.2
  • Certificate: means the document issued as written evidence of the benefit contract. See Iowa Code 512B.2
  • Contract: means the same as defined in section 554D. See Iowa Code 554E.1
  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Laws: means the society's articles of incorporation, constitution, and bylaws, however designated. See Iowa Code 512B.2
  • person: means individual, corporation, limited liability company, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership or association, or any other legal entity. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • property: includes personal and real property. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • Regulations: means all regulations, or resolutions adopted by the supreme governing body or board of directors which are intended to have general application to the members of the society. See Iowa Code 512B.2
  • Society: means a fraternal benefit society, unless otherwise indicated. See Iowa Code 512B.2
 2. A society may make provision for the payment of funeral benefits to the extent of the portion of a payment under a certificate which reasonably appears to be due to a person equitably entitled to the benefit by reason of having incurred expense occasioned by the burial of the member. However, the portion so paid shall not exceed the sum of one thousand dollars.
 3. If, at the death of a person insured under a benefit contract, there is no lawful beneficiary to whom the proceeds are payable, the amount of the benefit, except to the extent that funeral benefits may be paid pursuant to subsection 2, shall be payable to the estate of the deceased insured the same as other property not exempt. However, if the owner of the certificate is other than the insured, the proceeds are payable to the owner.