{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/38.2-4117.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/38.2-4117.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/38.2-4117.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/38.2-4117.html"}],"law_id":69177,"edition_id":1,"section_id":69177,"structure_id":16140,"section_number":"38.2-4117","catch_line":"Beneficiaries","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7\u00a7 38-284, 38.1-600; 1952, c. 317, \u00a7 38.1-638.32; 1968, c. 654; 1972, c. 530; 1986, c. 562.","full_text":"A\n\nThe owner of a benefit contract shall have the right at all times to change the beneficiary or beneficiaries in accordance with the laws or rules 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 rules, limit the scope of beneficiary designations and shall provide that no revocable beneficiary shall have or obtain any vested interest in the proceeds of any certificate until the certificate has become due and payable in conformity with the provisions of the benefit contract.B\n\nA society may provide for the payment of funeral benefits from the proceeds of a certificate of no more than $2,000 to any person equitably entitled to them because of expenses incurred by the burial of the member.C\n\nIf, at the death of any person insured under a benefit contract, there is no lawful beneficiary to whom the proceeds are payable, the amount of such benefit, except to the extent that funeral benefits may be paid as previously provided, shall be payable to the personal representative of the deceased insured; however, if the owner of the certificate is other than the insured, the proceeds shall be payable to such owner.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":250303,"text":"The owner of a benefit contract shall have the right at all times to change the beneficiary or beneficiaries in accordance with the laws or rules 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 rules, limit the scope of beneficiary designations and shall provide that no revocable beneficiary shall have or obtain any vested interest in the proceeds of any certificate until the certificate has become due and payable in conformity with the provisions of the benefit contract.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":250304,"text":"A society may provide for the payment of funeral benefits from the proceeds of a certificate of no more than $2,000 to any person equitably entitled to them because of expenses incurred by the burial of the member.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":250305,"text":"If, at the death of any person insured under a benefit contract, there is no lawful beneficiary to whom the proceeds are payable, the amount of such benefit, except to the extent that funeral benefits may be paid as previously provided, shall be payable to the personal representative of the deceased insured; however, if the owner of the certificate is other than the insured, the proceeds shall be payable to such owner.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B"}},"ancestry":[{"id":16140,"edition_id":1,"name":"Contractual Benefits","identifier":"4","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13775,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 04:07:20","date_modified":"2026-06-26 04:07:20","permalink":{"id":216563,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":16140,"identifier":"4","token":"38.2\/41\/4","url":"\/38.2\/41\/4\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13775,"edition_id":1,"name":"Fraternal Benefit Societies","identifier":"41","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12698,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:45:51","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:45:51","permalink":{"id":216491,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13775,"identifier":"41","token":"38.2\/41","url":"\/38.2\/41\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12698,"edition_id":1,"name":"Insurance","identifier":"38.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","permalink":{"id":210661,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12698,"identifier":"38.2","token":"38.2","url":"\/38.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":64367,"structure_id":16140,"section_number":"38.2-4116","catch_line":"Benefits","url":"\/38.2-4116\/","token":"38.2\/41\/4\/38.2-4116","metadata":false},{"id":69177,"structure_id":16140,"section_number":"38.2-4117","catch_line":"Beneficiaries","url":"\/38.2-4117\/","token":"38.2\/41\/4\/38.2-4117","metadata":false},{"id":64076,"structure_id":16140,"section_number":"38.2-4118","catch_line":"Benefits not attachable","url":"\/38.2-4118\/","token":"38.2\/41\/4\/38.2-4118","metadata":false},{"id":81281,"structure_id":16140,"section_number":"38.2-4119","catch_line":"The benefit contract","url":"\/38.2-4119\/","token":"38.2\/41\/4\/38.2-4119","metadata":false},{"id":75009,"structure_id":16140,"section_number":"38.2-4120","catch_line":"Nonforfeiture benefits, cash surrender values, certificate loans and other options","url":"\/38.2-4120\/","token":"38.2\/41\/4\/38.2-4120","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":64367,"structure_id":16140,"section_number":"38.2-4116","catch_line":"Benefits","url":"\/38.2-4116\/","token":"38.2\/41\/4\/38.2-4116","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":64076,"structure_id":16140,"section_number":"38.2-4118","catch_line":"Benefits not attachable","url":"\/38.2-4118\/","token":"38.2\/41\/4\/38.2-4118","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/38.2-4117\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 4 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1952, chapter 317; in 1968, chapter 654; in 1972, chapter 530; in 1986, chapter 562.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":216569,"object_type":"law","relational_id":69177,"identifier":"38.2-4117","token":"38.2\/41\/4\/38.2-4117","url":"\/38.2-4117\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/38.2-4117\/","token":"38.2\/41\/4\/38.2-4117","dublin_core":{"Title":"Beneficiaries","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 38.2-4117","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> The owner of a benefit contract<\/span> shall have the right at all times to change the beneficiary or beneficiaries in accordance with the laws<\/span><\/span> or rules<\/span> of the society<\/span> unless the owner waives<\/span> this right by specifically requesting in writing that the beneficiary designation be irrevocable. A society<\/span> may, through its laws<\/span><\/span> or rules<\/span>, limit the scope of beneficiary designations and shall provide that no revocable beneficiary shall have or obtain any vested interest in the proceeds of any certificate<\/span> until the certificate<\/span> has become due and payable in conformity with the provisions of the benefit contract<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> A society<\/span> may provide for the payment of funeral benefits from the proceeds of a certificate<\/span> of no more than $2,000 to any person<\/span> equitably entitled to them because of expenses incurred by the burial of the member. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> If, at the death of any person<\/span> insured under a benefit contract<\/span>, there is no lawful beneficiary to whom the proceeds are payable, the amount of such benefit, except to the extent that funeral benefits may be paid as previously provided, shall be payable to the personal representative of the deceased insured; however, if the owner of the certificate<\/span> is other than the insured, the proceeds shall be payable to such owner. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nBENEFICIARIES (\u00a7 38.2-4117)\n\nA. The owner of a benefit contract shall have the right at all times to change\nthe beneficiary or beneficiaries in accordance with the laws or rules of the\nsociety unless the owner waives this right by specifically requesting in writing\nthat the beneficiary designation be irrevocable. A society may, through its laws\nor rules, limit the scope of beneficiary designations and shall provide that no\nrevocable beneficiary shall have or obtain any vested interest in the proceeds\nof any certificate until the certificate has become due and payable in\nconformity with the provisions of the benefit contract.\n\nB. A society may provide for the payment of funeral benefits from the proceeds\nof a certificate of no more than $2,000 to any person equitably entitled to them\nbecause of expenses incurred by the burial of the member.\n\nC. If, at the death of any person insured under a benefit contract, there is no\nlawful beneficiary to whom the proceeds are payable, the amount of such benefit,\nexcept to the extent that funeral benefits may be paid as previously provided,\nshall be payable to the personal representative of the deceased insured;\nhowever, if the owner of the certificate is other than the insured, the proceeds\nshall be payable to such owner.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7\u00a7 38-284, 38.1-600; 1952, c. 317, \u00a7 38.1-638.32; 1968,\nc. 654; 1972, c. 530; 1986, c. 562.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}