# Can I name anyone as the beneficiary of a final expense policy?

> **Direct answer.** Yes — you can name an individual, split the benefit across multiple beneficiaries by percentage, name a trust, or assign the policy to a funeral home; you can change beneficiaries anytime while you are alive, and the benefit is paid directly to them, usually bypassing probate.

Final expense policies follow the same beneficiary rules as other life insurance. You can name a single primary beneficiary, split the benefit among several by percentage, name contingent beneficiaries who inherit if the primary predeceases you, name a revocable or irrevocable trust, or assign the policy to a funeral home to fund a specific arrangement.
As long as the beneficiary designation is not irrevocable, you can change it at any time by filing a change-of-beneficiary form with the insurer. On death, the insurer pays the named beneficiary directly. Because the benefit passes by contract, it generally bypasses probate — one of the practical reasons families use small policies to make cash available for funeral costs quickly.

## People also ask
### What happens if I don't name a beneficiary?

The benefit typically defaults to the insured's estate, which means it will pass through probate and can be reached by the estate's creditors — the opposite of what most buyers want.

## Sources
- National Association of Insurance Commissioners — [NAIC — Consumer resources & state insurance regulator directory](https://content.naic.org/consumer)

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- Published: 2026-07-24
- Modified: 2026-07-24
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