A. 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.
B. 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.
C. 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.
Code 1950, §§ 38-284, 38.1-600; 1952, c. 317, § 38.1-638.32; 1968, c. 654; 1972, c. 530; 1986, c. 562.