When is it worth getting a second opinion before changing life insurance beneficiary choices?

The insurer generally follows the beneficiary designation it has on record, so the designation should be checked whenever marriage, divorce, a birth, a death, or another major family event occurs. For the coverage analysis, primary and contingent beneficiaries should be coordinated with the estate plan, and state or federal spousal rules may limit some changes. For this insurance planning decision, insurance is most useful for risks the household cannot comfortably absorb from savings, not simply because a product is available. Base the review on the policy language and the most recent illustration or benefit summary, and get a licensed professional to identify in writing the guarantees, exclusions, surrender restrictions, and beneficiary terms that apply.