Which of the following is an example of naming a beneficiary by class?

• A. To the children born of my union with Ned Jackson
• B. To my spouse
• C. To a specific named individual
• D. To a group of his descendants existing at the time of death

Answer: (A)

Naming a beneficiary by class means designating a group of people who share a common relationship to the insured, rather than pointing to a specific individual. In this example, naming all the children born of the insured’s union with Ned Jackson creates a class defined by their shared status as children from that marriage. It includes any child born to that couple, now or in the future, because they all fit the same relationship to the insured. This is the essence of a class designation: a group defined by a relationship, not by naming one person.

The other options point to specific individuals rather than a group. Saying “to my spouse” designates a single person, not a class. “To a specific named individual” obviously names one person. The phrase about “descendants existing at the time of death” describes a group, but it relies on a time condition and is less clear as a straightforward class designation than the birth-based example.