United States v. Sterling

(after stating the facts as above).

The statute gives to the insured under the statutory policy an absolute right to change beneficiaries without their consent. The corollary to this rule is that under the act no beneficiary has or can have any rights as against the insurer — i. e., the United States — except such as have been given and not taken away by the insured.

The difference between the policy at bar and many issued by private companies is fundamental. In the latter a policy becomes a contract between the insured and the assignee, i. e., the beneficiary; while the status of policies like…