MEDICAL,USA: Person or persons named in a life insurance policy to receive the proceeds in the event the original or primary beneficiary should die before the person whose life is insured. Also called alternate beneficiary, secondary beneficiary, or successor beneficiary.
***
Person or persons named to receive proceeds in case the original beneficiary is not alive. An individual who is entitled to benefits only after the death of a primary beneficiary.
***
This is the second person to receive benefits if the primary beneficiary is not alive or does not collect all available benefits from a life insurance policy or annuity. For example, a husband may name his wife as primary beneficiary on his life insurance policy and, if his wife predeceases him, his children as second or contingent beneficiaries. (See Beneficiary).