At the time of an insured ' s death, a per capita distribution of policy...

The correct answer is the named living primary beneficiaries . In life insurance beneficiary designations, per capita means “by the head,” or equally among the living members of the named class or group . When policy proceeds are distributed per capita, each living beneficiary at the same beneficiary level receives an equal share of the death benefit. If one of the named primary beneficiaries dies before the insured, that deceased beneficiary’s share is not passed to that beneficiary’s estate or descendants unless the policy specifically provides otherwise. Instead, the proceeds are divided equally among the remaining living primary beneficiaries .

This is what distinguishes per capita from per stirpes . Under per stirpes, the share of a deceased beneficiary would pass down to that beneficiary’s descendants. But under per capita, only the surviving named beneficiaries in the class receive the proceeds.

The other options are incorrect because a deceased beneficiary’s estate does not automatically receive the share, the children of a deceased primary beneficiary are not paid under per capita unless specifically named, and contingent beneficiaries are paid only if no primary beneficiaries survive. Therefore, D is correct.