In the context of insurance and legal documentation, a “spouse” refers to an individual’s legally married partner. The definition can extend to include common-law partners, depending on the specific regulations and policies of the jurisdiction or the terms of the insurance policy. Common-law partnership criteria vary but typically involve living together in a conjugal relationship for a specified period or having a child together.
In insurance policies, the designation of someone as a spouse has implications for coverage eligibility, beneficiary designations, and the assessment of risk and premiums. For instance, a spouse may be eligible for coverage under family health plans, and life insurance benefits. In Quebec, naming your married or civil union spouse as beneficiary (other than in a will) is irrevocable unless you state otherwise, and a divorce, or the dissolution of a civil union, makes that designation lapse.