Life partner and insurance.?

Well, Iowa permits same-sex marriages now, so any insurance company should by law permit people to list same-sex partners and spouses as beneficiaries of insurance policies sold in that state. I don't think you necessarily have to be married to list someone as a beneficiary, though. The title of "spouse" simply grants someone extra rights under the law, so it would really only matter if you didn't have a specific beneficiary listed, in which case the state would dictate that compensation be given to whom they consider your next of kin, which would be a spouse first, ex-spouse second, and immediate family third (I think, but I could be wrong). Being married means "next of kin" is your legal spouse. So if you weren't married or didn't live in a state that permitted same-sex marriage, the insurance company might prefer to consider an ex-spouse (if you have one) or your immediate family instead of your partner to be next of kin. The problem is that policies sold in other states might not recognize your marriage, so if you called an office local to where she lives right now, they might tell you differently. Selecting a specific person as your beneficiary is the best way to make sure it's clear cut and there can be no argument.