How to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at Berkshire Hathaway Life

Covers 4 insurance accounts — beneficiaries can be updated by phone

Berkshire Hathaway Life

Subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

bhlife.com
Berkshire Hathaway Life logo

Annuity Owner Services / BH Structures

Fax1-866-262-9342
Mailing Address

BHG Structured Settlements, Inc., 1314 Douglas Street, Suite 1400, Omaha, NE 68102-1944

Annuity Owner Services / BH Structures

Fax1-866-262-9342
Mailing Address

BHG Structured Settlements, Inc., 1314 Douglas Street, Suite 1400, Omaha, NE 68102-1944

Claims / Annuity Owner Services

Fax1-866-262-9342
Mailing Address

BHG Structured Settlements, Inc., 1314 Douglas Street, Suite 1400, Omaha, NE 68102-1944

Verified Jul 2026

Beneficiary designations are the foundation of estate planning for Berkshire Hathaway Life policies. Unlike bank accounts, insurance products cannot be retitled into a trust. Instead, the beneficiary designation itself determines who receives the proceeds and how quickly they're paid. Naming a trust as beneficiary is an option when more control over distributions is needed.

Berkshire Hathaway Life offers 4 policies, each with its own transfer rules. The sections below cover how to set up beneficiaries, fund a trust, and which products support each approach.

Structured Settlement AnnuitySingle Premium Immediate Annuity (SPIA)Single Premium Deferred Annuity (SPDA)Guaranteed Investment Contract (GIC)
1
Call Berkshire Hathaway Life / BH Structures at (402) 916-3100
2
Request a beneficiary change form for your specific contract
3
Have your contract number and current beneficiary information ready
4
The representative will mail or email the appropriate change form

Required Documents

  • Trust name, date established, and tax ID (EIN or SSN)

Special Requirements

  • Structured settlement beneficiary changes may be restricted by the terms of the settlement agreement
  • Trusts can be named as beneficiary for remaining certain payments
  • Primary and contingent beneficiaries allowed with percentage allocations
  • Beneficiary change requests must be submitted in writing
  • If payments are made jointly, both persons must sign the beneficiary change request
  • Electronic signature program available for enrolled annuity owners
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust Editorial·

Sources

Data sourced from Berkshire Hathaway Life primary sources (14 pages reviewed). How we research.

Download these Berkshire Hathaway Life instructions

Download instructions for the whole estate

A printable PDF with the steps, required documents, and contact details — verified against Berkshire Hathaway Life primary sources. Bring it to the branch or keep it beside the phone.

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