Large　effective　flexoelectric　coefficients　have　been　experimentally　obtained　near　the　Curie　temperature　of　many　ferroelectric　materials,　which　could　greatly　accelerate　applications　of　flexoelectricity　on　actuators　and　sensors.　However,　it　is　still　unclear　why　ferroelectric　materials　exhibit　largest　flexoelectric　coefficient　near　their　Curie　temperatures.　Here　we　employ　a　modified　phenomenological　Landau　theory　to　estimate　the　intrinsic　flexoelectric　coefficient　of　BaTiO3　near　Curie　temperature.　It　is　found　that　the　intrinsic　flexoelectric　coefficients　is　largest　and　reach　1.3　μC/m　at　TC　of　its　paraelectric　phase.　The　large　intrinsic　flexoelectric　coefficient　of　paraelectric　BaTiO3　is　found　to　correlate　with　the　strong　lattice　instability　of　paraelectric　phase　near　TC.　This　work　could　help　unravel　the　origin　of　the　large　flexoelectric　coefficients　near　TC　of　ferroelectric　materials　and　would　stimulate　new　research　interest　into　designing　ferroelectric　materials　with　high　flexoelectric　coefficients　utilizing　phase　transitions.　©　2020　Elsevier　Ltd　and　Techna　Group　S.r.l.