If the policy leaves the money directly to you, no: the money is never his money for SSI to take. It is money that the insurer gives directly to you as a result of its contractual obligations (an insurance policy is a contract). If he didn't leave it directly to you but had it go to his "estate" to then be distriburted as per his will, then creditors, including the government, could potentially get it: in this case, it became an asset of his estate and subject to his debts. But again, so long as it goes directly to you, they can't touch it.