Does Life Insurance Go Into Probate? 
Life insurance proceeds can avoid probate . Having a named beneficiary rather than the estate of the insured allows the property to pass by contract directly to heirs without the need for probate . Its effect generally supersedes anything that a will or trust might say . If there is no beneficiary , the proceeds default to the estate which results in probate . It is also a good idea to consider naming at least one contingent -LRB- backup -RRB- beneficiary and have the insurer confirm the identity of all beneficiaries at least every three years . Clients are often surprised to find they have existing policies with beneficiaries who are deceased which means the estate would get the proceeds and be subjected to probate . 