Does A Will Override A Life Insurance Policy? 
No - the life insurance proceeds will only be paid out to the person or entity that is designated as the beneficiary of the policy . In the event that you do not have a designated beneficiary or all designated beneficiaries have predeceased the insured , the proceeds would be paid out to the estate . When it 's paid out to the estate , it can be subjected to the probate process and the courts may end up determining how it 's distributed . It 's vital to make sure your primary and contingent beneficiaries are up to date . Many people will use a life insurance trust to control how they want the proceeds distributed - this can be a useful tool for estate planning purposes . If you have any other questions about life insurance or would like help with your own coverage , please send me a message by clicking on the `` contact me '' button or call me at 703-665-9133 . 