Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in Missouri

The life insurance will be paid to the named beneficiary, if there is one, and if the beneficiary is living. If not, the proceeds will pass through a probate estate, and your wife will be one of the beneficiares.

One slight modification to the preceding answer is that if the life insurance passes through the probate process, depending on whether your mother-in-law had a Will or not will determine how the assets of her probate estate are distributed, which may, or may not, include your wife.