Now to defend the insurance company: ReliaStar is contractually obliged to pay the proceeds to the beneficiary last listed with the company. If there isn’t a beneficiary listed, or the beneficiaries are dead, the proceeds are paid to the estate of the insured. If Michelle Williams or their daugter were not listed on the policy, ReliaStar could not make payment to them, regardless of what anyone wants done. It was up to Heath to update his policy if he wanted his daughter as beneficiary. It’s important when anything important in your life happens, like marriage, childbirth, divorce, etc., you review and update your insurance policies, wills, bank accounts, 401-Ks, pensions, etc, to make sure the proceeds will be paid as you would like them to be paid. ReliaStar was not wrong here; Heath made the ommission.