Mo. Rev. Stat. § 456.005
Proceeds of life insurance policies heretofore made payable to a trustee or trustees named as beneficiary or hereafter to be named beneficiary under an inter vivos trust shall be paid directly to the trustee or trustees and held and disposed of by the trustee or trustees as provided in the trust agreement or declaration of trust in writing made and in existence on the date of death of the insured, whether or not such trust or declaration of trust is amendable or revocable or both, or whether it may have been amended, and notwithstanding the reservation of any or all rights of ownership under the insurance policy or annuity contract; subject, however, to a valid assignment of any part of the proceeds. It is not necessary to the validity of such trust agreement or declaration of trust that it be funded or have a corpus other than the right, which need not be irrevocable, of the trustee or trustees named therein to receive such proceeds as beneficiary. A policy of life insurance or annuity contract may designate as beneficiary a trustee or trustees named or to be named by will if the designation is made in accordance with the provisions of the policy or contract whether or not the will is in existence at the time of the designation.
§ 456.005, RSMo