In this article, a model of life insurance holding is formulated. It takes into account the liquidation values and liquidity of estate assets and the ability of life insurance death benefits to bypass the probate process. Tobit regressions based on the model are run using the U.S. Survey of Consumer Finances 1989 data set. The results showed net worth (fixing net liquid assets and annuity wealth) and annuity wealth (fixing net liquid assets and net worth) to be positively related to life insurance holding. Moreover, net liquid asset holding (fixing net worth and annuity wealth) and charitable motives also affect life insurance holding.
