Finding Life Insurance Policies Before Death

If you're wondering whether a deceased loved one had life insurance, there are several ways to find out. You can use a life insurance policy locator, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners' (NAIC) Life Insurance Policy Locator Service, or contact their insurance company directly. You can also try speaking to family and friends, searching the person's belongings and documents, and contacting their advisors and employers. If you're the beneficiary of a policy, you'll need to submit a claim to collect the death benefit. This usually involves providing a certified copy of the death certificate and filling out a claim form.

Search personal belongings and documents

If you're trying to find out whether someone who has passed away had life insurance, one of the first steps you can take is to search through their personal belongings and documents. This can involve checking through paperwork, files, and storage spaces in their home and business for insurance-related documents. Safe deposit boxes can also be a good place to check, although accessing these can be more difficult and may require a key, a copy of the death certificate, proof of relation, and a photo ID. If you do not have the key, there may be a fee for drilling into the box.

Even if there is no record of the policy itself, there are other documents that may give you some clues. For example, business cards of insurance agents, attorneys, accountants, or financial advisors can be a useful contact for finding out more information. Bank statements or cancelled cheques may also show payments to life insurance companies. Address books and planners may contain further useful contacts.

You can also check the deceased's mail and email for premium or dividend notices. If policy payments are up to date, there may be no notice of premium payments due, but the company may still send an annual notice regarding the status of the policy or a statement of a dividend. It's also worth reviewing the deceased's tax returns for the past two years for any records of interest income or expenses paid to life insurance companies.

If you come across any life insurance policy applications, check these carefully. This document, typically attached to the policy, will likely contain a list of any other life insurance policies owned by the deceased at the time of the application.

Contact family and friends

If you're trying to find out whether a deceased loved one had life insurance, it's a good idea to start by contacting their family and friends. Here are some detailed steps to guide you through this process:

Speak to Close Family and Friends

People closest to the deceased are most likely to have information about their life insurance policy. They may know where the policy is stored, who the beneficiaries are, or even the name of the insurance company or agent. If the deceased had an insurance agent, that person might be listed in their contacts and may be able to help.

Expand Your Circle

If the immediate family and close friends don't have the information you need, consider reaching out to other friends, acquaintances, spiritual leaders, doctors, or social groups the deceased participated in. It's possible that the deceased felt more comfortable discussing their benefits with people outside their immediate circle.

Review Documents

With the permission of the family, review the deceased's personal documents, both physical and digital. Look for insurance policies, but also keep an eye out for other clues, such as business cards of insurance agents, attorneys, or financial advisors. Bank statements and cancelled checks may also reveal payments to life insurance companies.

Check Mail and Email

Life insurance companies often send premium notices and updates via mail or email, so be sure to check the deceased's postal mail and email inbox. Credit card statements and other financial records could also provide useful information.

Contact the Deceased's Advisors

If you can't find the information you need in the deceased's documents, try reaching out to their accountants, attorneys, financial professionals, or even their insurance agent directly if you can find their contact information. These individuals may have knowledge of the deceased's life insurance policy or can point you in the right direction.

Remember, privacy laws restrict access to life insurance information to next of kin, estate executors, and policy beneficiaries. So, when contacting family and friends, it's important to be sensitive and respectful, and always ensure you have the legal right to access any information you're seeking.

Contact the insurance company

If you know the name of the insurance company that issued the policy, you can reach out to them directly. This will likely require you to submit proof that you are a beneficiary, such as your driver's license or social security number, as well as the policyholder's death certificate. It is important to note that life insurance companies must protect the privacy of their clients, even after death, so only certain people can ask for information about someone else's life insurance. Typically, these people include executors of the deceased's estate and those appointed by the court to manage the deceased's affairs.

If you are a beneficiary, the insurance company will tell you how to submit a claim. The process is usually straightforward: you need to show that the policyholder has died and confirm your identity. If you are not sure which life insurance company holds the policy, you can submit a request to search the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) database for the specific policy you are looking for. If the NAIC doesn't find a policy with you as the beneficiary, but you believe such a policy exists, consider reaching out to the deceased policyholder's estate attorney or financial professional, who may have more information.

If you are the beneficiary of a life insurance policy, you will need to file a claim to collect the death benefit. Here are the steps to do so:

• Obtain a certified copy of the death certificate from the Department of Health or funeral director.
• Contact the life insurance company.
• Fill out the life insurance claim form.
• Send the death certificate and claim form to the insurer.

Contact the deceased's advisors

If you are unsure whether the deceased had a life insurance policy, their financial or legal advisors may be able to help.

Anyone who helped plan and manage the person's estate may have records of their life insurance purchases. This could include the deceased's accountant, attorney, financial planner, banker, or business partner. If the deceased purchased home or auto insurance through an insurance agent, that agent may also know whether they had other insurance policies.

If the deceased's financial advisor or accountant has been given permission by their client, they may have already contacted the life insurance agency and could help beneficiaries file a claim. If you are a beneficiary, the executor should be able to share the life insurance company's name with you, and then you can reach out to the company directly.

If you don't have any luck with the financial advisor, but the deceased had an executor, ask the executor to reach out to the financial advisor.

Use a life insurance policy locator

If you suspect that your loved one had a life insurance policy but you can't find it, you are not alone. Millions of dollars in life insurance benefits remain unclaimed every year. To help solve this issue, certain organisations have online tools that can help you locate a policy.

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) has created a Life Insurance Policy Locator service to help consumers locate benefits from life insurance policies or annuity contracts purchased in the United States. This service is free of charge. To use it, you must first conduct a diligent search of the deceased person's records. Then, you can follow these steps:

• In your web browser, navigate to naic.org, hover over "Consumer", and click "Life Insurance Policy Locator" under "Tools".
• Review the welcome page and agree to the terms of use.
• Enter your name, mailing address, and email address.
• Submit a search request by entering the deceased's information from their death certificate, including their Social Security number, veteran status, and your relationship to the deceased.
• After submitting the request, you will receive a "Do Not Reply" email confirming the details. If a policy is found and you are the beneficiary, the life insurance or annuity company will contact you directly. If no policy is found or you are not the beneficiary, you will not be contacted.

In addition to the NAIC, the MIB Group and the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators also provide life insurance policy location services.

Frequently asked questions