← All posts

Unclaimed Life Insurance: How to Find a Policy a Loved One Left Behind

How to search for a deceased relative's life insurance policy using the NAIC locator, state unclaimed property, and the paper trail, based on NAIC and ACLI guidance.

Imagine an adult child sorting through a parent's papers after a funeral. A bank statement shows a small monthly payment to an insurance company they have never heard of. There is no policy in the file cabinet and nobody in the family ever mentioned one. They don't know whether it is still in force, who the beneficiary is, or whether the company still exists under that name. (This is an illustration, not a real case.)

This guide covers how to search for a life insurance policy, or for money from one, after someone has died. For what happens once you find a policy and file a claim, see our guide to what happens to your life insurance when you die.

Why a policy can go unnoticed

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) says that sometimes beneficiaries can't find a deceased relative's policies or may not even know the policies exist. The American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI), the industry trade group, says that many insurers check their records against Social Security Administration death records. If they find that a policyholder with an in-force policy has died and no claim has been made, they try to find the beneficiary. The ACLI describes this as going beyond what state law requires. That does not cover every policy, so searching yourself is worthwhile.

The ACLI also says a policy owner can lose touch with the insurer because of moves, or because the company that issued the policy changed its name or merged with another company.

Step 1: Use the NAIC Life Insurance Policy Locator

The NAIC's Life Insurance Policy Locator is a free online tool for finding a deceased person's life insurance policies and annuity contracts. It will not find benefits for people who are still alive.

According to the NAIC, you:

  1. Review the welcome page and agree to the terms of use.
  2. Enter your own name, mailing address and email address.
  3. Enter the deceased person's details from the death certificate: Social Security number or ITIN, legal first and last name, date of birth, date of death, and veteran status.
  4. State your relationship to the deceased, then submit.

Your request goes into a secure, encrypted database that participating life insurance and annuity companies can access. You get a "do not reply" email confirming what you submitted. If a company finds a policy and you are the beneficiary, it contacts you directly. If none is found, or you are not the beneficiary, you will not be contacted. The NAIC itself holds no policy or beneficiary information, so silence does not prove there was no policy. It may mean the insurer didn't take part or didn't find a match. Only participating companies see the request.

For help, the NAIC points to its help desk (help@naic.org) and your state department of insurance.

Some states also run their own free missing-policy search. The ACLI lists the insurance departments of Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, New York and North Carolina, among others.

Step 2: Search state unclaimed property

The ACLI says that if an insurer holding money cannot find the rightful owner after a number of years, it turns the money over to the state. Check the state's unclaimed property office. MissingMoney.com combines information from most, but not all, states, and unclaimed.org links to each state's official program. For the full search process, see our guide to finding unclaimed money.

Step 3: Look for clues in the paperwork

The ACLI suggests these places:

  • Employee benefits. Check with the benefits office at the person's latest and previous employers, or a union welfare office. Group life insurance often comes through work.
  • Bank statements and cancelled checks. Look back over the last few years for life insurance premium payments.
  • The mail. Watch for one year after the death for premium notices, which are usually sent annually. A paid-up policy won't generate premium notices, but the company may still send an annual status notice or a dividend notice.
  • Tax returns. Review the past two years for interest income from, or interest paid to, life insurance companies. Insurers pay interest on accumulations on permanent policies and charge interest on policy loans.
  • Contact insurers directly. Contact every company the person may have had a policy with, even if you are unsure the policy is still in force.

Step 4: Find the company that now holds the policy

If you know the original insurer but it has changed or merged, the ACLI says two sources can help:

  • The state insurance department in the state where the insured person lived when they bought the policy.
  • Best's Insurance Reports, an annual publication listing insurers' names, addresses, name changes and mergers. Many larger libraries keep a copy in their reference section.

Step 5: Consider a paid locator, carefully

The ACLI notes that MIB, an insurance membership corporation, offers a policy locator service for a fee. The NAIC locator and state unclaimed property searches are free, so try those first, and be cautious about any service that charges to do what the free tools do.

Once you find a policy

Contact the insurer and ask for its claim process and forms. Our life insurance guide walks through the documents, payout options, what can reduce a payout, and what happens with multiple or deceased beneficiaries.

If the insurer has already turned the money over to the state, the claim goes through the state's unclaimed property program.

Common mistakes

  • Searching only once. The locator relies on insurers to respond. If you hear nothing, also work through the state search and the paperwork steps.
  • Only checking the company named on an old document. Companies merge and rename. Use the state insurance department or Best's Insurance Reports to trace a current company.
  • Assuming a closed estate means a finished search. Check bank statements, tax returns, employer benefits and mail even after the estate is settled.
  • Throwing away old policy papers. Keep anything that names an insurer until you have confirmed what it is.

How to make it easier for your own family

The simplest fix is for the policy owner to record each policy: the insurer, the policy number, who the beneficiaries are, and where the documents are kept. Perpetual21 is a private place to keep that information and choose who can see it. It has a 7-day free trial, then $96 a year.

Frequently asked questions

How do I find out whether a deceased relative had life insurance? Start with the NAIC Life Insurance Policy Locator. Then search state unclaimed property, review bank statements, tax returns, the mail and employer benefit offices, as the ACLI suggests.

Will the NAIC locator tell me whether a policy exists? Not directly. The NAIC says that if a participating company finds a policy and you are the beneficiary, it will contact you. If none is found, or you are not the beneficiary, you won't be contacted.

Does the NAIC locator cost anything? No, the NAIC describes it as free. The ACLI says MIB's locator service charges a fee.

Can I use it to find my own policies? No. The NAIC says the locator is for finding a deceased person's policies and annuities, and will not locate benefits for people who are alive.

What if the insurance company no longer exists under that name? The ACLI suggests asking the state insurance department of the state where the policy was bought, or consulting Best's Insurance Reports for name changes and mergers.

Is there a deadline to claim a policy? We have not found a reliable general answer. Deadlines depend on the insurer, the policy terms and state law, so ask the insurer or your state insurance department.

What happens to life insurance money nobody claims? According to the ACLI, after a number of years an insurer that can't find the rightful owner turns the money over to the state, where it can be searched in the unclaimed property program.

Sources

This article is general information, not legal or insurance advice. Rules vary by state and by insurer. Consult your state insurance department or an estate attorney about your situation.

Protect what matters.

Map your assets and give the people you love a clear place to start.

Start your free trial →