Short answer
To find a lost life insurance policy, search the insured's papers, bank statements and tax records for premium payments, contact their employer, financial advisor and any insurer named, and use the NAIC Life Insurance Policy Locator, which asks participating insurers to check their records. Unclaimed benefits may also be held by the state's unclaimed-property office.
Key takeaways
- Bank records, mail and tax forms often hold clues to a lost policy.
- The free NAIC Life Insurance Policy Locator asks participating insurers to search their records.
- Unclaimed benefits may be held by a state unclaimed property office.
- Searching and claiming through official sources is free.
- Only the policy owner can usually get details on a living person's policy.
Start with the paper and money trail
Most lost policies leave clues behind. Premium payments, annual statements and letters from an insurer can all point you to a company name. Go through the person's files, mail and email, and check bank statements for regular payments to an insurer. Look closely for these items.
- Policy documents, premium notices or annual statements
- Bank or credit card statements showing payments to an insurer
- Tax forms or other mail from an insurance company
- Emails and online accounts linked to an insurer
- Papers kept in a home safe or safe deposit box
Ask people and places that may know
Many people get coverage through work, a bank or a group they belong to. Others work with an agent, lawyer or financial adviser who may keep records. Call each one and explain that you are looking for a policy. You may need to share a death certificate and papers that show your role, such as executor documents.
- Current and former employers, including retiree benefit offices
- Unions, professional groups and fraternal organizations
- The person's financial adviser, accountant, attorney or insurance agent
- Banks and credit unions the person used
- The Department of Veterans Affairs, if the person served in the military
Use the NAIC Life Insurance Policy Locator
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners, or NAIC, offers a free online tool called the Life Insurance Policy Locator. It helps you find life insurance policies and annuities of a person who has died. Participating insurers check their records using the details you submit. If a company finds a policy and you are the beneficiary or are authorized to receive the information, it contacts you directly.
Insurers can take a few months to respond. You will not hear back if nothing is found or if you are not the beneficiary. Your state insurance department can also answer questions about the tool. To submit a request, follow these steps.
- Get certified copies of the death certificate from the funeral home or your state or county vital records office.
- Create a free account on the NAIC Life Insurance Policy Locator website.
- Enter your own name and contact details.
- Enter the person's legal name, Social Security number, date of birth and date of death, then submit the request.
- If an insurer contacts you, follow its instructions to file a claim.
Search state unclaimed property records
When an insurer learns of a death but cannot find the beneficiary, it generally must send the money to a state unclaimed property office after a waiting period. Search under the person's name and your own in every state where either of you has lived. Each state has a free search site, and MissingMoney.com lets you search many states at once.
Searching and filing a claim with a state is free. Private finders may offer to recover the money for a fee, though you can file the same claim yourself. Expect to provide a death certificate and papers that show your right to the money, such as a will or court documents.
If the lost policy is your own
You may have an old policy you stopped paying on or simply forgot about. Call the insurer with your name, date of birth and Social Security number, plus any policy number you have. If the company changed its name or merged, your state insurance department can often tell you which company now handles its policies.
An old whole life policy may still have value even if you stopped paying years ago. It may have turned into extended term or reduced paid-up coverage, or it may hold cash you can claim. An independent licensed agent can review your policy at no cost and help you understand what it is worth today.
Frequently asked questions
Is the NAIC Life Insurance Policy Locator free?
Yes. The NAIC Life Insurance Policy Locator is free, and you do not need to pay anyone to submit a request for you. It is meant for finding policies of someone who has died. You will need details from the death certificate, so get certified copies before you start your search.
How do I find out if I am the beneficiary of a life insurance policy?
Insurers do not always learn when a policyholder dies, so you may need to reach out first. Contact any insurers you know the person used, submit a request through the NAIC locator and search state unclaimed property sites. If a policy names you as beneficiary, the insurer will explain how to file a claim.
Is there a time limit to claim life insurance after someone dies?
There is usually no strict deadline to file a death claim, though most policies ask you to notify the insurer as soon as you reasonably can. If no one claims the money for several years, the insurer may have to send it to the state. Even then, you can usually still claim it from the state's unclaimed property office.
Can I find out if a living person has life insurance?
Usually not without their permission. Insurers protect policy information and generally share it only with the owner or someone the owner authorizes. The NAIC locator works only for people who have died. If you are helping a parent or relative, ask them to call the insurer with you or sign a form that lets the insurer talk to you.
What do I need to file a life insurance claim?
Most insurers ask for a claim form, a certified copy of the death certificate and proof of your identity. A policy number speeds things up, though insurers can often search by the person's name and Social Security number. If the estate is the beneficiary, the insurer may ask for court papers that name the executor. Ask for a checklist so you can send everything at once.
Related guides
- How to Change the Beneficiary on a Life Insurance Policy
- How to Read and Understand Your Life Insurance Policy
- What Happens During a Free Life Insurance Policy Review
Have a policy with a specific company? Find your carrier for help with that policy.