Home Life insurance Life insurance basics How to find a lost life insurance insurance policy How to find a lost life insurance insurance policy You can find a lost life insurance policy by using search tools, such as the NAIC's life insurance policy locator, and checking with the deceased's estate planning attorney. Written by Nupur Gambhir Nupur Gambhir Nupur Gambhir is a content editor and licensed life, health, and disability insurance expert. She has extensive experience bringing brands to life and has built award-nominated campaigns for travel and tech. Her insurance expertise has been featured in Bloomberg News, Forbes Advisor, CNET, Fortune, Slate, Real Simple, Lifehacker, The Financial Gym, and the end-of-life planning service. Reviewed by Laura Longero Laura Longero Laura Longero is a content strategist and communications leader with more than 15 years of experience in content development in journalism, marketing and communications for start-ups to global companies. She started her career as a reporter and editor and honed her journalistic skills at the USA Today Network, working in several roles, as well as managing content and writing at MoneyGeek and XYZ Media. Updated on: September 19, 2024 Why you can trust Insure.com Quality Verified At Insure.com, we are committed to providing the timely, accurate and expert information consumers need to make smart insurance decisions. All our content is written and reviewed by industry professionals and insurance experts. Our team carefully vets our rate data to ensure we only provide reliable and up-to-date insurance pricing. We follow the highest editorial standards. Our content is based solely on objective research and data gathering. We maintain strict editorial independence to ensure unbiased coverage of the insurance industry. Life insurance policies often go unclaimed because beneficiaries don’t notify the insurance company when the policyholder dies. Most insurance companies don’t even know the insured has died and they are also not required to inform beneficiaries who are listed on a policy. If you’re not sure if you’re listed as a beneficiary on a life insurance policy, there are a few ways to find out. For starters, the NAIC has a database that searches for life insurance policies and annuity contracts and is just one of many databases that can help you find a lost policy. If that doesn’t work, you’ll want to check with the deceased’s estate planning attorney or financial advisor, as they should know about any life insurance policies they had. Beneficiaries can also check bank accounts that show premium payments, mail for policy information and statements, tax returns or consult with the deceased’s last employer. You can find more details about how to find a life insurance policy below. Key TakeawaysLife insurance policies go unclaimed if beneficiaries don’t notify the insurance company when the policyholder dies.If you’re not sure if you have a life insurance claim, the ACLI suggests that you try the Policy Locator Service from MIB Solutions.Look through the deceased’s papers and address books to find out if they had any life insurance policy in their name.Another way to find out if you’re the beneficiary of a life insurance policy is by reviewing the income tax returns of the deceased for the past two years to check the interest income and expenses. How to find a life insurance policy If you don’t know if you’re the beneficiary of a life insurance policy, there are a few useful tools out there you can use to search for a policy: Your state’s department of insurance: You can find contact information for your state’s department of insurance here. The NAIC life insurance policy locator: This tool searches for lost life insurance policies and annuity contracts. Missingmoney.com: Locates unclaimed death benefits that were paid to the state. The National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators (NAUPA) search tool: This is another search tool where you can search for unclaimed life insurance money that was given to the state. If none of the search tools above yield any results, you can still find out if you are the beneficiary of a life insurance policy, though it will take a bit of extra work. The ACLI has a number of tips for those who think they might be beneficiaries of a life insurance policy: Contact any law offices where the deceased may have been advised: Any estate planning attorney or financial advisors the deceased worked with should know about life insurance policies they had. Sort through the deceased’s papers for clues: Look through bank checkbooks and/or canceled checks to see if any were written to pay premiums. Contact the insurance company even if you’re unsure if there is a policy: Contact life insurance companies directly by using a list from either the state insurance department or Best’s Insurance Reports found in most libraries. You’ll need a death certificate and documents that prove your identity. Call the employee benefits office at their last and previous places of employment: Check with the union welfare office, if warranted. Review income tax returns: Specifically for the past two years to look for interest income and expenses. Check the mail for up to one year after death for premium notices: These are usually sent annually. If the policy is paid up, there may not be any notice of premium payments due but you may still find an annual statement regarding the status of the policy or even a notice of dividend. Check with the deceased’s state’s unclaimed property office: Any unclaimed money from life insurance policies may have been turned over to the state. What to do if you can’t find a life insurance policy If you believe you may have a life insurance claim but proving it is difficult, the ACLI suggests that you try the Policy Locator Service from MIB Solutions. This service matches the deceased’s name against roughly 170 million records. If the policyholder applied for the policy in 1996 or after, you might find it here. Executors and administrators are entitled to order a report, but in cases where neither is available, a surviving spouse or closest relative has the right. Reports cost $75 and MIB says searches receive a 30 percent response rate. However, one of the best resources may be other relatives. Life insurance is part of most inheritances, and where there’s a will, there’s a relative. After someone dies, everyone has an interest in seeing their affairs settled, particularly when there are funeral expenses to be paid. The importance of discussing life insurance and end-of-life plans Talking about death is uncomfortable, which is why many beneficiaries might not even know they are listed on a policy. But when that happens, the beneficiaries never receive a life insurance death benefit that likely cost hundreds, if not thousands, to secure. That’s why it’s so important for policyholders to discuss life insurance policy information and all estate planning matters before they die. MIB Solutions, which tries to locate policies for beneficiaries through its database of life insurance application data, says that “it is possible, if not likely, that millions of dollars in life insurance goes unclaimed.” Having an open conversation about end-of-life plans can help ensure that beneficiaries understand the policy’s terms and know how to access the benefits when needed. By sharing information about the policy’s location, the insurance company, and any specific instructions, policyholders can ease the claims process for their loved ones during a difficult time. Planning ahead not only provides peace of mind but also helps avoid any confusion or delays in receiving the financial support intended for beneficiaries. QuickTake How to get life insurance if you're uninsurable Who's who on a life insurance policy The life insurance contestability period: What you need to know What happens to the cash value of my whole life insurance policy when I die? Is accidental death and dismemberment insurance right for you? Comprehensive guide to life insurance: What it is and how it works How to make sure you have enough life insurance What is cash value life insurance and how does it work? 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See more > Frequently asked questions How much time does a beneficiary have to claim life insurance benefits? There is usually no time limit to filing a life insurance death claim, but after about three years (depending on the state), the benefit money may be turned over to the state. If you file a claim after three years, you will need to go to your state’s insurance department to file the claim. Do life insurance companies contact beneficiaries? No. Life insurance companies do not contact beneficiaries. If you own a life insurance policy, it is important to discuss any existing life insurance policies with your beneficiaries so that they know about the policy and can access the death benefit. How can you find the life insurance policy of a deceased parent? First and foremost, all conversations about existing life insurance policies should happen while the parent is alive. But, if you cannot find a life insurance policy of a deceased parent, you should consult their financial advisors about their estate plans. If you still can’t find a policy, use life insurance search tools such as the NAIC’s policy locator. × Get Free Life Insurance Quotes Today! Zip Code Please enter valid zip Age Age 16 – 20 21 – 24 25 – 34 35 – 44 45 – 54 55 – 64 65+ Coverage Amount Coverage Amount $50,000 – $100,000 $100,000 – $200,000 $200,000 – $300,000 $400,000 – $500,000 $500,000 – $1,000,000 $1,000,000 – $2,000,000 $2,000,000 – $5,000,000 $5,000,000+ Coverage Type Coverage Type Whole Life Term Life Final Expense Not Sure Gender Gender Male Female Non-Binary Tobacco Use Yes No Compare Quotes Nupur GambhirManaging Editor | . .Nupur Gambhir is a content editor and licensed life, health, and disability insurance expert. She has extensive experience bringing brands to life and has built award-nominated campaigns for travel and tech. Her insurance expertise has been featured in Bloomberg News, Forbes Advisor, CNET, Fortune, Slate, Real Simple, Lifehacker, The Financial Gym, and the end-of-life planning service. Related Articles How much term life insurance costs By Huma Naeem The 10 largest life insurance companies By Chris Kissell How to get life insurance if you’re uninsurable By Penny Gusner What to avoid before the life insurance medical exam By Desiree Ghazi Life insurance for people with dementia By Satta Sarmah-Hightower Life insurance calculator: How much life insurance do you need? By Huma Naeem On this page How to find a life insurance policyWhat to do if you can't find a life insurance policyThe importance of discussing life insurance and end-of-life plansFrequently asked questions ZIP Code Please enter valid ZIP See rates