How to Find Out if Someone Has a Life Insurance Policy

If a loved one has passed away, you might be wondering whether they had a life insurance policy. There are several ways to find out if a deceased parent or relative had life insurance, including policy locators and contacting their insurance company directly. If you want to know how to find life insurance policies of a deceased parent, this guide can help. And if you’re considering getting life insurance, Aflac offers policies for individuals and families that can support your financial planning goals and offer peace of mind.

3 Min Read

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Key Takeaways

If a parent or loved one names you a beneficiary in their life insurance policy, you may be entitled to receive a death benefit.
There are several ways to find out if someone had a life insurance policy and if you were named a beneficiary.
Aflac offers term life and whole life insurance policies that can provide added financial support to loved ones.

Who can request information about someone’s life insurance policy?

Once a policyholder has passed away, life insurance companies must protect their privacy. This can make it a bit of a challenge to find out if a loved one has a policy. The good news is that there are certain people that can ask for information about someone else’s life insurance. Typically, these people include:

Next of kin
Executors of the deceased’s estate
Those who have been appointed by the court to manage the deceased’s affairs

How to find out if a parent or someone else has life insurance

To find someone’s life insurance policy, you may need to provide the following information:¹

Full legal name of the deceased
Date of birth of the deceased
Social Security number of the deceased
Your relationship to the deceased
Your address

With that information, these are a few common ways to determine if someone has a life insurance policy:¹

Use life insurance policy locators

There are several life insurance policy locators you can use to look for unclaimed life insurance policies, such as a deceased parent’s policy. Depending on your state of residence, you could search for a policy through the Department of Insurance website. You may also want to explore the  National Association of Insurance Commissioners, MissingMoney.com, and the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators.

Contact your family and friends

You can always speak to other surviving family members and friends, as they might know about a life insurance policy you’ve never heard about. The deceased may have mentioned it to them at some point.

Contact the life insurance company

If you know which life insurer issued your loved one’s life insurance policy, don’t hesitate to contact them directly. Explain your situation, provide proof that you’re the beneficiary listed, and ask them how you can proceed.

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How to find out if you’re a beneficiary of a parent’s life insurance policy

An insurer will likely contact you if you’re a beneficiary on a life insurance policy. In the event you have the legal authority to review the deceased’s financial paperwork or ask for a copy of the policy, you may also find out if you’re a beneficiary. If a loved one, such as a parent, passed away and you don’t know who their beneficiaries were, you should take the time to look for their policy so that the death benefit gets claimed.

How to make a life insurance claim

If you find out you’re the beneficiary of your loved one’s life insurance policy, you’ll have to file a claim to collect the death benefit. Here are the steps to do so:²

1. Get a certified copy of the death certificate from the Department of Health³ or funeral director.

2. Contact the life insurance company.

3. Fill out the life insurance claim form.

4. Send the death certificate and claim form to the insurer.

What happens with unclaimed life insurance benefits?

Life insurance companies are usually required to contact policy beneficiaries if the policyholder passes away. If they can’t find them or get a hold of them, however, insurers will eventually transfer the money from the life insurance policy to the state. Every state has a database of unclaimed property, and if someone discovers unpaid life insurance proceeds, they can request these funds from the state. The National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators is a good place to find an unclaimed life insurance policy.²

Get a quote for life insurance

There are several ways to find out if a deceased parent or loved one had life insurance. But if you have a policy, remember to let loved ones know what company you’ve chosen, who the beneficiaries are, and what the policy entails. This can help ensure that your beneficiaries receive the death benefit if you pass away and avoid the need to search for a policy.

Life insurance can be a valuable financial planning tool, and can provide peace of mind that your loved ones will be taken care of after you’re gone. Aflac offers affordable term life and whole life insurance with comprehensive coverage for you and your loved ones. To learn more about our coverage options, start chatting with an agent and get a quote today.

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