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If a loved one has passed away, you might be wondering whether they had a life insurance policy. Fortunately, there are several ways you can find out. Read on to learn how you can determine if a spouse, parent, sibling, or someone else you loved has a life insurance policy with a death benefit you may be entitled to.
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:
Don’t wait until it’s too late. Help cover yourself and your family with affordable coverage from Aflac.
Here are some common ways to determine if someone has a life insurance policy:
There are several life insurance policy locators you can use to look for unclaimed life insurance policies. 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.1
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.2
If you know which life insurer issued your loved one’s 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.1
To find someone’s life insurance policy, you may need to provide the following information:
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 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.
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.
Life insurance companies are usually required to contact policy beneficiaries. If they can’t find them or get a hold of them, however, insurers will eventually transfer the money 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 look for policies that might have been paid to the state.2
If you do have a life insurance policy, it’s important to keep loved ones up to speed. Let them know what company you’ve chosen, who the beneficiaries are, and what the type of policy entails.
You can visit Aflac’s life insurance advice page to learn more about how life insurance policies work. If you’re interested in applying for a policy, Aflac offers term and whole life insurance with enhanced coverage for you and your loved ones. Start chatting with an agent and get a quote today.
1 Policygenius - How to Find Out if Someone Has Life Insurance. Updated April 6, 2023. https://www.policygenius.com/life-insurance/how-to-find-the-life-insurance-policy-of-a-deceased-person/. Accessed April 20, 2023.
2 The Motley Fool - How to Find a Life Insurance Policy. Updated February 21, 2023. https://www.fool.com/the-ascent/insurance/life/how-to-find-out-if-someone-has-life-insurance/. Accessed April 20, 2023.
3 Forbes - How to Locate Life Insurance Policies That Are Unclaimed. Updated November 10, 2022. https://www.forbes.com/advisor/life-insurance/find-lost-life-insurance/. Accessed April 20, 2023.
Coverage is underwritten by American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus. In New York, coverage is underwritten by American Family Life Assurance Company of New York.
In Arkansas, Idaho, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, & Virginia, Policies: ICC1368100, ICC1368200, ICC1368300, ICC1368400. In Delaware, Policies A68100-A68400. In New York, NY68100-NY68400. In Arkansas, Idaho, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, & Virginia, Policies: ICC18B60C10, ICC18B60100, ICC18B60200, ICC18B60300, & ICC18B60400. In Arkansas, Policy Q60100CAR. In Delaware, Policy Q60200M. In Idaho Policy Q60100CID. In Oklahoma, Policy Q60100COK. In Oregon, Policy Q60100COR. In Texas, Policy Q60100CTX. In Delaware, Policies Q60200C. In Arkansas, Idaho, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Policies ICC18Q60200C, ICC18Q60300C, ICC18Q60400C.
Aflac Final Expense insurance coverage is underwritten by Tier One Insurance Company, a subsidiary of Aflac Incorporated and is administered by Aetna Life Insurance Company.
The life insurance policy described herein contains an optional Accelerated Death Benefits Rider that is intended for favorable tax treatment under Section 101(g) of the Internal Revenue Code. Aflac does not give legal or tax advice. Please consult with a qualified legal, tax, and accounting advisor before engaging in any transaction. In AR, AZ, ID, OK, OR, PA, TX and VA: Policies ICC21-AFLLBL21 and ICC21-AFLRPL21; and Riders ICC21-AFLABR22, ICC21-AFLADB22, and ICC21-AFLCDR22.
Coverage may not be available in all states, including but not limited to DE, ID, NJ, NM, NY or VA. Benefits/premium rates may vary based on state and plan levels. Optional riders may be available at an additional cost. Policies and riders may also contain a waiting period. Refer to the exact policy and rider forms for benefit details, definitions, limitations and exclusions. For complete details, including availability and costs, please contact your local Aflac agent.
Content within this article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, accounting or medical advice regarding any specific situation. Aflac cannot anticipate all the facts that a particular employer will have to consider in their benefits decision-making process. This article contains a general overview and is not intended to portray any specific benefits or details of Aflac policies.
Aflac does not offer Universal or Variable Universal life insurance.
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