How to Find Old Life Insurance Policy

You are probably searching the internet on how to find old life insurance policy because a loved one recently passed away.  First and foremost I am truly sorry for your loss.  If you know that your loved one purchased a life insurance policy from us at Avenue Insurance Planners, please give us a call!  This is part of our job, that we want to be able to help you out with.

If however your loved one bought it elsewhere but you don’t know where.  Then this is how to find that old life insurance policy.  You can use these instructions for term life, whole life, and universal life policies.

Items you will need:

• Name of the insured
• If you have the policy then the policy
• A certified copy of the death certificate.  (The funeral home should be able to help you with this, or the County records department.)

Places to look to find old life insurance policy

• Search through bank statements, and checking accounts to see if there were any recent payments to an insurance company
• Look through old mail for statements or billing reminders
• Talk to the persons auto/home insurance agent or carrier to see if a life insurance policy was bought through them
• Contact the HR department of the persons last place of employment to see if there was a policy that was purchased through benefits.  If it is a small business then check with the business owner.
• Look over income tax statements to see if an insurer has paid interest that was claimed on taxes
• Contact their bank to see if they had a safe deposit box or bought a life insurance policy through the bank.

If you still cannot find a policy then use the Life Insurance Policy Locator Service You can also check the unclaimed property in all the States that they lived in at www.unclaimed.org

After you have the policy, get a hold of the insurance company to file a claim.  A quick Google search can get you a current phone number if you don’t have a good number for the life insurance carrier.  If the life insurance carrier gives you any grief in the claim process don’t hesitate to contact the insurance commissioner’s office for the State to get their assistance in the claim filing.