If you’ve lost a loved one, you know how tough it can be to try and sift through documents to find what you need to manage their estate. In the case of a life insurance policy, you may have no documentation to start from and not know if your loved one had a policy at all. Not to worry. We’ll walk you through several ways to find out if someone has life insurance so your family doesn’t miss out on money that could help in a time of need.

5 ways to find someone’s life insurance policy

There are several ways to find someone’s life insurance policy, including:

• Using Life Policy Locators from NAIC, MIB Group, or NAUPA
• Reaching out to financial contacts
• Combing through old documentation
• Submitting a request to state registries
• Reaching out to the life insurance company directly

Use NAIC, MIB Group, or NAUPA Life Policy Locators

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) offers a free Life Policy Locator tool to help you find out if someone had life insurance. To use the tool, you’ll need to provide the following information for the deceased:

• Social Security Number (SSN)
• Legal first and last name
• Date of birth
• Date of death

MIB is an organization that provides underwriting services for over 400 member companies in the US and Canada. The MIB Policy Locator Service can be used by the executor or administrator of the deceased’s estate to search for someone’s life insurance policy. If no executor was appointed, the surviving spouse or closest living relative could submit a request.

The MIB service requires submission of the following via mail:

• Completed and notarized application form
• Original death certificate
• Money order or certified check for $75

The National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators (NAUPA) helps locate unclaimed property in every state. You can search for a life insurance policy by following the link to an individual state’s treasury department from the NAUPA website, or by performing a broader search on missingmoney.com.

Contact the deceased’s employer, lawyer, accountant, or financial advisor

The deceased’s close financial contacts may have information about life insurance policies. Be sure to contact former employers, lawyers, accountants, and financial advisors.

In addition to financial contacts, you may find information by talking to loved ones, including family and close friends. It’s possible the deceased shared details of their life insurance policy with a companion, and someone they confided in can point you in the direction of the insurer.

Look Through Documentation

If you’re unsure which company may hold a loved one’s life insurance policy, sometimes physical mail or email can provide clues. Check filing cabinets, safety deposit boxes, or any location your loved one may have stored important documents. You may also be able to access bank records to find out if someone paid premiums to a life insurance company.

Submit a Request to State Registries

If you know the state where a policy was issued, you may be able to find a record of it in the state registry. The NAUPA site links to each state’s registry.

After locating unclaimed property, you’ll need to file a claim to prove ownership. As with the database searches listed above, you may need the deceased’s legal name, date of birth, date of death, and last known address to submit the claim.

Contact Fidelity Life to Review Policies

If you believe someone who passed had a life insurance policy with Fidelity Life, call support to discuss options or submit a claim using a state-specific claim form.

How to see if you are a life insurance beneficiary

Once you find a life insurance policy, you can see if you’re a beneficiary by contacting the life insurance company directly. If it turns out you are a beneficiary, you’ll need to submit a claim to receive any proceeds from the policy.

To submit a life insurance claim as the beneficiary, you’ll be required to submit a death certificate, policy information, and a claim form. Then, the insurance company will work with you to settle the claim.

Still have questions about finding life insurance policies? The Fidelity Life team is here to help. Get in touch with one of our agents today.

FAQs about finding out if someone had life insurance

Who can request information about a life insurance policy?

To request information about a life insurance policy, you’ll need to be a named beneficiary, the insured’s next of kin, or the executor of the deceased’s estate. Only beneficiaries can claim the death benefit of a life insurance policy.

Can you be the beneficiary of a policy and not know it?

It is possible to be the beneficiary of a life insurance policy and not know it. In fact, you’ll need to contact the insurer to collect the death benefit. If you think you may be the beneficiary of a life insurance policy, there are ways to find out, including using life insurance policy locators.

What information do I need to make a claim?

To file an insurance claim, you’ll need a certified copy of the insured’s death certificate. You can initiate the claim process by contacting the life insurance company via phone or submitting the death certificate and a claim form online or via mail, depending on the insurer.

What happens to the death benefits if no one claims the money?

If no one claims the money from a life insurance policy, the proceeds will eventually be turned over to the state of the insured’s last known residence. The funds could be turned over after 3 years or more, depending on state laws.

What if the insurance company changed names or went out of business?

If you’re tracking down an insurance policy purchased decades ago, the insurance company might have been acquired or no longer operates by the same name. A google search could be enough to reveal the new insurer, but if you need more information, you may need to contact the state’s insurance department for more information.