Can I find out if someone has a life insurance policy on me?

Asked by: Jamal Beatty  |  Last update: August 8, 2025
Score: 4.7/5 (58 votes)

You might want to contact the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) for their free Life Insurance Policy Locator Service, which looks for policies on the databases of many insurance companies. Another great resource could be your state's Department of Insurance (DOI).

Can you look up if someone has a life insurance policy?

If you suspect that a loved one had a life policy, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) has created a Life Insurance Policy Locator service to help consumers locate benefits from life insurance policies or annuity contracts purchased anywhere in the United States.

How do I know if someone bought life insurance on me?

You can check with the Medical Information Bureau consumer database to get a free copy of your annual disclosure to see what's been submitted under your name for new life insurance policies over the last 2 years. You can also call the listed insurance company for details.

Are life insurance policies public information?

Life insurance policies aren't typically public record. Because they're paid out to a designated beneficiary, they don't need to go through probate, which would make them a matter of public record.

How do I find out if I'm a beneficiary of a life insurance policy?

Contact the life insurance company

If you believe you're a beneficiary and know which life insurance company your loved one held their policy with, contact the insurer. You may need the following information: Policyholder's name and date of birth. Policyholder's date of passing.

How To Find Out If Someone Has A Life Insurance Policy On You (Find If Someone Has Life Insurance)

33 related questions found

Can you find a life insurance policy with a social security number?

In your web browser, navigate to naic.org, hover over Consumer, and click Life Insurance Policy Locator under Tools. Submit a search request by entering the deceased's information from the death certificate: Social Security number. Legal first name.

How do I know if I'm someone's beneficiary?

Who Notifies Me That I Am a Beneficiary of a Trust? A trustee is required by law to notify beneficiaries of a trust upon the settlor's death. The settlor is the person who created the trust. The trustee has 60 days from the settlor's death to provide the notification to the beneficiaries.

Can someone have a life insurance policy on me without my knowledge?

When you're getting life insurance, the person whose life will be insured is required to sign the application and give consent. Forging a signature on an application form is punishable under the law. So the answer is no, you can't get life insurance on someone without telling them, they must consent to it.

Are insurance policies discoverable?

California law expressly provides for discovery of information about the evidence and contents of any insurance agreement under which a carrier may be liable to satisfy all or part of a potential judgement or to indemnify or reimburse payments made to satisfy the judgment.

How do I look up an insurance policy number?

You can also call your provider directly. An agent will be able to assist you in locating the policy number, but to do so, they will need to verify your account for security reasons — and they may even ask you to confirm your date of birth, address, or other personal details.

Will I be notified if I am a beneficiary of life insurance?

Once a policyholder has passed away, beneficiaries typically receive life insurance notification within 90 days of the death.

What disqualifies life insurance payout?

Life insurance proceeds can be denied. Some denials are legitimate, like in case of policy lapses, material misrepresentations, or exclusions in the form of illegal activities or war. In other cases, bad-faith insurers use elaborate methods to reject claims so they do not have to pay the proceeds.

How long does it take to get life insurance money after a death?

In many cases, it takes anywhere from 14 to 60 days for beneficiaries to receive a life insurance payout. But many factors impact this time frame. These include the insurance company's procedures, when the claim is filed, how long the policy was active, the cause of death, and state laws regarding insurance payouts.

Does a person have to know you have a life insurance policy on them?

The simple answer is yes—you can buy life insurance for someone else if they agree and are aware of the decision. However, you can't buy a plan for anyone without an insurable interest and consent from the person you are buying life insurance for.

Is an old life insurance policy worth anything?

A policy that lapsed before the policyholder died has no value. But if the policy was still in force when the insured died, that policy's death benefit may still be available to the beneficiary. Note that the death benefit amount could be different from the policy's original face value. Several factors can cause this.

What are the rules for beneficiaries of life insurance?

Your beneficiary can be a person, a charity, a trust, or your estate. Almost any person can be named as a beneficiary, although your state of residence or the provider of your benefits may restrict who you can name as a beneficiary. Make sure you research your state's laws before naming your beneficiary.

Are insurance policies public information?

Insurance companies are generally required to keep your policy information confidential. However, they may share information with third parties under certain circumstances, such as with your consent, for legal reasons, or to process claims.

Can life insurance be traced?

The best way is to contact the policy's issuer (the life insurance company). Their records are key: even if you see your name listed on an old policy document, the deceased may have changed their beneficiaries (or the allocation of benefits among those beneficiaries) after that document was printed.

Is insurance policy private information?

When it comes to the information shared with your insurance company, the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) applies. PIPEDA requires that all personal information collected by private companies must be kept strictly confidential.

How to find out if someone has a life insurance policy?

To help solve this issue, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) created the Life Insurance Policy Locator, a free online tool that helps consumers find their deceased loved one's life insurance policies and annuity contracts.

Is there a database to search life insurance policies?

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Life Insurance Policy Locator connects consumers with lost life insurance.

Can someone take over my life insurance policy?

The policy owner retains complete control over the policy. Usually, they're the ones who pay the monthly insurance premiums, and they can decide to cancel, surrender, or gift the policy to someone else. They also have ownership rights to change the policy beneficiaries or update the allocations of death benefits.

How do you find out if you are beneficiary of life insurance?

If you believe you are named as a life insurance beneficiary, check online with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners' Life Insurance Policy Locator Service, which searches a database of known policies from participating companies.

How long after a person dies will beneficiaries be notified?

The timeline is much shorter. California laws, for example, require that beneficiaries are notified within 60 days of the death.

How do I trace a beneficiary?

How does a professional genealogist conduct their research into missing beneficiaries?
  1. electoral roll data (both current and historic);
  2. consumer databases;
  3. credit reference databases;
  4. birth, marriage, and death records; and.
  5. other genealogical datasets.