How to find a life insurance policy after death?

Asked by: Charlotte Morar  |  Last update: April 13, 2025
Score: 4.3/5 (63 votes)

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 you find life insurance policy of a deceased person?

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 there a database to find life insurance policies?

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.

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 to look up someone's insurance information online for free?

Due to privacy and regulation laws, it's generally not possible to find someone's insurance information online. If you need to obtain another party's insurance after an accident, contact your state's DMV or your insurance company.

7 TIPS for locating a Deceased loved one's Life Insurance Policy

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Is there a database for insurance?

All-payer claims databases (APCDs) are large State databases that include medical claims, pharmacy claims, dental claims, and eligibility and provider files collected from private and public payers. APCD data are reported directly by insurers to States, usually as part of a State mandate.

How can I trace an insurance policy?

Some U.S. states offer online databases where residents can search for life insurance policies. Even if your state doesn't offer such a database, you can call the state insurance commissioner's office to request a search for your loved one's policy.

Can you look up someone's life insurance policy?

To help solve this issue, the 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. The locator is easy to use.

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 you know if you're the beneficiary of someone's life insurance?

The easiest way to learn if you are a life insurance beneficiary is to talk to the policyholder if they are still alive. They can tell you whether you're a beneficiary and provide information necessary to claim the death benefit when they pass away.

How to find out if someone left you money after they died?

The National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators' website www.unclaimed.org is an excellent resource. This association consists of state officials charged with the responsibility of reuniting lost owners with their unclaimed property.

How do I look up an insurance policy number?

Contact Your Insurance Agent

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.

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.

How long after death do you have to collect life insurance?

There is no time limit for beneficiaries to file a life insurance claim. However, the sooner you file a claim for a death benefit, the sooner you will receive your money. Filing as soon as possible makes sense because the insurer could need a month or longer to investigate the claim before paying out.

What happens to unclaimed life insurance policies?

In many cases, however, the proceeds of the life insurance policy plus any interest earned get sent over to the policyholder's state after a certain number of years. Named beneficiaries can then collect their unclaimed payout via the state treasury.

Do you need permission to get life insurance on someone?

Additionally, in order to take out a life insurance policy on someone else, you have to get their consent. They must be willing to cooperate throughout the application process (even if you're the one paying for the policy).

Can someone have an insurance policy on you without you knowing?

A third party can't take out a life insurance policy on you without your knowledge and consent.

Are insurance policies public information?

Some insurance policy details, like the existence of a policy and the insurer's name, can be found in public records. Confidential information includes policy limits and specific coverage details, which are generally not publicly accessible.

Are insurance claims public knowledge?

Yes. There are specialty consumer reporting agencies that collect and report information about the insurance claims you have made on your property and casualty insurance policies, such as your homeowners and auto policies. They may also collect and report on your driving record.

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.

Can a life insurance beneficiary be changed after death?

Unfortunately, there are no circumstances under which a life insurance beneficiary can be changed after the death of the policyholder, which is why policyholders are encouraged not only to select their beneficiaries carefully, but also to regularly review them, and if necessary, update them as their life circumstances ...

Can life insurance look at your medical records?

Life insurance companies have access to medical records to assess your health condition and determine the level of risk they are taking on by insuring you.

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

The NAIC Life Insurance Policy Locator Service

To use the service, you must have the suspected policyholder's legal name, Social Security number and dates of birth and death. Information submitted to the NAIC is submitted to participating insurance companies, which search their records for open policies.

How do you verify someone's insurance?

How to Verify Patient Insurance in Three Easy Steps
  1. Collect the patient's insurance information.
  2. Contact the insurance company before the patient's initial visit. Contact by Phone. Search Online. Deploy Automatic Verification Services. ...
  3. Gather all the crucial benefits information and record it in your EMR.

Do insurance companies have a database?

So you give the adjuster your personal information. What you don't know (and aren't told) is that this information is being put into a national database, maintained by a service that provides insurance companies with a list of your prior bodily injury, auto, workers' compensation, and homeowner claims.