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How to Find Out if Someone Has a Life Insurance Policy

If a loved one has passed away, you might be wondering whether they had a life insurance policy. There are several ways to find out if a deceased individual had life insurance, including policy locators and contacting their insurance company directly. If you want to know how to find life insurance policies of a deceased policyholder, this guide can help. And if you’re considering getting life insurance, Aflac offers policies for individuals and families that can help support your financial planning goals and offer peace of mind.

3 Min Read

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Key Takeaways

  • If a policyholder names you a beneficiary in their life insurance policy, you may be entitled to receive a death benefit.
  • There are several ways to find out if someone had a life insurance policy and if you were named a beneficiary.
  • Aflac offers term life and whole life insurance policies that can provide added financial support to loved ones.

Who can request information about someone’s life insurance policy?

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 an individual has a policy. The good news is that certain individuals may be authorized to request information about another person's life insurance policy, including:

  • Next of kin
  • Executors of the deceased’s estate
  • Those who have been appointed by the court to manage the deceased’s affairs

How to find out if a parent or someone else has life insurance

To find someone’s life insurance policy, you may need to provide the following information:1

  • Full legal name of the deceased, including any maiden names or aliases
  • Date of birth and date of death of the deceased
  • Social Security number of the deceased
  • Last known location or locations of the deceased
  • Certified copies of the death certificate

With that information, these are a few common ways to determine if someone has a life insurance policy:

Use life insurance policy locators2

There are several life insurance policy locators you can use to look for unclaimed life insurance benefits. Some states may offer policy locator resources 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.

Contact the deceased's family and friends3

You can always speak to the 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.

Contact the life insurance company4

If you know which life insurer issued the policyholder's life insurance policy, don’t hesitate to contact them directly. Explain your relationship to the deceased and provide any required documentation requested by the insurer.

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How to find out if you’re a beneficiary of a parent’s life insurance policy

Insurers may attempt to contact beneficiaries when they become aware of a policyholder's death. 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 an individual passed away and you don’t know who their beneficiaries were, you should consider locating the policy to help ensure that any benefits due are properly claimed.

How to make a life insurance claim

If you find out you’re the beneficiary of a life insurance policy, you’ll have to file a claim to collect the death benefit. Here are the steps to do so:5

1. Get a certified copy of the death certificate from the vital records office of the state where the death occurred6 or the funeral home.

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.

What happens with unclaimed life insurance benefits?

Life insurance companies may take steps to identify and locate beneficiaries after learning of a policyholder's death. If they can’t find or contact them, and benefits remain unclaimed after a specified time period, insurers may transfer the funds to the state's unclaimed property program. 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 find an unclaimed life insurance policy.4

Get a quote for life insurance

There are several ways to find out if a deceased individual had life insurance. But if you have a policy, remember to let loved ones know what company you’ve chosen, who the beneficiaries are, and what the policy entails. This can help ensure that your beneficiaries receive the death benefit if you pass away and avoid the need to search for a policy.

Life insurance can be a valuable financial planning tool, and can help provide peace of mind that your loved ones will be taken care of after you’re gone. Aflac offers competitive rates for term life and whole life insurance with comprehensive coverage for you and your loved ones. To learn more about our coverage options, start chatting with an agent and get a quote today.

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