Look up life insurance policy by social security number

When a loved one passes away, locating a life insurance policy can be a challenging but necessary task. There are some steps you can take to get the information you need.  Here are a few tips to guide your search.

Search the deceased's documents and correspondence.

In many cases, evidence of policy and any relevant information

• Search through paper and digital files, bank safe deposit boxes, and other storage spaces for insurance-related documents.
• Check bank statements for checks or automatic drafts to life insurance companies.
• Check the deceased’s mail and email for premium or dividend notices. If policy payments are up-to-date, there will be no notice of premium payments due; however, the company may still send an annual notice regarding the status of the policy or statement of a dividend.
• Review the deceased’s tax returns for the past two years for a record of interest income or expenses paid to life insurance companies. Life insurance companies pay interest on accumulations on permanent policies and chart interest on policy loans.
• Check the application for each life insurance policy you find. This document, typically attached to the policy, will have a list of any other life insurance policies owned at the time of the application.
• Talk to the deceased’s banker, financial adviser, and attorney.

If this search turns up empty, there are still actions you can take.

Submit a request to the NAIC Life Insurance Policy Locator Service.

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Life Insurance Policy Locator Service, a free online tool, can assist you in locating life insurance policies. Once a request is received, the NAIC will ask participating companies to search their records to determine whether they have a life insurance policy in the name of the deceased you entered. If they do, the participating company will respond to you if you are the designated beneficiary or are authorized to receive the information. 

Click here to use the service. You will need information from the death certificate, including social security number, legal first and last name, date of birth, and date of death. This video provides instructions on how to use the service.

Contact the state’s Unclaimed Property Office.

When a life insurance company is aware that an insured client has died but cannot find the beneficiary, the company must turn the death benefit over to the state where the policy was purchased as “unclaimed property.” 

If you know (or can guess) the state where the policy was bought, you can search the state’s unclaimed property database. The National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators has a search tool that will take you to your state’s unclaimed property database. 

Be aware of special challenges. 

There may be circumstances that complicate the search for a loved one’s life insurance policy:

• The insurance company changed its name or sold the policy to another company: The NAIC provides tips on finding insurance companies that have changed their names, merged with other insurance companies, or sold blocks of policies to other insurance companies.
• The company went bankrupt: Contact the state life and health guaranty association. The National Organization of Life & Health Insurance Guaranty Associations has a search tool to find your state guaranty association. Guaranty associations provide a safety net for their state’s policyholders, ensuring continued coverage up to the limits outlined in state law.
• The policy may have been purchased in Canada: Reach out to the Canadian Ombudservice for Life and Health Insurance for information.

Keep in mind fee-based services are available if needed.

Sometimes, even despite all the best efforts, finding an insurance policy when a loved one has passed away can seem overwhelming. In these cases, it is helpful to know that MIB, an insurance membership corporation, offers services for a fee. This service may be able to find evidence of life insurance applications but does not indicate whether a life insurance policy was purchased. Additionally, several private companies can assist you with the search for a lost life insurance policy for a fee.

Contact Employers and Member Organizations

Contact past and present employers, as well as professional and social organizations of which your loved one was a member. Many people receive free or low-cost policies through work or as a member benefit. Even if your loved one was retired or no longer active in these groups, the policy could still be in place.

Do an Online Search

Several websites offer free search tools to help users find unclaimed assets, including death benefits. Simply type your loved one’s name into the search box at any of the following sites:

• National Association of Insurance Commissioners - Life Insurance Policy Locator
• MissingMoney.com
• National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators - Unclaimed.org

There are also companies who will search for a lost policy for your loved one, and they can be a helpful resource for how to find out if someone has life insurance. Representatives will contact hundreds of life insurance companies on your behalf to determine whether your loved one had a policy. Fees vary, and scams involving this type of service do exist, so do your research before you go this route.

Call Your State Insurance Commissioner’s Office

If you haven’t had any luck locating a policy, get in touch with the Insurance Commissioner in your state. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ websitelists the contact information for each state office. When an authorized person makes an inquiry to a policy, the state office typically forwards the request to licensed agencies within the state. The agencies will perform a search and, if a contract is found, will then make contact. If the person making the request is not an authorized party, the agency will not contact him or her, but will attempt to contact the named beneficiary.

Does Your Living Relative Have Life Insurance?

Though the best way to figure out if your relative has coverage is to ask him or her, there are some situations where it’s not an option. For example, if your loved one lives with dementia or mental illness, he or she may not be able to tell you the status of his or her coverage. The same may be true if your relative has been injured in a sudden accident or unforeseen medical emergency. If you need to know if your living relative has life insurance, you should follow the same steps listed above.

FAQs

Who can request information about a life insurance policy?

Even after death, companies must protect the privacy of their clients. In most cases, next of kin and policy beneficiaries can request information about a policy, but they may need to provide proof to the insurance company.

What information do I need to make a claim?

To make a claim, you will need several pieces of documentation:

• deceased’s full name, including maiden name
• Social Security Number (SSN)
• death certificate
• proof of your relation and/or identity

To start the process, simply contact the life insurance company that issued the policy and they’ll provide you with instructions.

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

Insurance companies turn over unclaimed death benefits to the state’s unclaimed property office. This is usually the office of the State Treasurer. The National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators’ websitelists this contact information by state.

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

Yes, you can. There is no requirement to notify a person when you list him or her on a policy.

It’s important to know how to find out if someone has life insurance if you’ll be responsible for settling their estate or paying any of their final expenses, including their funeral. The easiest way, of course, is to ask your loved ones. If that’s not an option, the steps above can help you find the critical documents you need.

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