Accurate information helps when searching for a deceased person's life insurance policy. The more details you have, the better your chances, whether using free resources or services like the National Association of Insurance Commissioners Life Insurance Policy Locator.
How to Find Life Insurance Policies of Deceased Parents & Loved Ones
To find out if a life insurance policy exists, search through personal belongings, check your state’s unclaimed property office and use locator tools.
Learn how to locate a life insurance policy below.
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Updated: January 22, 2026
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Key Takeaways
To locate a deceased loved one's life insurance policy, search by examining personal records, reviewing bank statements for life insurance payments, contacting former employers and financial advisors. Using the NAIC Life Insurance Policy Locator service and checking state unclaimed property databases for any benefits that may have been transferred can also help.
You might be a life insurance beneficiary without knowing it, since policyholders aren't required to inform those they name.
When you find a policy, you'll need documents including the death certificate, proof of relationship to the policyholder and personal identification.
Not all insurance companies participate in locator services, and some policies may not be discoverable through these methods. Consider consulting with legal or financial professionals for estate planning guidance.
How to Find Out If a Life Insurance Policy Exists
Finding your parent's insurance policy helps settle their affairs and claim any benefits they intended for you. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Life Insurance Policy Locator and similar online tools help families find unknown policies after a parent's death. These resources, along with financial documents and employer contacts, make the search process manageable.
- 1Search their personal belongings
Explore places where your parent likely stored important documents. Look in their home office, personal files or safe. Policies are often kept alongside critical documents like wills, property deeds or financial records. Check physical files and digital records on computers they maintained.
- 2Contact their previous employers, financial advisors, accountants or lawyers
Reach out to professionals involved in your parent's financial matters. Employers can provide information about group life insurance benefits offered through work. Financial advisors, accountants and lawyers who handled financial planning or estate matters may have records or knowledge of existing policies.
- 3Try life insurance policy locators
Use resources like the NAIC Life Insurance Policy Locator, MIB Group or the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators (NAUPA) to conduct free searches for unclaimed life insurance money. These organizations help search for lost or forgotten policies. After you submit a request, they'll contact participating insurance companies to search their records. This process typically takes 90 business days or more, as noted by NAIC.
- NAIC Locator: This free service searches participating insurance companies using the deceased person's Social Security number. The search may take 90 business days or more to complete.
- MIB Group Locator: This search service costs $75, and responses are generally returned within 10 business days. The service covers applications from 1996 to the present.
- NAUPA State Searches: This organization provides free state searches for policies turned over to unclaimed property departments. You can search multiple state databases at once.
Unclaimed property laws and timeframes vary by state. Some states may have different requirements for policy transfers to unclaimed property offices.
Find a Life Insurance Policy: Information Needed
Information | Description |
|---|---|
Full name of the deceased | Make sure you include any maiden names, previous legal names or aliases they may have used for a thorough life insurance policy search by name. |
Social Security number (SSN) | The SSN is a primary identifier for most financial and legal documents. You can also find a life insurance policy using an SSN with insurers or government databases. |
Date of birth and death | These dates verify identity and policy details during a life insurance policy check. |
Last known addresses | Insurers often send correspondence to the last-known address of a policyholder, which can help in finding a life insurance policy or policy updates. |
Employment history | Your loved one may have employer-provided life insurance policies you're unaware of. Knowing their employment history can help you find unclaimed life insurance benefits. |
Financial records | Bank statements may show premium payments to insurance companies, helping you find lost life insurance policies by tracking past transactions. |
Personal contacts | Financial advisors, accountants and lawyers may hold valuable insights. Knowing their names and contact details can help you request life insurance information regarding existing policies. |
Existing insurance documents | Any related insurance paperwork, even if it's not directly for life insurance, can provide leads to old life insurance policies. |
Email and digital account access | Digital correspondence or online policy management may reveal policy updates or payments that can aid your search for life insurance policies. |
Membership in unions or associations | These organizations sometimes offer life insurance benefits to their members. They may also have proof of life insurance benefits. |
This information speeds up your search and helps you approach insurance companies, legal professionals and life insurance locator services with the necessary details to uncover any existing life insurance policies.
Other Methods to Find Out If a Life Insurance Policy Exists
If primary search methods haven't worked, try these additional approaches to uncover hidden life insurance policies:
- Check bank statements: Look for regular payments to insurance companies in your deceased loved one's bank records. Check automatic payments or electronic transfers that show consistent monthly, quarterly or annual transactions that could indicate premium payments for a life insurance policy.
- Search mail and email: Review the deceased person's correspondence for insurance statements, policy updates or newsletters that might reveal existing coverage. Check digital correspondence and online statements in email accounts or cloud storage.
- Examine other insurance documents: If you've found some policies, check their applications. They often list all coverage owned at the time of application.
- Review tax returns: Examine income tax returns for insurance-related payments or interest income from insurance companies.
- Contact state insurance departments: Your state's insurance department can connect you with licensed agencies to search for policies. They'll notify you if they locate any coverage. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners also offers a Life Insurance Policy Locator service.
- Search unclaimed property databases: If benefits went unclaimed, they may have been transferred to your state's unclaimed property office. Contact them to check their database for any funds in the deceased person's name.
- Hire a private search firm: As a last resort, consider professional help. Private search firms specialize in locating policies and can access resources not available to the public. They may find coverage through channels you wouldn't know to check.
CHECK FOR VA LIFE INSURANCE IF THE DECEASED SERVED IN THE MILITARY
Veterans and service members may have had coverage through Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (SGLI) or Veterans' Group Life Insurance (VGLI), with benefits up to $500,000. The Office of Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (OSGLI) handles claims.
To file a claim, you'll need to submit a completed Form SGLV 8283 (Claim for Death Benefits) and a certified copy of the death certificate. Contact OSGLI at 1-800-419-1473 or visit VA.gov/life-insurance to start the claims process.
Related Content: Best Life Insurance for Veterans
Who Can Request Information About a Deceased Policyholder's Life Insurance?
Only specific people can request information about a deceased policyholder's life insurance:
The executor of the estate
The executor is responsible for ensuring that a person's will is followed and that their estate is managed as they wanted.
Next of kin
A deceased person's next of kin is often their spouse or children. Depending on the situation, it may also be the closest living blood relative or an adopted family member.
Named beneficiaries
Any beneficiary on the person's policy, whether a charity, trust, estate or someone else you might not know, should be informed of the policyholder's passing and claim.
If you qualify to request policy information, collect the required details before contacting insurers or search services. Use free policy locator tools to help in your search. Finding all policies and notifying all beneficiaries fulfills your loved one's final wishes.
How to Find Out If You Are a Beneficiary on a Life Insurance Policy
A life insurance policy identifies all beneficiaries by name. You're named as a beneficiary on a life insurance policy if your name appears on the policy. There are no restrictions on who can be named as a beneficiary. A policyholder can select any person, charity, business or trust. Your loved one might have chosen someone unfamiliar to you as their beneficiary.
Life insurance policies designate two main categories of beneficiaries:
- Primary Beneficiary: The person or entity first in line to receive the death benefit when the policyholder dies.
- Contingent Beneficiary: The secondary recipient who receives the benefit only if all primary beneficiaries are deceased at the time of the policyholder's death.
As a beneficiary, be aware of life insurance scams, because they can lead to identity theft. Scammers can use life insurance to ask for your personal information, claiming it's needed for you to claim the death benefit.
WHAT IF THE INSURANCE COMPANY CHANGED NAMES?
Contact the state insurance department where the policy was bought. State regulators track company mergers, acquisitions and name changes, and can identify which insurer now services the policy.
How to Find Out If Someone Has Life Insurance: Bottom Line
You can find life insurance policies of deceased parents by searching personal belongings, contacting former employers and reviewing bank statements for premium payments.
The NAIC Life Insurance Policy Locator offers free searches using the deceased's Social Security number, though results take 90+ business days. MIB Group provides faster results in 10 business days for $75. Check your state's unclaimed property database.
Gather key documents early, including the death certificate and proof of your relationship. This speeds up the claims process.
Unclaimed Life Insurance: FAQ
We answer common questions about tracking down and claiming a deceased policyholder's life insurance:
What happens to unclaimed life insurance money?
Unclaimed life insurance money goes to your state's unclaimed property office, which holds your loved one's death benefit. The funds are held until beneficiaries complete a search and claim the death benefit.
Do life insurance companies contact beneficiaries?
Insurers are required to make good-faith efforts to find beneficiaries, but this isn't guaranteed. Don't wait for the insurance company to contact you if your loved one has passed and you know they had coverage. Perform a policy search or use a registry to identify the correct beneficiaries.
How do life insurance companies know when someone dies?
Life insurance companies rely on claims from beneficiaries or notifications from funeral homes to confirm the insured's death. They may also use the Social Security Administration's Death Master File to match records during policy searches by Social Security number.
Are life insurance policies public records?
Life insurance policies aren't public records. But beneficiaries can search for policies through insurers once they provide proof of death and their relationship to the deceased.
Is there a database to search for life insurance policies?
Yes, resources like national databases and unclaimed property databases can help search for policy details.
Can funeral homes search for life insurance policies?
Some funeral homes may help with the search process, but often need the policy number or other personal information. In most cases, the deceased's family performs the policy search.
Can I search for life insurance by Social Security Number?
Yes. The NAIC Life Insurance Policy Locator requires the deceased's Social Security number, legal name, date of birth and date of death. Participating insurers search their records and contact you if they find a match. The MIB Group offers a similar service.
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About Mark Fitzpatrick
Mark Fitzpatrick, a Licensed Property and Casualty Insurance Producer, is MoneyGeek's resident Personal Finance Expert. He has analyzed the insurance market for over five years, conducting original research for insurance shoppers. His insights have been featured in CNBC, NBC News and Mashable.
Fitzpatrick holds a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He's also a five-time Jeopardy champion!
He writes about economics and insurance, breaking down complex topics so people know what they're buying.