Beneficiary of a Will
If you're not sure you were named as a beneficiary in someone's Will, check with the probate court in the county where the decedent lived. Since it is a public record, you can request to see the Will's filing.
A Beneficiary need not know about a trust of which he or she is a Beneficiary, and neither the Settlor nor the Trustee (if the Settlor waived the requirement for the Trustee to keep the beneficiaries informed) needs to inform the Beneficiary of the existence of the trust; but if the beneficiary finds out about it and ...
The executor or personal representative will contact each beneficiary. That is often done through written communication, such as a letter or email, providing details about the deceased's passing, their role as executor, and the beneficiary's rights and entitlements.
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.
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.
Contact the DMV – The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) could be your last hope for locating insurance information for an at-fault driver. The DMV may choose not to help you, but they have access to every driver in the state. By providing a few details you could learn where to file your claim for damages.
The timeline is much shorter. California laws, for example, require that beneficiaries are notified within 60 days of the death.
Once a policyholder has passed away, beneficiaries typically receive life insurance notification within 90 days of the death.
Check With the County Courthouse
Contact the probate courts of EACH county in which the decedent lived throughout their adult life to ask if they have the will on file—even if it was filed many years ago.
Life insurers have begun using the U.S. Social Security Administration's Death Master File as well as other search technologies to determine if a person insured under an individual life insurance policy has died; if they can confirm the death, the insurer will initiate a search for their beneficiaries.
Typically, you might receive a certified letter from the personal representative notifying you that you are a beneficiary. However, you can always contact the estate attorney to explain the will to you.
While information like the testator's beneficiaries will be available to the public, some details may be redacted for privacy reasons—such as social security numbers, addresses, birth dates, and financial information like bank account numbers.
The best place to begin your search is www.Unclaimed.org, the website of the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators (NAUPA). This free website contains information about unclaimed property held by each state. You can search every state where your loved one lived or worked to see if anything shows up.
Once the court receives the petition, it will set a date for the initial probate proceeding, which is where an executor or administrator of the estate will be appointed to oversee the probate process and make distributions of estate assets to beneficiaries or heirs upon its completion.
The first step in locating a missing beneficiary or heir is to thoroughly review all estate documents and personal records. This includes: The Will: The will may contain addresses or contact information for beneficiaries. Family Records: Personal letters, address books, and family photographs can provide clues.
In California, the beneficiaries typically obtain access to a copy of the Will through probate. The probate process commences at the time of death, so the Will is filed with the probate court. Afterward, the proxy appointed to oversee execution can provide all the beneficiaries and family members with a copy.
An heir can claim their inheritance anywhere from six months to three years after a decedent passes away, depending on where they live. Every state and county jurisdiction sets different rules about an heir's ability to claim their inheritance.
A typical timeline
While there is no strict deadline, beneficiaries are usually notified within a few weeks to a few months after someone's death.
You might want to assign multiple people or entities as your primary beneficiaries. If one of them passes away or no longer exists, the remaining beneficiaries will receive the payout.
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).
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.
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.