Submit a Request to State Registries
If you know the state where a life insurance policy was issued, you may be able to find a record of it in the state registry. The NAUPA site links to each state's registry. After locating unclaimed property, you'll need to file a claim to prove ownership.
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.
Conduct a free search with the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators (NAUPA): NAUPA has a free tool to locate lost or unclaimed insurance money and other property. Select your state, and you can see if there's a record of any insurance benefits or money owed to you.
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.
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.
The amount of time beneficiaries have to claim life insurance depends on state laws and the life insurance company itself. But typically, there is no time limit.
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.
The answer is no
Purchasing a life insurance policy always involves the person named on the policy. Insurance companies will not allow anyone to buy insurance in your name without your agreement. The only exception to the rule is when a parent or grandparent purchases a child's life insurance policy.
The simple answer is yes—you can buy life insurance for someone else if they agree and are aware of the decision. However, you can't buy a plan for anyone without an insurable interest and consent from the person you are buying life insurance for.
Most insurance companies attempt to contact beneficiaries. But that's only if they're aware something happened. In most cases death benefits aren't paid out unless someone files a claim. Even then, there could be cause for delay.
LIC Policy Status Check Without Registration
Here's how you can use this service: Dial 1251: For BSNL and MTNL users. City-Specific Numbers: Users with other service providers can call their respective IVRS center numbers. Toll-Free Number: You can also call LIC's toll-free number 1800 33 4433 for assistance.
When a person goes missing, the law generally requires a waiting period before they can be declared legally dead. This period is typically seven years in many jurisdictions, although it can vary. During this time, the life insurance policy cannot be claimed unless there is conclusive evidence that the person has died.
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.
Life insurance policies may be listed in public records. The first place to check is your loved one's will. If your loved one went through a divorce, a life insurance policy may be listed as an asset in those proceedings.
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.
The online policy locator requests are secure, confidential, and free. Participating insurance companies are responsible for contacting beneficiaries and reporting matches to state insurance departments through the NAIC Life Insurance Policy Locator.
You can cash out a life insurance policy. How much money you get for it will depend on the amount of cash value held in it. If you have, say $10,000 of accumulated cash value, you would be entitled to withdraw up to all of that amount (less any surrender fees). At that point, however, your policy would be terminated.
The beneficiaries will never receive payment if they do not claim the life insurance benefits. The money can remain with the life insurance company for a certain period, but as you will see below, the life insurance company does not keep the money forever.
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.
Can You Claim Unclaimed Money From Deceased Relatives? The short answer is that yes, you can claim money from deceased relatives. If you believe that you're entitled to money left behind by a deceased relative, then you can make a legal claim to it under the inheritance laws of your state.
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.