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.
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.
You should contact the person who took out the policy and tell them they have not been authorized. If they refuse to cancel the policy, you can go to court and ask for an order that the person cannot enforce the life insurance policy.
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 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.
HealthCare.gov, is a portal for finding information about your health insurance options. You can also contact HealthCare.gov at 1-800-318-2596 or go to https://www.healthcare.gov/contact-us/. If you have Medicare or Medicaid, visit the Medicare Web site or call the Medicare Help Line at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
Can a Beneficiary Designation Be Contested? Any beneficiary designation can be contested, but the person contesting has to have standing and there has to be a valid reason for the dispute.
Companies may have a record of life insurance policies for past employees. Try the state insurance department: Unclaimed life insurance eventually gets passed on to the state insurance department if the insurer is aware that the policyholder has passed away but the beneficiary hasn't filed a claim.
It's most common to take out a life insurance policy on a parent, child, sibling, or business partner. You can't get life insurance coverage on someone else without their knowledge. The person you're insuring needs to consent to the application process and sign the policy.
Life insurance may not pay out if the policy expires, premiums aren't paid, or there are false statements on the application. Other reasons include death from illegal activities, suicide, or homicide, with insurers investigating claims thoroughly.
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.
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).
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.
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 timeline is much shorter. California laws, for example, require that beneficiaries are notified within 60 days of the death.
In many cases, it takes anywhere from 14 to 60 days for beneficiaries to receive a life insurance payout.
A third party can't take out a life insurance policy on you without your knowledge and consent. The person must first notify you of their intentions, and obtain your formal agreement to the policy.
In your web browser, navigate to naic.org, hover over Consumer, and click Life Insurance Policy Locator under Tools. Submit a search request by entering the deceased's information from the death certificate: Social Security number. Legal first name.
If you want to withdraw the full amount, you will need to surrender your policy, and you'll no longer have life insurance coverage. You could also make a partial withdrawal, which allows you to maintain your life insurance coverage but decreases the death benefit your beneficiaries receive.