Co-Founder, Coastal Financial Partners Group, California
This question often comes up when a family member dies and the policies are believed to exist but cannot be located. There is no centralized database but there are ways to track down lost life insurance policies.
Start by looking through all paperwork, receipts, annual statements, bank statements, checkbooks, calendars, address books, etc. In the latter, look for, and contact, professional advisers e.g. life insurance, tax, legal, financial adviser or planner. Check the mail for the coming months for billing statements. Ask companies providing home, auto, health or other insurance coverage if life insurance was also held there.
Contact your state's insurance department and check the website for resources for locating lost policies. Some states have set up policy locator services. Also check the state's unclaimed property databases.
The MIB (Medical Information Bureau) is also a way to locate policies issued since 1996 from the insurance companies who are MIB members.
There are also a few businesses who charge a fee to do this research for you.
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Start by looking through all paperwork, receipts, annual statements, bank statements, checkbooks, calendars, address books, etc. In the latter, look for, and contact, professional advisers e.g. life insurance, tax, legal, financial adviser or planner. Check the mail for the coming months for billing statements. Ask companies providing home, auto, health or other insurance coverage if life insurance was also held there.
Contact your state's insurance department and check the website for resources for locating lost policies. Some states have set up policy locator services. Also check the state's unclaimed property databases.
The MIB (Medical Information Bureau) is also a way to locate policies issued since 1996 from the insurance companies who are MIB members.
There are also a few businesses who charge a fee to do this research for you.