How to Find an Old Life Insurance Policy
Rachael Brennan
Licensed Insurance Agent
Rachael Brennan has been working in the insurance industry since 2006 when she began working as a licensed insurance representative for 21st Century Insurance, during which time she earned her Property and Casualty license in all 50 states.
After several years she expanded her insurance expertise, earning her license in Health and AD&D insurance as well. She has worked for small health in…
Benjamin Carr
Former State Farm Insurance Agent
Benjamin Carr worked as a licensed insurance agent at State Farm and Tennant Special Risk. He sold various lines of coverage and informed his clients about their life, health, property/casualty insurance needs.
Assessing risks and helping people find the best coverage to suit their needs is a passion of his. He appreciates that insurance was designed to protect people, particularly during times…
Former State Farm Insurance Agent
UPDATED: Jul 23, 2023
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What You Should Know
The first step in how to find out if someone has life insurance is to gather relevant information
State Insurance Departments can help you locate a life insurance policy if there is one available
If a significant amount of time has passed since the deceased’s death, the policy may be listed as unclaimed property
If your loved one didn’t leave a clear record of a life insurance policy, it can be difficult to know how to find an old life insurance policy. We break down the main steps on how to find out if someone has life insurance, so you can easily find out whether the deceased had an active life insurance policy.
Once you find the life insurance policy, it is then a matter of dealing with any life insurance death benefits, which may come in the form of a lump sum or multiple payments. In order to find a life insurance policy and potential death benefit payouts, read our guide below.
How to Search for Old Life Insurance Policies
There are a few ways to find an old life insurance policy, but one of the best ways is to contact your State Insurance Department and use its life insurance policy locator. You will need the deceased’s death certificate and social security number. Below, we have listed the contact information for each State Insurance Department.
Insurance Department Contact Information by State
StateInsurance DepartmentPhone NumberWebsite
AlabamaAlabama Department of Insurance(334) 241-4141www.aldoi.gov
AlaskaAlaska Division of Insurance(907) 269-7900www.commerce.alaska.gov/ins
ArizonaArizona Department of Insurance(602) 364-3100insurance.az.gov
ArkansasArkansas Insurance Department(501) 371-2600insurance.arkansas.gov
CaliforniaCalifornia Department of Insurance(800) 927-4357www.insurance.ca.gov
ColoradoColorado Division of Insurance(303) 894-7499doi.colorado.gov
ConnecticutConnecticut Insurance Department(860) 297-3800portal.ct.gov/cid
DelawareDelaware Insurance Department(302) 674-7300insurance.delaware.gov
FloridaFlorida Office of Insurance Regulation(850) 413-3140www.floir.com
GeorgiaGeorgia Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner(404) 656-2070www.oci.ga.gov
HawaiiHawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs(808) 586-2790cca.hawaii.gov/ins
IdahoIdaho Department of Insurance(208) 334-4250www.doi.idaho.gov
IllinoisIllinois Department of Insurance(312) 814-2420insurance.illinois.gov
IndianaIndiana Department of Insurance(317) 232-2385www.in.gov/idoi
IowaIowa Insurance Division(515) 281-5705iid.iowa.gov
KansasKansas Insurance Department(785) 296-3071insurance.kansas.gov
KentuckyKentucky Department of Insurance(502) 564-3630insurance.ky.gov
LouisianaLouisiana Department of Insurance(225) 342-5900ldi.la.gov
MaineMaine Bureau of Insurance(207) 624-8475www.maine.gov/insurance
MarylandMaryland Insurance Administration(410) 468-2000insurance.maryland.gov
MassachusettsMassachusetts Division of Insurance(617) 521-7794www.mass.gov/doi
MichiganMichigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services(877) 999-6442www.michigan.gov/difs
MinnesotaMinnesota Department of Commerce(651) 539-1500mn.gov/commerce
MississippiMississippi Insurance Department(601) 359-3569www.mid.ms.gov
MissouriMissouri Department of Commerce and Insurance(573) 751-4126insurance.mo.gov
MontanaMontana State Auditor’s Office(406) 444-2040csimt.gov
NebraskaNebraska Department of Insurance(402) 471-2201doi.nebraska.gov
NevadaNevada Division of Insurance(702) 486-4009doi.nv.gov
New HampshireNew Hampshire Insurance Department(603) 271-2261www.nh.gov/insurance
New JerseyNew Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance(609) 292-7272www.state.nj.us/dobi
New MexicoNew Mexico Office of Superintendent of Insurance(505) 827-4601www.osi.state.nm.us
New YorkNew York State Department of Financial Services(800) 342-3736www.dfs.ny.gov
North CarolinaNorth Carolina Department of Insurance(855) 408-1212www.ncdoi.gov
North DakotaNorth Dakota Insurance Department(701) 328-2440www.insurance.nd.gov
OhioOhio Department of Insurance(614) 644-2658www.insurance.ohio.gov
OklahomaOklahoma Insurance Department(405) 521-2828www.oid.ok.gov
OregonOregon Division of Financial Regulation(888) 877-4894dfr.oregon.gov
PennsylvaniaPennsylvania Insurance Department(877) 881-6388www.insurance.pa.gov
Rhode IslandRhode Island Department of Business Regulation(401) 462-9520www.dbr.ri.gov
South CarolinaSouth Carolina Department of Insurance(803) 737-6160www.doi.sc.gov
South DakotaSouth Dakota Division of Insurance(605) 773-3563dlr.sd.gov/insurance
TennesseeTennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance(615) 741-2241www.tn.gov/commerce/insurance
TexasTexas Department of Insurance(512) 676-6000www.tdi.texas.gov
UtahUtah Insurance Department(801) 538-3800insurance.utah.gov
VermontVermont Department of Financial Regulation(802) 828-3301dfr.vermont.gov
VirginiaVirginia State Corporation Commission(804) 371-9741scc.virginia.gov/boi
WashingtonWashington Office of the Insurance Commissioner(800) 562-6900www.insurance.wa.gov
Washington D.C.Washington D.C. Department of Insurance(202) 727-8000disb.dc.gov
West VirginiaWest Virginia Offices of the Insurance Commissioner(304) 558-3386insurance.wv.gov
WisconsinWisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance(608) 266-3585oci.wi.gov
WyomingWyoming Department of Insurance(307) 777-7401doi.wyo.gov
You can call your state’s department directly, or you can visit the website for help locating a life insurance policy. Once you find the life insurance policy, you will also be able to discover if you were listed as a life insurance beneficiary on the policy.
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Using a Life Insurance Policy Locator
When you contact your State Insurance Department, it is helpful to have gathered information on the policy if possible. This will help the State Insurance Department locate the deceased’s life insurance policy if one is to be found. The policy information you should look for is as follows:
Steps to Search for Old Life Insurance Policies
StepsInformation to Look for
Search the deceased’s documentsEvidence of policy and relevant information
Search through paper and digital filesInsurance-related documents
Check bank statementsChecks or automatic drafts to life insurance companies
Check mail and emailPremium or dividend notices, annual notices
Review tax returnsRecord of interest income or expenses paid to insurance companies
Check application documentsList of other life insurance policies
While it may take a while to dig through paperwork to find the necessary documents, bear in mind that it is much easier and faster for your State Insurance Department to find an insurance policy if you have at least some of the documentation listed above proving that there is an insurance policy in existence.
If you have any confusion about how life insurance policies and payouts work when looking for a policy, read our guide on how does life insurance work for more information.
Contacting the State Insurance Department
You can also contact the State Insurance Department if you need help locating a life insurance policy because some information is missing. While you don’t need to know all the policy information, like if the deceased had a term life or permanent life insurance policy, you should know basic information about the deceased and the insurance company.
Below, we’ve listed some instances where you might have trouble finding lost life insurance because of a lack of basic information, as well as what you should do in each case.
Methods of Locating an Existing Life Insurance Policy
MethodsSteps
NAIC Life Insurance Policy Locator ServiceSubmit a request with relevant information
State’s Unclaimed Property OfficeSearch the state’s unclaimed property database
Insurance company changed its name or soldTips on finding insurance companies that underwent changes
Company went bankruptContact the state life and health guaranty association
Policy may have been purchased in CanadaReach out to the Canadian Ombudservice for Life and Health Insurance
Fee-based servicesServices offered by MIB and private companies for a fee
Troubleshooting by following the steps above will help you with your old insurance policy search.
Tips for Finding an Old Life Insurance Policy
If you aren’t sure where to start with your search, take a look at our tips below on how to find out if someone has life insurance.
Steps to Find a Lost Life Insurance Policy
StepsInformation to Look for
Go through the deceased’s documentsLife insurance policy among paperwork, storage, or safe deposit box
Check digital filesComputer, external hard drive, or cloud system
Search bank statementsPayments or checks to life insurance companies
Review tax returnsRecord of interest income or expenses paid to insurance companies
Check email or mailPremium payment reminders, dividend notices, or marketing materials
Use NAIC Life Insurance Policy Locator toolRelationship to the deceased and relevant personal details
Contact state’s insurance departmentBasic information about the deceased and a copy of the death certificate
Check unclaimed property programsState programs for unclaimed life insurance policies
Reach out to the deceased’s employerBenefits or HR department for information on existing policies
Consult financial advisors, accountants, etc.Inquire about a life insurance policy in place
Try the MIB GroupDatabase search for life insurance application information
As you can see, there are plenty of ways to collect the information needed. Although some methods may be more time-consuming, the information gathered will help you determine whether there was an active life insurance policy.
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Unique Challenges to Finding Old Life Insurance
Often, the challenges that arise when looking for an old life insurance policy have to do with changed information or a significant lapse of time between the deceased’s death and the search for a life insurance policy. For example, the company that held the deceased’s life insurance policy may have gone under or changed its name. This can make it harder to track down the company that held the life insurance policy.
If a significant amount of time has passed since the deceased’s death and when you started investigating for a life insurance policy, this can also make it trickier to find the policy. At this point, it will be considered unclaimed property, so you may have to search through multiple databases to find the life insurance policy.
When Happens When You Can’t Find an Old Life Insurance Policy
If you can’t find an old life insurance plan, ensure it’s not listed as unclaimed property somewhere. Double-check that you have the information correct, as well. If you still can’t find an old life insurance policy, it is possible that there may not be one available. Perhaps the deceased had a life insurance policy, but they let it lapse before their death, making the life insurance policy invalid.
Bottom Line: Finding Old Life Insurance Policies
When it comes to steps in how to find life insurance policies, don’t be discouraged if you can’t find a life insurance policy right away. It can take a bit of work and research to find an older life insurance policy, especially if it has been labeled as unclaimed property. However, by collecting information and using government insurance sites and resources, you should be able to discover a policy.
We hope that our guide on how to find an old life insurance policy has been helpful. If you are looking to purchase a life insurance policy yourself, make sure to keep a detailed record of the policy for your beneficiaries and read our guide on types of life insurance to find the best policy for your needs. We also offer helpful information that answers questions like “do you need a Social Security Number to get life insurance” to help guide you through the application process.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I find out if a loved one had a life insurance policy?
You can contact your State Insurance Department for help finding lost life insurance policies.
Who can claim old life insurance policies?
If you have located the policy using a life insurance policy locator, this doesn’t automatically mean you get a life insurance payout. You must be a listed beneficiary on a life insurance policy to claim an old life insurance policy death benefit.
How can I check if I am a beneficiary of a life insurance policy?
First, you will need to find out if there is a life insurance policy through an old life insurance policy search. Then, you can contact the life insurance company to see if you are a listed beneficiary.
What information do I need to find a lost life insurance policy?
At a bare minimum, you will need the basic information about the deceased, so you can do basic searches like a life insurance policy search by social security number or a life insurance policy search by name and policy number.
Can a life insurance policy be located after the policyholder’s death?
Yes, you can use a life insurance policy locator to find a policy after the policyholder’s death.
How long does it take to find a lost life insurance policy?
When performing an old insurance policy search, the time it takes depends on what information you have and which tools you use. For example, if you are using a government site to find a policy, it may take up to several months to receive a reply.
What happens if a life insurance policy cannot be found?
If a life insurance policy can’t be found with a life insurance policy locator and no beneficiaries step forward, then after a few years the insurance company will generally turn the money over to the state.
How do I prevent losing track of my life insurance policy in the future?
Because life insurance is an important asset for your loved ones after you pass, it is important to keep track of it. Make sure to keep policy details and other relevant information in a safe spot that your beneficiaries will easily be able to access. Read our guide on “Is life insurance an asset” to learn more.
