Free, online tool helps families find lost, unknown life insurance policies
A free online tool can help families locate a deceased loved one’s life insurance policies and annuity contracts.
In recognition of Life Insurance Awareness Month, the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs’ Insurance Division is reminding Hawaiʻi residents of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners Life Insurance Policy Locator, which aids family members who cannot locate a policy or are unaware of its existence.
The locator allows beneficiaries and legal representatives to submit a confidential search request to participating insurance companies at no cost.
“After losing a loved one, families should not have to struggle to determine whether financial protection was left behind,” said Insurance Commissioner Scott K. Saiki. “This free tool provides a simple, secure way to search for coverage and helps ensure that benefits reach the people for whom they were intended.”
Through the use of the Life Insurance Policy Locator, $11.2 million in benefits from more than 400 policies have been recovered and returned to Hawaiʻi residents in the past year.
To submit a request, consumers should have information from the deceased person’s death certificate, including their legal name, date of birth, date of death, and Social Security number or individual taxpayer identification number.
The requester must also provide their relationship to the deceased. If a policy is located and the requester is the beneficiary or is legally authorized to receive information, the company will contact the requester directly.
Not all insurance companies participate in the Policy Locator service, so a “no match” result does not necessarily mean no policy exists.
Access the free Life Insurance Policy Locator on the National Association of Insurance Commissioners website.
Consumers with questions about life insurance or this tool may contact the Hawaiʻi Insurance Division at 1-844-808-3222 ext. 4. Additional consumer resources can be found online.
