A national multi-state initiative requiring life insurance companies to pay outstanding claims pertaining to their deceased insured resulted in more than $4.98 million in unclaimed property for the Vermont State Treasurer Office. This money represents unreported unclaimed insurance payments owed after the death of policyholders.
Lost Policy and Other Insurance Company Search Links
Vermont Department of Financial Regulation
Use this to check the licensure of an insurance company or individual. Includes links to private companies that assist you in your search for potential lost policies for a fee.
National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators
The NAUPA Web site contains links for to the FDIC, Canada, Swiss, Australia, France and other unclaimed property databases. It also includes a link to search for Holocaust claims.
National Association of Insurance Commissioners
NAIC and the Center for Insurance Policy and Research offer tips and links to identify and track down an insurance company.
MetLife Policy Finder
MetLife provides a way for you to search for an unclaimed MetLife life insurance policy.
John Hancock
Submit an account request to initiate an inquiry into a lost or unclaimed John Hancock life insurance policy.
U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs Unclaimed Insurance Funds
Use to locate insurance policy payouts, dividend checks and premium refunds mailed to policyholders but returned by the US Postal Service. The Department of Veterans Affairs maintains these payouts indefinitely.
Contact Numbers for Insurance Companies
Myriad companies offer life insurance; however, the customer service phone numbers shown here reflect companies involved in an unclaimed life benefits settlement resulting from a multi-state task force. Web contact information for MetLife and John Hancock are listed above.
American General Life Companies (AIG): 800-888-2452
Global Atlantic Financial Group: 877-462-8992
Nationwide: 800-848-6331
Prudential: 800-778-2255
Suggestions for Finding Lost Insurance Policies
The Vermont State Treasurer Office and state treasurer offices throughout the country are working on proposals to assist consumers in locating and claiming lost insurance policies. If you believe you may be entitled to benefits from a life insurance policy, review these suggestions from the American Council of Life Insurers for assistance in doing your own search:
- Check financial papers, address and telephone books of the deceased to look for life insurance policies and the names of insurance agents; contact every insurance company with which they may have had a policy, even if unsure the policy is still in force.
- Contact the employee benefits offices at the last and prior employers, union welfare offices and pension fund managers.
- Review bank books and canceled checks for the last few years to find any payments for life insurance premiums.
- Watch the mail for one year after death for any annual insurance premiums notices. When a policy is paid in full, no notices of premium payments due will be sent; however, annual policy status notices or dividend payments may arrive.
- Scan income tax returns for the past two years to locate interest income from and interest expenses paid to life insurance companies. Life insurance companies pay interest on accumulations on permanent policies and charge interest on policy loans.
- Call or write the life insurance companies and ask if a policy exists. Each state insurance department maintains a list of ife insurance companies licensed to business within the state.
