If you suspect that a deceased loved one had a life insurance policy or annuity contract that you are having trouble locating, the North Carolina Department of Insurance can help.
The Department has created the Lost Life Insurance and Annuity Inquiry Service to help consumers locate benefits from life insurance policies or annuity contracts purchased in North Carolina. Individuals who believe that they are beneficiaries, as well as executors and legal representatives of the deceased person, may submit an inquiry form at the link listed below.
Uploaded requests will be forwarded directly to North Carolina-licensed life insurance companies. Insurance companies will then contact the beneficiary if a policy is located.
If the person making the request is not legally entitled to information about the life insurance policy or annuity, the insurance company will not make contact with that person. Instead, the insurance company will begin a search for the beneficiaries named on the policy.
Personal Records
- Review the person’s papers for all other types of insurance policies, even if you’re not sure the policy is still in force. If you locate an automobile policy or homeowner’s policy, contact the company (or insurance agency) to determine if that same company issued a life insurance policy as well.
- Review canceled checks, credit card receipts and other financial records for evidence of any payments to life insurance companies.
- Check the person’s incoming mail for at least one year after his/her death to identify any premium notices, annual reports or other communications from a life insurance company.
- Review the person’s income tax returns for the past two years, for any interest income or interest expense from an insurance company.
- If the deceased owned a cell phone, check the contact list for an insurance agent or agency.
Family and Friends
- Check with all family members and close friends and ask if the person ever mentioned an insurance company.
- If the person lived in a small community, check with local insurance agent(s) who might have done business with him/her.
Past Employers, Associations, etc.
- Contact the deceased person’s last place of employment to determine if he/she had any group life insurance through the employer.
- Check with unions and associations to which the person belonged, to learn if insurance was purchased through them.
- Check with the person’s bank to determine if he/she maintained a lock box.
Check with State Government
The North Carolina Department of Insurance Consumer Assistance Forms can be accessed online at NCDOI Lost Policy Request
Contact the state’s unclaimed property office for any unclaimed money from life insurance companies. You should periodically conduct this check for an extended number of years.
