You May Not Need the Policy

• It is generally not necessary to produce the policy itself in order to file a death claim. If you know who the insurance company was, but you cannot find a policy, you can file a claim by providing the insurance company with the name, Social Security number and any other identifying information, and giving that information plus a death certificate to the company or its agent. The agent can look up the policy by Social Security Number and verify that it was in force. If a policy is in force, and you are named as the beneficiary, you can claim the death benefit by filling out the appropriate company form and submitting it, along with a notarized copy of the death certificate.
  
  

Locating Papers

• Many financial planners and insurance agents work with their clients to organize their papers and create binders or files containing life insurance documents along with wills, letters to executors, the location of accounts and their account numbers. If you don't know who the insurance company was, check the desk as well as any file cabinets. Occasionally, you may find life insurance documents along with other valuables in safety deposit boxes. Go through mail and look for envelopes from life insurance companies.
  
  

Employer Policies

• Contact the deceased's employer. Many workplaces offer life insurance either as an employee benefit or by voluntary payroll deduction. The human resources department or experienced managers will be able to tell you whether the company had a workplace policy or whether the deceased was paying premiums to an individually-owned life insurance policy via payroll deduction.
  
  

Industry Life Insurance Policy Search

• For a fee of $75, you can have MIB Solutions, Inc., conduct a search for a lost policy for you. MIB is the primary clearing house for medical records information. If any insurance company inquired into the deceased's medical records when he applied for the policy, they will have a record of it, and may be able to quickly identify companies with in-force life insurance policies and provide you with policy numbers. You must be a close living relative or have other documentation naming you as the executor or other representative of the estate.
  
  

State Unclaimed Property Administrators

• If substantial time has passed since the deceased's passing, the life insurance company may have transferred its unclaimed policy to the state. Your state may be able to distribute the death benefit. For more information, visit the Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators website.