Sacramento, CA asked in Estate Planning for California

Q: How can I find a lost insurance policy

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1 Lawyer Answer
Rod B. Tuazon
Rod B. Tuazon
Answered
  • Estate Planning Lawyer
  • Ventura, CA

A: Assuming you are referring to a lost life insurance policy, the answer depends on whether you are the policy owner or a beneficiary of the life insurance policy.

If you are the policy owner and you know the insurance company and the policy number (or social security number), you may simply call the toll free number and ask for a “Statement of Insurance Coverage” or any similar term issued by the insurance company in lieu of a lost or misplaced policy. The statement shows the named insured, policy number, issue date, policy owner, death benefit amount, beneficiaries, and other pertinent policy information. I must warn you that the insurance company will generally communicate only with the policy owner (usually the named insured) unless the named insured or policy owner is no longer alive.

If you are the beneficiary of a lost insurance policy, the existence of a policy is generally not a requirement to file a claim. If you know the insurance company, just call the toll free number, and ask for instructions. Procedurally, this involves filing a lost policy form with your claim, in addition to attaching the death certificate of the named insured.

If you have no idea who the insurance carrier is, you may have a tough time tracing that lost insurance policy.

Tim Akpinar agrees with this answer

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