MADISON, Wis., Sept. 18 -- The Wisconsin State Treasurer issued the following news release:

Starting today, Wisconsin residents who believe they are the beneficiaries of a Metlife Insurance Company policy or four of its subsidiaries OR a Prudential Insurance policy will be able to search the unclaimed property database to see if they are owed any money. Late last week, Metlife Insurance turned over more than $1.5 Million in one of several payments expected through the end of 2012. Prudential Insurance made an additional payment of $638,000. Its Prudential's third such payment to the Wisconsin State Treasury since July for a total of $2.8 Million.

"Both companies are doing the right thing by ensuring those who are owed death benefits receive that cash," State Treasurer Kurt Schuller said. "We expect all registered businesses in Wisconsin to comply with Wisconsin Unclaimed Property laws."

Prudential is currently cross-referencing millions of names in databases to make sure death benefits are sent to Unclaimed Property Units in multiple states including California, Colorado, Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Washington and Washington, D.C. as well as Wisconsin.

The Wisconsin State Treasury has received more than one thousand names from Prudential and Metlife. Spreadsheets with those names can be found on our homepage, www.wismissingmoney.com.

There is more than $400 million dollars in unclaimed assets held by the State Treasury. This money comes from forgotten paychecks, insurance premium overpayments, utility deposits, forgotten bank accounts, forgotten stocks, abandoned safe deposit boxes and many other forms of assets that have been lost, forgotten about or that people did not even know they had! There are more than 2 million "properties" held by the Office of State Treasurer. You can search for missing money 24/7 online at www.wismissingmoney.com or call 855-375-CASH (2274)

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