State locates $107M in missing insurance funds

NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI) proudly announces that over $107 million in insurance policies and benefits was located in 2025 for Tennesseans through the Life Insurance Policy Locator Service.

Developed by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), the Life Insurance Policy Locator Service is a free service that enables beneficiaries, executors, or legal representatives of deceased people to locatelife insurance policies and annuity contracts of their late family members, clients, or friends.

From Jan. 1, 2025, to Dec. 31, 2025, the service located insurance policies with $107,757,080 in benefits for Tennesseans, breaking the previous record of $87.67 million set in 2024.

"I am encouraged to see that Tennesseans are claiming life insurance benefits as these policies are intended by their purchasers to help cover financial burdens such as medical bills, funeral costs, and other financial obligations that can occur after the loss of a loved one," said TDCI Commissioner Carter Lawrence. "It is my hope that the Life Insurance Policy Locator Service eases the burden that family members and loved ones may face after the passing of a loved one, and I am grateful that the NAIC created this program."

Looking for a deceased loved one's lost policy? TDCI recommends that you start by reviewing financial records to see if you can find where payments have been made to an insurance company. If any of the documents reference payments made to an insurance company, you can call them directly to see if a policy can be located.

To request a search, follow these steps:

Complete NAIC's online Life Insurance Policy Locator Service request form. Once the request is complete, NAIC will send the policyholder's information to all licensed life insurance companies across the United States.Companies will check their records to determine if they have a policy matching the beneficiary's information.If a match is found, the company will respond within 60 days. If a company finds a match, they will respond directly to the requestor if you are a designated beneficiary or are legally authorized to receive such information.

The service does not track beneficiary information or claim payment after matches are reported, so there is no way to determine the amount actually returned to consumers. The total claim amount only includes the amount reported by companies tied to a match for a deceased person.

For more information on the Life Insurance Policy Locator Service and other consumer insurance resources, visit our blog or contact the TDCI Consumer Insurance Service Division at 1-800-342-4029 or (615) 741-2218.