We can help find a loved one’s life insurance policy

When a loved one dies, family members have a number of things they must do. In addition to making funeral arrangements, survivors must take care of the loved one’s estate to the best of their ability. Family members often wonder if their loved one had a life insurance policy.

While the staff at the Department of Insurance can’t help you probate a person’s will, we can help you locate a lost life insurance policy. The service is free and helps locate benefits from life insurance policies or annuity contracts purchased in North Carolina.

You can find the Lost Life Insurance and Annuity Service on the Department of Insurance’s web page at: ncdoi.gov. Scroll down and click on the link that says, “Locate a lost life insurance policy.” After agreeing to the terms and conditions, you will be asked to provide some information about yourself and the deceased.

If you’re having trouble or need assistance, you can call our toll-free number at: (855) 408-1212 to speak to one of our consumer specialists. Call between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays.

The program works. Last year, the tool helped North Carolinians obtain $65.9 million in claims from life insurance policies that had been lost. In 2024, North Carolinians obtained $70.5 million in life insurance benefits. In 2023, the service found $65.9 million in benefits.

People purchase life insurance policies for several reasons. They may want to:

· Allow a surviving spouse to continue having a comfortable standard of living.

· Make retirement more comfortable.

· Provide for a child’s education.

· Pay for funeral expenses. · Pay for medical bills. · Pay off a mortgage so surviving family members don’t have to worry about having a roof over their head.

· Pay off other outstanding debts.

Whatever the reason for taking out a life insurance policy, beneficiaries expect to be able to receive those benefits when a loved one dies.

The life insurance policy may have been taken out years or decades ago. Families may have moved over the years. The policy may have been misplaced or accidentally thrown away. Searching through a safe, desk drawers or filing cabinets may yield no results.

Fortunately, this tool is available to help families during difficult times. Losing a loved one is difficult enough.

You may want to keep our toll-free number handy in case you have other questions regarding insurance.

N.C. Department of Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey.