If you know which life insurance carrier issued the policy, contact the company directly. The insurer should have the policy on file. Be prepared to prove that you are the beneficiary listed (usually with an ID or social security number) and that the insured person is deceased.

What do you need to know about buying a life insurance policy?

The process of buying a policy makes it difficult for someone to do it without your knowledge. Most policies require a medical exam for the person whose life is being insured. In addition, the insured is required to sign a consent form for the release of medical records.

Where can I find a life insurance death benefit?

The easiest and fastest way to claim the life insurance death benefit is to look for the physical copy of the policy in the policyholder’s records. It’ll have all the information you need: the name of the beneficiary, the number at which to contact the life insurance company, and the amount of the death benefit.

How to find out if someone has a life insurance policy in Ohio?

Ohio has a form you can download and print off. The form asks for your contact information and the policy holder’s. The form must be notarized before being mailed to the Department of Insurance. If the state finds the policy, it should contact you and tell you where it is.

Can a term life policy remain in force?

Although unpaid term life policies quickly lapse, permanent whole life or universal life policies sometimes remain in force, using the accumulated cash values to pay the premiums or to purchase a smaller amount of paid-up insurance. If you find a permanent policy you’ve forgotten, it might retain some cash or insurance value.

What to do if you dont have a life insurance policy?

If you know you’re the beneficiary of a life insurance policy but don’t have a copy of the policy on hand, here’s what you can do: If you know which life insurance carrier issued the policy, you can directly contact that company. The insurance company should have the policy on file.

How to check the value of a life insurance policy?

It will also be helpful to have the annual statements showing the cash value of the policy. The statement will also show the cash surrender value of the policy. Get the contact number of the life insurance company that issued the policy. Contact the life insurance company to check whether the life insurance policy is still effective.