Collecting on Lost Life Insurance Policies

Since you were a small boy you were close to uncle Mike, your mother’s brother. In later years you became firm friends and more than once he told you that you were the beneficiary of his life insurance policy. He passed on a year ago and there is no sign of the policy.

If you're a beneficiary and you find the lost life insurance policy shortly after the insured dies (within six months to a year, for example), claiming the death benefit should be trouble-free.

First, determine if the insured had term or permanent life insurance. If the insured held a term policy, you'll receive the death benefit if he died before the end of the policy term. If he died after the policy expiration date, you would get nothing.

If the insured had a permanent life insurance policy, you'll receive the money if the death occurred while the policy was "in force," meaning all premium payments were made up until the time of death. If the death was a while ago, you'll receive the benefit with interest from the date of death.

If the life insurance policy lapsed, meaning the insured stopped making premium payments before he died, there's a chance you might get nothing.