Trustpilot
Show More

Ask an Expert

How do I find out if someone had life insurance?

People take out life insurance policies with the intention of leaving behind money to support their loved ones. However, if a death is unexpected, those loved ones may not know the policy existed or that they’re the beneficiaries of it. So, how can you know if someone had a life insurance policy?

Usually, it’s the responsibility of the executor of the will to search for any life insurance policy the deceased held. If there is no will, it’s the duty of the appointed administrator of the estate. Executors and administrators are best placed to search for insurance policies because they have a grant of probate, the death certificate, and the deceased’s personal identity documents, all of which may be needed in the hunt. However, next of kin and potential beneficiaries can also perform searches if they have the documents required.

Some cases are straightforward: the deceased’s will mentions the policy or they’ve left behind policy documents or a letter from the insurer (typically kept with other important documents like birth certificates and passports).

Executors and administrators also have access to the deceased’s bank account statements or can request these from the bank. They can comb through statements for monthly premium payments to an insurer. While the records of these payments won’t give you the policy number, they’ll point you to the insurer, which will be able to provide information about the policy.

If you don’t stumble upon any documents, you can also contact insurers separately and ask if they hold a policy in the deceased’s name.

You should also contact the deceased’s employer to see if they were covered by a Death in Service policy. While these policies may be less generous than full life insurance policies, they can also provide important financial assistance to survivors and should be claimed.

If all that sounds too onerous or you’ve exhausted those options, you can apply to the Unclaimed Assets Register. For a £25 fee, you can find financial records for the deceased. But while all term life insurance policies will be recorded on the register, whole of life policies, which include over 50s policies, aren’t added until the policyholder’s 100th birthday. However, unclaimed life insurance policies don’t expire so it could be worth reapplying to the register a few years later if you don't turn anything up in the first search.

Related guides

Is Critical Illness Cover the Same as Life Insurance?

It’s not always easy to speak openly about the chances of becoming seriously ill to the point where you can no longer work, or even the possibility of death. However, when you have loved ones, debts, or a mortgage to consider, sometimes the most positive step you can make is to compare life insurance options or critical illness cover. When the unexpected occurs, critical illness cover can help your family cover some important costs. But is this cover the same protection that life insurance policies provide you with? And what happens if you combine both into a joint policy?  In the guide below, we’ll look into the details of critical illness and life cover, learn about their differences and similarities, and help you to make sure you’ve found the best possible coverage for your specific needs. 

How to Compare Life Insurance Quotes

In the age of the internet, it's never been easier to compare life insurance quotes. With the click of a button and a simple Google search, it’s possible to find hundreds of providers all claiming to be the best, cheapest, or most comprehensive solution for your needs.But if you’ve been alternating between two, 10 or even 35 life insurance policies, you might be questioning whether too much choice can be a bad thing. In reality, it’s not the availability of life insurance policies that’s the problem, but rather the overwhelmingness that comes with being faced with so many options.This feeling leads some people to make decisions that may not align with their needs, simply because they lack the tools and understanding to effectively compare life insurance quotes.In this guide, you’ll learn why comparing life insurance is so important and how to use having too much choice to your advantage. This will hopefully lead to your next life insurance policy being the right one for your long-term needs.

Life Insurance for High BMI

Navigating the world of life insurance can be a daunting experience for anyone, but it can be especially challenging if your health isn't perfect or if you have a high Body Mass Index (BMI). However, that doesn't mean that finding a suitable life insurance premium is impossible. Having a high BMI can affect the type of policy you are eligible for. This means it may affect your options, premiums, and coverage terms. Many insurers use BMI as one factor in assessing risk, as higher BMI levels are associated with health issues like diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. However, different life insurance providers may have varying approaches to how they evaluate applications from individuals with a high BMI.  In this article, we'll explore life insurance for individuals with a high BMI, helping you to understand some of the difficulties you may face along the way when seeking a life insurance cover.