QUESTION
Is there a way I can find out if I was a beneficiary?
Asked on Jan 23rd, 2014 on Litigation - Michigan
More details to this question:
My dad recently passed, he told me that I was a beneficiary of his life insurance policy and that he had some type of policy on my son whom is 10. His wife changed her number two days after his death and I have no way of getting in touch with her. I tried the calling the funeral home but was told that his wife requested no information be given to me.
14 ANSWERS
Life insurance benefits pass outside the probate estate. ?The insurance company, upon being notified of his death, will pay the beneficiaries directly. ?If your dad was still employed at the time of is death you can contact his employer and they might know the name of the insurance carrier if he carried the insurance through work. ?I assume that once he stops paying premiums on the policy the will try to contact him and then the named beneficiary. ?You have to diplomatically try to get his wife to tell you if there is insurance [why let the insurance company keep the money and he may have also named her in the policy]. ?I do not know who caused the bad blood between you two but you have to mend it to some degree to get information from her.
Answered on Jan 27th, 2014 at 11:07 PM
Trusts Attorney serving Sacramento, CA
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Law Office of Victor Waid
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Suggest you obtain the services of a probate lawyer to investigate for you and maybe make a demand on the the former wife for information and thereafter advise you of the course of action.
Answered on Jan 27th, 2014 at 11:07 PM
If you know the name of the insurance company, contact them directly. You can also petition the probate court in the county your father lived in to make you the executor of his estate. If someone else has already been named executor, you can submit a request to the court to have the insurance policy located and delivered to you.
Answered on Jan 27th, 2014 at 4:52 PM
Edwin K. Niles
It would seem that you are entitled to this information. Don't you have an address for the wife? If not, I'd say it's time to see a lawyer.
Answered on Jan 27th, 2014 at 4:48 PM
Business & Corporate Law Attorney serving Manchester, NH
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Wadleigh, Starr & Peters, P.L.L.C.
If you are a life insurance beneficiary, you could contact the life insurance company directly to determine whether you are a beneficiary.
Answered on Jan 27th, 2014 at 4:42 PM
Probate Attorney serving Newport, OR
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Minor, Bandonis & Haggerty P.C.
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If you know what insurance company the policy was with, get their claim form and apply. They will let you know.
Answered on Jan 27th, 2014 at 10:11 AM
You can contact the insurance company directly and ask them. If you do not know the name of the insurance company, you could contact his insurance agent.
Answered on Jan 27th, 2014 at 9:58 AM
3 Awards
Order a death certificate from the health district in the county where he died. You can search out life insurance policies, once you have a death certificate. Call the largest insurance companies and start there. There is no easy way to do this. This article form Consumer Reports may help. http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2013/02/how-to-find-lost-lif e-insurance-policies/index.htm Best of luck to you.
Answered on Jan 27th, 2014 at 9:54 AM
Business Planning Attorney serving Livonia, MI
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Frederick & Frederick Attorneys at Law
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I am very sorry for your loss. You can probably locate your stepmother, but rather than do that, at this point, I would suggest trying to locate the policy, instead. There is a company online that will do this for you for a nominal charge.
Answered on Jan 27th, 2014 at 9:52 AM
Commercial Attorney serving Chicago, IL
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Ashcraft & Ashcraft, Ltd.
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If you know the insurance company that issued the policy or the insurance agent you could find out if the policy existed and if you or your son were beneficiaries. The spouse cannot receive a death benefit that names you or your son as beneficiary without a death certificate on you or your son. The death benefit will only go to the beneficiary. If your father had a will it must be filed with the clerk of the court in the county of residence. The will would become public knowledge. A probate could be opened relating to probate of the will. In the probate proceeding you could try to learn about any life insurance policy owned by your father through discovery. If there is no will then an intestate probate could be opened. If there is no will the spouse receives one half of the estate and the children share in the other half of the estate.
Answered on Jan 27th, 2014 at 8:47 AM
Yes. You can file a Demand for Notice with the Court. You do this in the District Court for the County where your father lived when he died. For more detailed assistance, contact an attorney specializing in estate litigation.
Answered on Jan 27th, 2014 at 8:44 AM
2 Awards
Contact the insurance company if you know it. Otherwise have an attorney write the wife a letter. Depending upon how long they were married you may be entitled to more than just the life insurance and that is why she is ignoring you.
Answered on Jan 27th, 2014 at 8:42 AM
You need to contact the insurance company if you can. If not, you need to send a certified letter to the widow demanding an accounting. You should probably get a lawyer to help.
Answered on Jan 27th, 2014 at 8:42 AM
Appellate Attorney serving Grosse Pointe Farms, MI
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Musilli Brennan Associates, PLLC
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See an attorney, it would appear there is a storm on the horizon.
Answered on Jan 24th, 2014 at 7:47 AM