Death certificate when location unknown

[efflandt]

What is the name of your state? CA

A friend of mine was contacted by an insurance company as a beneficiary of her mother's policy, and they are also trying to locate her brother. However, they want a copy of her mother's death certificate and she does not know where to get it because her brother totally broke off contact with her after advising her of their mother's death. He did not even tell her if there were services or what happened to her mother's body. Before that he didn't even tell her where her mother was when she was failing (altzheimers), and he pulled her out of her nursing home in San Diego.

My friend thought her mother was in her 90's, but a full name search that came up listing her deceased husband's and son's names and San Diego and Malibu locations, shows 107. But that was just a name search with no death info.

Last she knew, her brother lived in Venice near Marina del Rey, but will not return her calls. So she has been trying unsuccessfully to get through the voicemail system of LA County to find out if they would have a death certificate.

An obit search of 166 CA newspapers came up empty, except for someone of the same full name who died younger (79) a year earlier in Laguna Woods. California Health department apparently keeps a record of deaths, but their site says they might not have records until 6 months later (she died in April).

How do you get info about a recent CA death, or whether probate has started, if you are not sure where it happened and nothing has been published in newpapers? I just e-mailed her a link for San Diego county death certificates in case it was filed based on her last permanent address. That also has a link to vitalchek.com, but required fields there include city and county, which she does not know.

 

[Zigner]

Have you asked the insurance company? I mean - they had to know she died *somehow*

 

[BlondiePB]

What is the name of your state? CA

A friend of mine was contacted by an insurance company as a beneficiary of her mother's policy, and they are also trying to locate her brother. However, they want a copy of her mother's death certificate and she does not know where to get it because her brother totally broke off contact with her after advising her of their mother's death. He did not even tell her if there were services or what happened to her mother's body. Before that he didn't even tell her where her mother was when she was failing (altzheimers), and he pulled her out of her nursing home in San Diego.

My friend thought her mother was in her 90's, but a full name search that came up listing her deceased husband's and son's names and San Diego and Malibu locations, shows 107. But that was just a name search with no death info.

Last she knew, her brother lived in Venice near Marina del Rey, but will not return her calls. So she has been trying unsuccessfully to get through the voicemail system of LA County to find out if they would have a death certificate.

An obit search of 166 CA newspapers came up empty, except for someone of the same full name who died younger (79) a year earlier in Laguna Woods. California Health department apparently keeps a record of deaths, but their site says they might not have records until 6 months later (she died in April).

How do you get info about a recent CA death, or whether probate has started, if you are not sure where it happened and nothing has been published in newpapers? I just e-mailed her a link for San Diego county death certificates in case it was filed based on her last permanent address. That also has a link to vitalchek.com, but required fields there include city and county, which she does not know.

If there was anything to probate, probate would be opened in the county where the deceased was last domiciled. Newspapers just print deaths along with very limited info. When you read more info about a deceased, someone (typically the person who is making final arrangements) pays the newspaper to have all that info. This is not required.

Have your friend contact the state's dept. of vital statistics for an original copy of the death certificate.

 

[efflandt]

The insurance is through San Diego County where her mom worked long ago. Even though they were aware of her mother's death and called her telling her she is a beneficiary (equal with her brother), they will not reveal anything. At first they told her she needed to provide a copy of the death certificate. Now it sounds like that will not help, and they will suspend any payment indefinitely until they can get ahold of her brother.

It is not a lot of money (only $1800), but they assume you know what needs to be done and are not very helpful. At this point she does not even know where to obtain a death certificate when location of death is unknown. And various county recorders want a non-refundable application fee without telling you "if" they have any info or any guaranty that they can provide anything.

Her brother's wife works at Pepperdine University and is listed on their web pages under her maiden name (of her cousin, a famous female vocalist). Maybe I should drop her an e-mail and see if she responds.

 

[BlondiePB]

The insurance is through San Diego County where her mom worked long ago. Even though they were aware of her mother's death and called her telling her she is a beneficiary (equal with her brother), they will not reveal anything. At first they told her she needed to provide a copy of the death certificate. Now it sounds like that will not help, and they will suspend any payment indefinitely until they can get ahold of her brother.

It is not a lot of money (only $1800), but they assume you know what needs to be done and are not very helpful. At this point she does not even know where to obtain a death certificate when location of death is unknown. And various county recorders want a non-refundable application fee without telling you "if" they have any info or any guaranty that they can provide anything.

Her brother's wife works at Pepperdine University and is listed on their web pages under her maiden name (of her cousin, a famous female vocalist). Maybe I should drop her an e-mail and see if she responds.

Each state has an office/dept. of vital statistics. That is where death certificates are issued. Have your friend call there. It's not a county thing, though each county has their own stuff. When one makes final arrangements, the funeral home asks how many original copies of a death certificate are wanted. The requested number of original copies of a death certificate are sent from the office/dept of vital statistics.