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Life Insurance

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jassmine99

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?
Wisconsin.

I have reason to believe I MIGHT be named as a beneficiary on a life insurance policy of a person that died over a year ago. Is there an easy
way to find out? I tried going through the probate to find out information,
but I did not find any probate record for this person. He lived in Wisconsin,
died in Louisiana and his only surviving relatives live in Indiana. No record
in any of those states.

Can I also safely assume a probate SHOULD be filed? He did not own real
estate but he did own vehicles and a boat and personal effects.

I do know I was named beneficiary at one time but I do not know if he had changed beneficiaries.
 


CLJM

Member
jassmine99,

If you were named as the beneficiary on a life insurance policy, the policy proceeds would be payable directly to you, without going through the probate process. Named beneficiary policies pass outside of probate.
You could contact the insurance company, if known, or, contact the relatives of the deceased.
 

Dandy Don

Senior Member
If you know where he was employed, ask as his place of employment to see if he perhaps purchased the policy through work. MIB Group offers a policy locator service for a $75.00 fee, which is what I would use if I were in your situation. It seems like the family is not going to be very forthcoming or cooperative in your quest for information. If no one in the family files to open up probate, you can do it yourself or have a probate attorney do it on your behalf, since you are an interested party/potential beneficiary. Administrator of the estate (you or your attorney) would then also have legal power to order copies of decedent's tax returns and bank account statements which could be gleaned to see if he was making premium payments to any insurance company.
 

latigo

Senior Member
There is nothing whatsoever in your post indicating that you are an interested party to the estate of the supposedly insured deceased, neither as next of kin or a potential beneficiary of the decedent’s estate!

But if you want to follow this wannabe DD’s’ lame suggestion and seek your appointment as the personal representative of the supposedly insured both in Wisconsin and Louisiana and spend an armload of money in the process in hopes of making a blind attempt to find relevant financial records that may lead you no where, then have at it!

Also apparently DD has never heard of the various Privacy Acts in this country that would prevent a former employer from randomly disclosing confidential information regarding a former employee.

If you haven't been notified by the supposed insurer of the existence of a life policy with you a designated beneficiary, then forget it.

However, if for some reason you have kept your whereabouts concealed, then check below and learn about Wisconsin's Uniform Unclaimed Property Act Chapter 177 Section 177.03. "Unclaimed Funds Held by Insurer".

www.statetreasury.wisconsin.gov/section.asp?linkid=1380
 

Dandy Don

Senior Member
Hopefully the poster will let us know about how that worthless suggestion to check "unclaimed property" turns out. Any reputable life insurance company would have made an effort to contact the beneficiary if the poster is still listed as the beneficiary, which might not even be the case if someone in the family changed the beneficiary designation.

An administrator of an estate can get information about estate assets from any employer. Or I guess the poster should just do nothing and never find out for sure whether they were entitled to anything or not.

At least the administrator will have legal authority to ask the family members about what happened to assets in the estate.
 
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