Life Insurance Policies

[J.Helene]

What is the name of your state? Maine
When my boyfriend and his wife divorced, he gave no thought to his life insurance policies. Upon inspection he noticed all his paper work was missing; the ex took everything. He can't even remember the names of the companies. He thinks he had three different policies; one or more paid up policies. He is unable to communicate with her. He had a struggle to remove her from the house insurance. She wouldn't willingly sign so she will never give up the policies in which she is named beneficiary. My b/f would like to remove her as beneficiary and name his mother. Other than contacting a lawyer and having another court battle, how could he obtain the names of the companies and change the name of beneficiary? They were married only four years, and there are no minor children; one child but he is of age.

 

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

What is the name of your state? Maine
When my boyfriend and his wife divorced, he gave no thought to his life insurance policies. Upon inspection he noticed all his paper work was missing; the ex took everything. He can't even remember the names of the companies. He thinks he had three different policies; one or more paid up policies. He is unable to communicate with her. He had a struggle to remove her from the house insurance. She wouldn't willingly sign so she will never give up the policies in which she is named beneficiary. My b/f would like to remove her as beneficiary and name his mother. Other than contacting a lawyer and having another court battle, how could he obtain the names of the companies and change the name of beneficiary? They were married only four years, and there are no minor children; one child but he is of age.

My response:

Unless he can remember the names of all of the insurance companies, then there's no way to help him.

IAAL

 

[ALawyer]

Tell your forgetful old boyfriend to check his old checkbooks and records and see which companies he wrote checks to. If the policies were provided by an employer, ask the employer. If he had a friend who was the agent, ask the friend.

One more approach might be to write to each of the top 20 companies as in the aggregate they write well over 50% of all life insurance written by all companies -- they include Prudential, MetLife (which now includes New England Mutual), John Hancock, Mass Mutual, Northwest Mutual, Axa Equitable, New York Life, Guardian, Principal, Transamerica, American General, etc.