*Emma was a 34-year-old nurse and single mom who never missed her son’s soccer games. She was the kind of parent who stayed up late to help with homework and got up early to pack lunches. Life was busy, but it was good.
One afternoon, while driving home from work, Emma suffered a sudden medical emergency and lost control of her car. She passed away before she could be taken to the hospital.
In an instant, her 4-year-old son, Caleb, was left without his mother — and her sister, Julia, became his guardian. Julia loved Caleb as her own, but the added cost of raising a child was overwhelming. The family later discovered that Emma didn’t have a life insurance policy, leaving no financial cushion to cover Caleb’s future needs.
Did my loved one have life insurance?
It’s a question that plays out every day after an unexpected loss — and one that can be both urgent and overwhelming.
Fortunately, there’s a tool designed to help. The Life Insurance Policy Locator Service, created by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), helps loved ones, beneficiaries, legal representatives, and executors search for existing life insurance policies and annuity contracts.
Since its launch in 2016, the Locator Service has helped uncover $10 billion in unclaimed benefits nationwide. In 2024 alone, Tennesseans located more than $87.6 million in insurance policies and benefits using this free resource.
Here’s how it works:
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When you submit a request, the NAIC queries all licensed life insurance companies in your state.
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Any company that locates a matching policy responds within 60 days.
The NAIC doesn’t handle payment claims or track beneficiary details — but it can provide the crucial first step: confirming whether a policy exists.
If you’re searching for a life insurance policy and have already checked financial records and receipts without success, consider submitting a request through the NAIC’s Life Insurance Policy Locator Service.
Tennessee residents can access the online request form through the TDCI Consumer Insurance Services Division under the “Lost Policy Service” page.
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*fictional story
