Jefferson City, Mo. – September is Life Insurance Awareness Month and the Missouri Department of Insurance wants to make sure consumers are aware of its free, online Life Policy Locater service to find life insurance policies or annuities left behind by deceased love ones.

One such recovery came this summer when the department helped obtain nearly $11,000 for the trustee of a deceased Kansas City man.

The man’s policy was lost and his trustee contacted the department and filed a life policy search request in mid-June. The request led to the deceased man’s policy getting found. The life insurance company issued a check on July 21.

"Since its inception four years ago, this service has benefited many Missourians during their time of need," said Missouri Insurance Director John M. Huff. "Losing a loved one is a difficult and traumatic time. This online technology helps ensure lost policies are found and the intended recipients benefit.”

People who believe they are beneficiaries, as well as executors and legal representatives, can file a search request form with the Department of Insurance. Completed forms must be notarized and accompanied by an original death certificate before being mailed to the department. The department then collects and forwards the forms and death certificates electronically each month to licensed life insurance companies in Missouri. About 90 percent of the life insurance companies that do business in Missouri voluntarily participate in the service.

If the person making a request is not legally entitled to information about the life insurance policy or annuity, the insurance company will not contact that person. However, the company will begin a search for the beneficiaries named on the policy.

Consumers and insurance companies with questions about the Life Policy Locator can contact the department's Insurance Consumer Hotline at 800-726-7390 or visit insurance.mo.gov.<-->