You should locate the policy, determine that you are the named beneficiary and then call the insurance company and request a claim form.  The company will help you if you have questions about how to fill it out, or you can ask your attorney.  If you cannot locate a policy, check the bank statements to see if premiums are being automatically withdrawn or checks have been written to an insurance company.  If you know one exists but still cannot find the policy call the insurance company and explain the situation to them.  If they still are not helpful, discuss it with your attorney.  Before cashing in the policy, be sure to discuss it with your attorney.  In some cases another course of action makes sense.  For example, it may make sense for tax or creditor protection reasons to disclaim the insurance proceeds.  In most cases, a disclaimer can't be used if the policy already is cashed in.  So, it is a good idea to discuss the insurance with your attorney before cashing it in.

Last updated on January 6, 2011 by Glenn Karisch