[USER]

Looking for any experience you may have with claiming life insurance benefits when we lack information on the policy and do not have a death certificate.

My wife’s biological father passed away three years ago.

She was legally adopted by another man and, despite several attempts, we are not able to get a death certificate as his family is not willing to provide it.

My understanding is she can’t get a death certificate on her own since she was not legally his child.

We have good reason to believe our children were named beneficiaries on a life insurance policy he took out.

I can see a life insurance policy in his name on the state unclaimed property website.

It lists the insurance company’s name, but there is no apparent way to discuss the policy with them unless we have a death certificate.

Any tips on how to find out if my children are beneficiaries to this policy?

Has anyone dealt with a similar situation? The money is more symbolic than anything.

It would be good for them to have something from their grandfather.

And it feels wrong that the policy sits unclaimed against his wishes.

[Robin]

Does her original birth control not have her biological father’s name on it?

[Rachael]

You can get a death certificate from the health department. The only difference may be is that it might be a shorter death certificate than what “family” can get.

This is the case in Florida.

[Stacey]

Our experience with an insurance policy (we did not know about) on unclaimed property site, we had to provide the death certificate and the will.

And basically without both we could not move forward.

((We had misplaced the will, as this was years after the death))

We were also told once it moved to unclaimed property the insurance company could no longer help us, as it was now with the state.

[Ann]

Can’t you get a copy of the death certificate from the County where her father died?

I’m not sure, but seems like you could just ask for a copy or find it on-line.

Are you saying you can’t get a copy from the County b/c the County is preventing this?

[Rebecca]

Maybe another avenue to get the death certificate would be the funeral home that handled his services?

If nothing else is working this may be worth trying.

[Liz]

Not sure what state you’re in, but I had to get my Dads record from Arizona, (He passed in a hospital there), we live in Ca.

I called the courthouse there and spoke to someone very knowledge and asked what I needed to get th certificate.

I provided a copy of my birth certificate and my ID front and back and filled out a form for the Bureau of Vital records for Arizona stating my relationship, etc.

If I remember correctly, I put “attn xxxxx (persons name I spoke to on the phone).

Not sure if this would work for your wife but it worth a shot to call and ask.

[Darla]

Go directly to the county he passed away in and request a copy. Bypass the family.

You will be able to get it as long as it’s not for nefarious reasons.

I had a similar situation and was able to get it.

[Author]

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