Received a letter from an insurance company regarding possibly being a beneficiary and not sure if it's legit

[seeker747]

Please delete if this is the wrong group, or please point me in the right direction.

I received a letter from an insurance company regarding a Long Term Disability claim. It notes that the claimant passed, and that forms and documentation need to be filled out to see if I'm a beneficiary (?).

The claimant is my FIL, who passed away earlier this year, leaving no will. I have no idea if probate has been filed. Besides my husband, there are 2 other siblings, though my husband has not received a similar letter.

What gives me pause is that a W-9 form was included and I am extremely reluctant to give such personal information out.

Another thing is that the 'signature' is just a first name and the initial of the last name.

Is this a standard way life insurance claims work? Forgive my ignorance since our own policies were drawn up when we first married.

 

[tabinek]

@seeker747 Call the company by looking up their number independently. Then verify everything with them directly.

Insurers have an obligation to pay claims to their rightful owners/beneficiaries. As such they try to find the rightful beneficiary.

They have all kinds of tools through companies like LexisNexis that link associated people and families though common addresses and phone numbers. They’ve probably used something like that to find you as a connection to your FIL.

If you don’t respond the money will be sent to the state treasurer as unclaimed funds in 24-36ish months.

 

[seeker747]

@tabinek Thank you! We're several states away from the rest of my husband's family and therefore assumed that the son living 10 minutes from my FIL already started probate.

I'll start making calls in the morning, thank you again.

 

[tabinek]

@seeker747 Insurance benefits pass outside of probate.

 

[nathan_r]

@tabinek Does an insurer typically work with an executor of a will to dole out life insurance to beneficiaries or will an insurance company contact the beneficiary directly?

 

[tabinek]

@nathan_r Life insurance passes outside of probate (unless the estate is a beneficiary) so insurers work directly with the beneficiaries.

 

[nathan_r]

@tabinek Thank you! It’s so weird and frustrating. My husband’s father is the executor of his mother’s will and refuses to give the name of the life insurance group. We’re not sure if the group attempted to call my husband back in March as his phone records on his phone do not go back that far - or even if they attempted to contact.