MetLife Unclaimed Property: How to Find Unclaimed Life Insurance Money

Metropolitan Life Insurance Company — better known as MetLife — is one of the largest holders of unclaimed property in California. Across its entities, MetLife has reported over $264 million in unclaimed funds to the State Controller’s Office, making it the single largest insurance company on the list.

If you or a family member ever held a life insurance policy, annuity, or retirement product with MetLife, some of that money could be waiting for you.

Why Does MetLife Have So Much Unclaimed Property?

Life insurance is one of the most common sources of unclaimed property in the United States. The reason is straightforward: life insurance pays out when someone dies, but the insurance company often doesn’t know the policyholder has passed away. If the beneficiaries don’t file a claim — because they didn’t know the policy existed — the proceeds sit unclaimed.

MetLife is one of the largest life insurers in the world, with policies dating back over 150 years. Over that time, millions of policies have been issued. A significant number of those policyholders have passed away without their beneficiaries ever being notified or filing a claim. Other common sources of MetLife unclaimed property include matured endowment policies that were never cashed out, annuity payments sent to outdated addresses, group life insurance benefits from former employers, and pension or retirement account balances that were never rolled over or withdrawn.

MetLife has also acquired numerous other insurance companies over the decades, including Travelers Insurance, New England Financial, and GenAmerica Financial. If a family member held a policy with any of these companies, the unclaimed proceeds may now be reported under the MetLife name.

MetLife Unclaimed Property in California: The Numbers

Based on our analysis of California’s unclaimed property data (as of November 2023):

That’s over $264 million in California alone — and MetLife reports unclaimed property in every state.

How to Search for MetLife Unclaimed Property

Once insurance proceeds or other funds have been turned over to the state, MetLife no longer holds them. You need to search state unclaimed property databases directly.

Multi-state search: Start at MissingMoney.com to search multiple states at once, or use Unclaimed.org to go directly to each state’s database.

California: Search at claimit.ca.gov. For a detailed walkthrough of the California process, see our California unclaimed property guide.

MetLife’s own search tool: MetLife also maintains its own unclaimed property search at metlife.com/support/unclaimed-property. This can help you find policies that haven’t yet been escheated to the state.

Tips for searching effectively:

• Search for deceased relatives. Life insurance unclaimed property almost always belongs to the beneficiary, not the original policyholder. If a parent, grandparent, or spouse held a MetLife policy, search under their name — you may be the rightful beneficiary.
• Try maiden names and former legal names. Policies may have been issued decades ago under a name that no longer matches current records.
• Search in the state where the policyholder last lived, as that’s typically where unclaimed insurance proceeds are reported.
• Check for employer-provided group life insurance. Many people don’t realize their employer carried a life insurance policy on their behalf through MetLife. When the employee dies, their family may never know the policy existed.

How to File a Claim

If you find a match in a state database, the claim is filed through the state — not through MetLife. You’ll typically need a government-issued photo ID, your Social Security number, and documentation connecting you or your relative to the policy.

For life insurance claims specifically, you may also need a certified death certificate for the policyholder, proof that you’re the named beneficiary or legal heir, and any policy documentation you can locate (policy number, old correspondence, premium payment records).

Don’t worry if you can’t find the original policy documents. States are accustomed to processing claims with limited documentation, and the staff can often guide you through what’s needed for your specific situation.

Companies Acquired by MetLife

If a family member held a policy with any of these companies, their unclaimed proceeds may now be reported under MetLife:

• Travelers Insurance (life insurance division)
• New England Financial
• GenAmerica Financial
• Cova Financial
• Hyatt Legal Plans
• American Life Insurance Company (ALICO)

What to Do Next

Life insurance unclaimed property is some of the most valuable to search for, because individual policy payouts can be worth thousands or tens of thousands of dollars. Run a search today for yourself and any deceased relatives — it only takes a few minutes.

For a complete walkthrough of every database you should check, read our complete guide to finding unclaimed money.