If you are a beneficiary on life insurance who lets you know?

Once an insurance company (insurer) receives a valid proof of loss (claim form), the insurer will begin the process of contacting beneficiaries of any life insurance. The insurer will first contact the primary beneficiary. If unable to locate the primary beneficiary, or if the primary beneficiary is dead, the insurer will then move to the contingent beneficiary (second beneficiary). If the insurer has no response to the contingent beneficiary, the insurer then moves to the tertiary beneficiary (third beneficiary). Failure here will force the insurer to pay any life proceeds to the estate of the decedent, which can open the claim to the creditors of the decedent in most states. More than 40% of life insurance policies in America have no named beneficiary! Failure to name the beneficiary can leave your loved ones in a bind. Always name your beneficiaries. List one or more in each category (primary, contingent, tertiary) too. Most people name their spouse first, children as contingent, and parents or siblings as tertiary.