Losing a parent is never easy—and dealing with final expenses while grieving can make things even harder. If you're unsure whether your parent had burial insurance, it's important to act quickly, since these policies can help cover funeral and burial costs and ease the financial burden on the family. The good news is: with a little effort and the right steps, you can often find out whether such a policy exists and how to file a claim.

Here’s a complete guide on how to find out if your parent had burial insurance, even if you’re not sure where to begin.

Burial insurance, also known as final expense insurance, is a small whole life policy designed to cover funeral, burial, and other end-of-life costs. Payouts typically range from $5,000 to $25,000 and are paid to a beneficiary after the policyholder’s death.

Unlike term life insurance, burial insurance policies never expire as long as premiums are paid, and they often don’t require a medical exam, making them popular among seniors.

Your first step should always be a conversation:

• Ask your other parent, siblings, or close relatives if they know about any existing policy.
• Check if anyone remembers discussions about funeral planning or life insurance.
• Inquire if someone was named as a beneficiary or executor of the estate.

Sometimes parents take out policies and forget to inform others—especially if premiums are auto-deducted from a bank account.

• Insurance company names or logos
• Premium payment receipts
• Policy documents or ID cards
• Bank statements showing automatic premium withdrawals
• Emails with subject lines like “policy,” “life insurance,” or “funeral plan”
• Checkbooks for regular payments to insurers

• Filing cabinets
• Lockboxes or safes
• Desk drawers
• Email inboxes or cloud storage
• Wallets or purses
• Home offices or bedroom nightstands

• Was any insurance policy assigned to cover the funeral costs?
• Was a policy used or discussed during arrangements?
• Is there a record of pre-need insurance or prepaid burial planning?

Many seniors assign a burial policy directly to a funeral home—so the policy might not be listed in their personal records.

Burial insurance premiums are usually paid monthly, quarterly, or annually. Review your parent’s bank statements or credit card activity from the past 1–2 years for recurring charges to:

• Insurance companies (e.g., Mutual of Omaha, AIG, Colonial Penn)
• Funeral insurance providers
• Financial services firms

Look for line items labeled “premium,” “policy,” or anything related to “life” or “burial.”

If your parent was recently employed or had a government, military, or union position, they may have had a group life insurance policy or burial benefit through work—even after retirement.

Ask the HR or benefits department about:

•  Life or burial insurance coverage
• Retiree benefits
• Group policies that may still be active

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) offers a free tool that searches multiple insurance companies to help find lost life insurance policies.

https://eapps.naic.org/life-policy-locator

What you’ll need:

• Your parent’s full legal name
• Date of birth and death
• Social Security Number
• Death certificate (optional but helpful)

It may take several weeks to receive responses, but it's one of the most comprehensive tools available.

If the insurance company couldn’t locate a beneficiary, the policy payout may have been turned over to the state’s unclaimed funds department.

Visit your state’s website or check:

https://www.missingmoney.com

Search using your parent’s name to see if any unclaimed life insurance proceeds exist.

If you suspect your parent may have purchased a policy but don't know from which provider, you can contact major final expense insurance companies directly:

• Mutual of Omaha
• AIG
• Colonial Penn
• Gerber Life
• Globe Life
• Transamerica
• Lincoln Heritage
• Prosperity Life

Provide your parent’s full name, birth date, and Social Security Number (if available). They may be able to search their database and confirm if a policy exists.

If you discover an active burial insurance policy:

• Locate the original policy documents (if possible)
• Contact the insurance company’s claims department
• Provide a copy of the death certificate and identification
• Fill out a claim form
• Receive the payout, typically within 7–30 days

Provide your parent’s full name, birth date, and Social Security Number (if available). They may be able to search their database and confirm if a policy exists.

If you’d like to secure burial insurance for a parent to avoid these worries in the future, AffordableBurialInsurance.com can help you compare affordable, easy-to-qualify plans— whether your parent is in good health or has existing medical conditions.

Get a free quote today and take a proactive step toward protecting your family from unexpected end-of-life expenses.