Unclaimed life insurance: how to find out if a loved one had a policy
Life insurance policies sometimes go unclaimed because beneficiaries are unaware of them. How to search for them free of charge through AGIRA and Ciclade.
Sometimes a person is named as the beneficiary of a life insurance policy without ever learning of it. The policy exists, the funds are there, but no one claims them because no one knows they exist.
According to public authorities, several billion euros in life insurance are said to be awaiting their beneficiaries in France. The good news: free schemes make it possible to check, and the process is within everyone's reach.
Why some policies go unclaimed
The most common reason is simple: the beneficiary is unaware the policy exists. The policyholder never mentioned it, the documents cannot be found, or contact had been lost. A move or a change in circumstances can also prevent the insurer from tracing the person concerned.
What the law provides
The so-called "Eckert" law, which came into force in 2016, strengthened insurers' obligations: they must actively search for the beneficiaries of policies whose holder has died. After a certain period without a claim, dormant sums are transferred to the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations, where they remain recoverable for several years.
This framework has made it easier to return funds, but it does not replace action by the beneficiary when in doubt. Checking for yourself remains the surest way.
Free searches through AGIRA
If you believe you are the beneficiary of a life insurance policy taken out by a deceased person, you can contact AGIRA free of charge. You submit your request together with proof of death; the body queries the insurance companies, which must contact you if a policy names you.
- The process is entirely free.
- It concerns policies whose holder has died.
- Insurers have a set period to check and reply to you.
Ciclade, for sums transferred to the Caisse des Dépôts
When a policy has had no identified beneficiary for several years, the funds are transferred to the Caisse des Dépôts. The public service Ciclade then lets you search for these sums free of charge and request their return if they are due to you.
AGIRA and Ciclade are complementary: the former covers policies still held by insurers, the latter sums already transferred. Both are free and public.
Beware of paid services
Some websites offer, for a fee, to search for a life insurance policy on your behalf. Yet these steps are free through AGIRA and Ciclade. No paid intermediary is needed to query these services: go directly through the public channels.
The best approach: knowing in advance
Searching after a death works, but it takes time and assumes there was a doubt to begin with. The surest approach is for beneficiaries to know from the outset that a policy exists. That is the role of Vitalegis: the holder lists their contracts and designates their loved ones, who are informed that the file exists without seeing its contents during the holder's lifetime.
Frequently asked questions
Is searching for a life insurance policy chargeable?
No. The search is free through AGIRA for policies held by insurers, and on Ciclade for sums transferred to the Caisse des Dépôts. Paid providers are not necessary.
How long do you have to claim the funds?
Once transferred to the Caisse des Dépôts, the sums remain recoverable for several years via Ciclade. After that period, they revert to the State. It is therefore worth checking without too much delay if in doubt.
Do you need a specific document to start the search?
A request to AGIRA requires proof of death of the person concerned. The exact procedures are set out on the AGIRA and Ciclade websites, which remain the reference sources.