Before you start, have these ready
- The policy holder's name, which for a childhood policy is often a parent or grandparent
- The name of the person insured, and their date of birth if you have it
- Any surname used at the time the policy was taken out, including maiden names
- Addresses the family lived at while premiums were being paid
- Anything showing the policy existed: a policy number, premium receipt book, or an old letter from the insurer
- A death certificate and proof of entitlement if the policy owner has died
Which policies become unclaimed
A life insurance policy becomes unclaimed money when it matures - or the insured person dies - and the proceeds remain unpaid for seven years because the insurer cannot locate the owner or beneficiary.
This covers endowment and whole-of-life policies, funeral benefit policies, and investments held through friendly societies. Term life cover with no payout event does not become unclaimed money.
Where to search
Life insurance proceeds transferred under the Commonwealth unclaimed money rules are listed on the ASIC MoneySmart unclaimed money register, alongside bank accounts and share proceeds. The MoneySmart search is free to use, and ASIC does not publish a deadline for claiming money it holds.
Search the policy holder's name and the name of the person insured - for a child's policy these are usually different people. Many older records are held under a parent or grandparent's name.
If the insurer has since merged or been taken over, the register will show the current company responsible for paying the claim.
Making a claim
Claims go to the insurer or friendly society named against the record, not to ASIC. You will need photo identification, proof of address, and any evidence of the policy you still hold.
The original policy document is ideal but not essential. A premium receipt book, an old letter from the insurer, or the policy number is usually enough to begin.
If the policy owner has died, you will also need the death certificate and evidence of your entitlement - probate, letters of administration, or proof you were the nominated beneficiary.
Step by step
- 1
Search the MoneySmart unclaimed money register under the policy holder's surname only.
- 2
Repeat the search under the insured person's name. For a child's policy these are usually different people.
- 3
Try earlier surnames and the common misspellings an insurer's clerk might have recorded.
- 4
Check the address shown against any result. That is usually what confirms a record belongs to your family.
- 5
Note the company named against the record. That is who pays, even if the original insurer has since merged.
- 6
Contact that company and ask for its unclaimed money or matured policy claim form.
- 7
Lodge the form with photo identification, proof of address, and whatever policy evidence you have.
Example: a childhood endowment policy (hypothetical)
A grandmother took out a small endowment policy in 1968 for a newborn grandchild and paid premiums for years. The policy matured in the 1980s, the family had moved twice, and the insurer could not deliver the payout. After seven years the proceeds were transferred to ASIC. Searching the grandmother's maiden surname on MoneySmart brings up a record with a long-gone address the family recognises. The company now responsible is named on the record, and the grandchild lodges a claim with that company using identification and a copy of the death certificate and will.
Common mistakes
- Searching only your own name. Older policies are usually recorded under the parent or grandparent who paid the premiums.
- Giving up because the insurer no longer trades. Obligations pass to the acquiring company, which the register names.
- Assuming the original policy document is essential. A premium receipt book or policy number is often enough to start.
- Ignoring friendly society investments and funeral bonds, which end up on the same register.
- Forgetting that if the policy owner has died, the proceeds may belong to their estate rather than to you personally.
I found a possible match, what now?
A listing is a record the authority holds, not proof the money is yours. Note the reference shown against it, check the details you recognise, then open the claim page on the official site and read what evidence it asks for before you start. You lodge the claim directly with that authority, never through this site.
What documents you may needI found nothing, what now?
A nil result usually means you searched the wrong register, the wrong spelling of a name, or too few variations of it. Try surname only, earlier surnames and each state you have lived in, then work through the troubleshooting steps before you give up.
Searched and found nothingTip: Check the paperwork of older relatives - small childhood policies from the 1960s and 70s are among the most commonly unclaimed.
Common questions
Official sources checked
- Researched and reviewed by
- Find Lost Money Australia
- Information last verified
- 1 August 2026
Find Lost Money Australia is an independent information service, not a government agency. Our review checks the responsible agency's current page, search location and claim instructions. Agencies can change their rules, so confirm details on the official site before you act.
Keep looking
Continue your lost-money search
Money goes missing in more than one place. These are the next things worth checking.
- Life insurance and friendly societiesUnpaid policies and super death benefits that were never claimed by a beneficiary.
- How super gets lostWhy balances end up with the ATO and how to check under every past employer.
- Deceased estate searchesHow an executor searches and claims money that belonged to someone who has died.
- Bank accounts, shares and dividendsASIC holds bank money inactive for seven years, plus unclaimed dividends and share proceeds.
Searching is free. Every register we link to lets you search at no cost, and you can lodge a claim yourself. Be cautious of any business that asks for an upfront fee simply to search a public register on your behalf. Find Lost Money Australia is an independent information service. We are not a government agency and we do not hold or search unclaimed money databases.