ReAssure cannot locate life insurance

crickeycharlie

My mother in law has come across an endowment life assurance policy document for her late husband and herself.
The policy mentions a sum of money which is to be paid on the death of one of them.
The policy is with legal and general, however, they cannot locate it with the policy number and proceeded to say it had been moved to ReAssure.
I called ReAssure and they also cannot locate it? 
I have been back and forth with both L&G and ReAssure.
I have provided dates of birth, NI numbers etc and no-one can find the policy. I clearly have paperwork (legal and general printed papers) in the L&G folder and now we have hit a brick wall.
Any help is much appreciated on what the next steps are.
thanks 

dunstonh

I have provided dates of birth, NI numbers etc and no-one can find the policy. I clearly have paperwork (legal and general printed papers) in the L&G folder and now we have hit a brick wall.

There are very few endowments left.  Most have matured and are long gone.

If premiums are being paid (i.e. the plan is still in force), then it should be easier to identify and locate.  If premiums stopped long ago, then in the vast majority of cases, it would have been surrendered at the time.  In a small number of cases, they could be made paid up but there would be annual statements issued and it would pay on maturity.

What was the maturity date?
Are premiums still being paid?, if not, when was the last premium paid?

The policy is with legal and general, however, they cannot locate it with the policy number and proceeded to say it had been moved to ReAssure.

ReAssure bought L&G's legacy book.   However, only plans that were inforce at that time were moved over to ReAssure.   ReAssure were not given data on obsolete out-of-force plans.    So, it would not be able to find an old plan.    

crickeycharlie

hi, thanks for your reply.

It was life assurance and matured 2015 but my late father in law sadly passed away in 2009, we have only just come across this letter.
I'm not sure when the last premium was paid but it does state an amount on there should one of them pass away

dunstonh

So, two potential dates it would have paid out.  2009 on death or 2015 on maturity (if the death was never notified).  Either of those dates would explain why no records exist today.

Are there any old bank statements available?

DRS1

Random thought - could the policy have been linked to a mortgage?  Was the mortgage paid off in 2009?

crickeycharlie

Again, thanks for your comments.

No pay out was made on either dates.

The policy was not linked to a mortgage.

Not sure where to go from here?

Marcon

crickeycharlie said:

Again, thanks for your comments.

No pay out was made on either dates.

The policy was not linked to a mortgage.

Not sure where to go from here?

I'm afraid the unhappy answer is that you probably don't go anywhere, although it is still worth checking one of the sites which try to link unclaimed assets with owners. Gretel.co.uk (free) is worth a go.

Silvertabby

Is it possible that your late father in law cashed it in before 2009?  Can your mother in law remember having financial difficulties at any time?