I came home from vacation this week to find an official-looking letter from Prudential, with which I’ve never done business. But the letter told me that my mother, who died almost six years ago, had.
The nation’s second largest life insurer said she was the insured on a Prudential life insurance policy purchased in 1957. Since the beneficiary hadn’t yet claimed the death benefit, Prudential was writing to tell me that if no one responded, it would turn this money over to the state at the end of the month.
“It is urgent that we hear from you,” read the letter, signed by an associate manager in claims.
Life insurers on the carpet
At first I was skeptical. I had overseen my mother’s day-to-day and legal affairs for years before she died and had never heard of this life insurance policy. My parents always worked with their regular insurance agent from another company. It sounded like a “you have already won” lottery letter or a junk email from someone in need of money. (continue reading…)
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