Comb through your father's financial statements for life insurance payment transactions. Individuals often store life insurance in a bank safe deposit box, so explore this possibility too.

Next, contact your dad's attorney, accountant, financial advisor, and insurance agent. One of these individuals may be familiar with his will, end-of-life plan, or life insurance policy.

Search personal files in your father's home. Examine his income tax returns for reference to life insurance interest income or expense. His address book or cell phone contact list may reference an insurance representative. Watch the mail for a life insurance premium or dividend notice.

Was he a member of an affinity group, union, or the military? These organizations may offer life insurance. Contact his employer as well. Many businesses sponsor group life plans.

Get in touch with the Illinois Department of Insurance or National Association of Insurance Commissioners' Life Insurance Policy Locator Service after your dad passes. IDOI helps consumers find individual life insurance policies for deceased family members that live in Illinois. Be prepared to provide his name, social security number, address, birth date, date of death, copy of the death certificate, and more. NAIC requirements are similar. You will receive a response directly from the life insurance company if a poilcy is found and you are an authorized beneficiary.

In time you can check with the state's unclaimed property office. Life insurers must forward policy death benefits to this agency when they cannot locate a deceased individual's beneficiaries.

Situations like this highlight the importance of sharing life insurance details with loved ones. Leave a trail identifying company name, contact information, and poilcy location. Periodically check beneficiary information to be sure it's up to date.