I use to be in the insurance business, but did not sell life. Please tell me if I am wrong, is there ?

There is no central database. The executor of an estate can pay $75 to these guys http://www.mib.com/html/lost-life-insurance.html who will tell them if any applications have been submitted to any companies in the past ten years. But the executor can ALSO go through the old banking statements, to find out which insurance company has been getting paid - they are usually paid once a year, or once a month.

Plus, most people do NOT have life insurance in place when they die. So it's kinda wishful thinking, if you are just HOPING a policy is in place. Have the executor go through the banking records, or just sit and wait - the insurance company will send a statement once a year on that policy - even if it's just a bill.

A couple things here. This is where knowing your agent comes in real handy. Giving him a list of people and numbers to contact in the event of death. As far as an actual site goes there are no sites that offer this info, for privacy reasons only the sites of the companies have the paperwork available for you to make your claim.

You could go on each individual life insurance companies site and find information. Other than that tough I am unsure.

It should be written in the policy or, at the very least, a way to get ahold of the company to get the information.