Public hearing to probe unclaimed life insurance benefits

State Sen. Steve Stadelman will participate this week on a task force conducting statewide hearings to better understand how insurance companies avoid paying death benefits and how families can prevent themselves from being victimized after the death of a loved one.

Insurance companies have failed to pay more than $550 million in death benefits to grieving families in Illinois since 2011, according to State Treasurer Michael Frerichs who formed the Task Force on Unclaimed Life Insurance Policies. The task force, which conducted its first hearing last month in Normal, convenes next in Rockford:

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 14

11 am - 1 pm

Zeke Giorgi Center - 3rd Floor Legislative Conference Room

200 S. Wyman St.

Hearings are open to the public, although the task force listens to testimony from and questions scheduled witnesses.

Stadelman supported legislation introduced by Frerichs and recently signed by Gov. Bruce Rauner to require life insurers to use the federal Death Master File to identify deceased policy holders whose insurance proceeds have not been paid; the DMF is a secure and reliable database used by the Social Security Administration and other government agencies to fight waste, fraud and abuse.

Insurers who have sued to block audits by Frerichs' office argue that being obligated to determine when a policy holder has died will erode their profits.

Stadelman receives more pro-farm recognition

Illinois Farm Bureau President Richard Beuth recently presented State Sen. Steve Stadelman with the bureau's Friend of Agriculture Award  The award is given to state and federal lawmakers based on their voting records.