If my grandfather passed away over a year ago, how do I get a copy of his life insurance policy and his Will?

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If my grandfather passed away over a year ago, how do I get a copy of his life insurance policy and his Will?

My sisters and I are the beneficiaries. He selected an attorney to take care of the estate so we did not have to be bothered with the legal stuff. However, I found out that his house has been sold and we have never received a copy of the Will or anything. I recevied a bill from the attorney that handled everything. However, no copy of a Will was discovered but my grandfather did have life insurance since the attorney contacted his niece about it.

Asked on August 28, 2014 under Estate Planning, Maryland

Answers:

M.T.G., Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney

Answered 9 years ago | Contributor

I am so sorry for your loss.  If there was an estate proceeding filed then it would have been filed in the Probate Court in the county in which he resided at the time of his death.  The file is a public record and you can go there and view it and figure out what happened.  Now, if there was no Will then he died intestate and an Administration would have been opened rather than a Probate. But understand that a life insurance policy that has a person or persons named as the beneficiary passes outside the Will, meaning it should have gone directly to those named.  And all you have to do is contact the insurance company for the paperwork.  You will need a copy of the death certificate.  I would not pay any legal fees until you figure this out and you may need legal help yourself. Good luck.


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