Abandoned Property Unit

Each state has unclaimed property laws that require companies to identify unclaimed property in their possession and make reasonable efforts to contact the rightful owner and pay the unclaimed property to them. If the unclaimed property remains unclaimed by the owner for a set period of time (which may vary by property type and state), the property is considered abandoned, and the company must report and remit the funds to the appropriate state. This process is called “escheatment.” Prior to escheating property to a state, MetLife takes steps to seek out the rightful owner and pay the unclaimed funds to the rightful owner, whenever possible.

If you believe you are the rightful owner, please complete the Notice of Unclaimed Funds Update Form attached to your due diligence letter and return it to the email or mailing address provided prior to the date listed on the letter. Additional information or documentation may be needed prior to transmitting the funds to you — if so, you will be contacted by the appropriate business area within MetLife.

A due diligence letter is MetLife’s last attempt to contact the owner of unclaimed property before the property is escheated to the applicable state. These letters are mailed in accordance with state unclaimed property laws. If the APU does not receive a response to the letter within the requested timeframe, MetLife will escheat the unclaimed property to the applicable state in accordance with state unclaimed property law.

The letter will have a MetLife logo and include specific information about your unclaimed property. You can also contact the APU for additional verification.

MetLife has several affiliates, including: Applicable affiliates. Additionally, in certain circumstances, MetLife’s APU provides administrative services for Brighthouse Life Insurance Company of New York, Brighthouse Life Insurance Company, Brighthouse Services LLC and New England Life Insurance Company

You can find any information about your unclaimed property (including liability or policy number) in the top right-hand corner of both the due diligence letter and the Notice of Unclaimed Funds Update Form.

 If you have any additional questions about the unclaimed property referenced in the letter, please contact us by calling the phone number listed under the “We’re here to help” section on your letter.

Please review the instructions on the form (an example of the form is available here: Individual form and complete all applicable fields. If you are a beneficiary of an insured’s policy, please be sure to complete all fields requesting information about the insured. Additional information or documentation may be required before payment can be made to the rightful owner.

If the unclaimed property is owed to a business entity, the top right-hand corner of your letter will list the applicable entity. If you are responding on behalf of the business, please complete the form with the requested business entity information. Please note that the Date of Birth field is not required if you are responding on behalf of a business. Example business form.

 Yes, please complete and return all forms with the requested information

We must be able to verify that you are the owner of the property prior to returning any funds to you. To verify your identity, the Notice of Unclaimed Funds Update Form requests that you provide identifying information, including, for example: date of birth, social security number (last four digits only), and your previous address.

Yes. To verify your identity and ensure that you are the rightful owner of the unclaimed property, MetLife requires that you provide only the last four digits of your social security number.

You do not need to provide any other documentation with your initial submission. However, you may be contacted for additional documentation when necessary.

We can accept documents in PDF, DOC, DOCX, and JPG formats. Please note that we do not accept links or shared documents (either with or without passcodes).

 If you submit your response via email, you will receive an automated confirmation email. We recommend this form of contact. You may also contact us to verify we received your correspondence.

Once we receive, verify, and process your completed and signed form, you should receive initial correspondence within 90 days from the appropriate business area within MetLife. Please note that additional verification and/or documentation may be required to complete your claim. If you have already received a claim packet and submitted the Notice of Unclaimed Funds Update Form, please contact the number on the claim packet you received for additional information.

For status updates, please contact the number on the due diligence letter you received for additional information. If you have already received a claim packet and submitted the Notice of Unclaimed Funds Update Form, please contact the number on the claim packet you received for additional information

You may call us at 800-638-5852 or the phone number on your claim packet to see if we have an update.

You may call APU for more information. The APU can advise as to whether the funds are still available or if the funds have been reported and remitted (“escheated”) to the appropriate state.

 MetLife will escheat the property to the appropriate state in accordance with state abandoned property law.

If you believe that you are not the rightful owner of the unclaimed property, please return the Notice of Unclaimed Funds Update Form with a note indicating that you are not the rightful owner and please provide your contact information. If the APU has any questions, they will reach out to you for additional information

MetLife does not work with third-party companies, often known as “finders,” who for a fee, may offer to assist you with locating and claiming unclaimed property escheated to a state in your name. You may instead attempt to claim the property by contacting the state directly.

You can visit Unclaimed.org. On that website, please scroll to the bottom of the page, select the appropriate state, and the website will direct you to that state’s unclaimed property website.

After MetLife escheats your unclaimed property to the appropriate state in accordance with state unclaimed property law, you must claim the property directly from the state’s unclaimed property office. If you contact the APU about your property and provided that you are able to pass the security questions, the APU may be able to provide you with limited information to help you claim the property with the state.

Please send this request and the applicable form to metlifeAPU@metlife.com. Please provide the listed owner’s date of birth and the last four digits of their social security number.

Please contact the APU by phone (800-638-5852) or email (metlifeAPU@metlife.com) to request this information. Please provide the listed owner’s date of birth and the last four digits of their social security number

If you believe the funds are owed to you and you would like to start the process of claiming the funds, please contact MetLife’s Abandoned Property Unit (“APU”) at metlifeapu@metlife.com or 800-638-5852. Please note that you will need to provide identifying information to pass security.

Please contact the APU by phone (800-638-5852) or email (metlifeAPU@metlife.com).

Demutualization is the process by which a mutual insurance company—owned by its policyholders or members—transforms into a publicly traded company owned by shareholders. As part of MetLife’s demutualization in 1999, eligible policyholders were allocated shares of stock. If dividend checks issued from these shares remain uncashed for a period defined by state law, the funds may be subject to escheatment, in accordance with state unclaimed property regulations. Computershare, MetLife’s designated third-party administrator, oversees the escheatment process for these shares. Once assets are transferred to the state, any proceeds must be claimed directly through the appropriate state unclaimed property office.

Please call the phone number located at the right-hand side of your form. This number will direct to the proper area within MetLife.