Unclaimed Life Insurance Policy Benefits Search - Demutualization Claims

Demutualization is the process of converting a mutual life insurance company, which is owned by its policyholders, into a publicly traded stock company owned by shareholders, pursuant to a plan of conversion approved by policyholders and government regulators.

Mutual life policyholders (and heirs) continue to be entitled to receive whatever policy benefits may be due, but in addition receive stock, cash and/or policy credits in exchange for their ownership interest in the old mutual insurance company.

The amount paid to each policyholder is based on a number of factors, including length of time the policy has been in force, face value of the policy, and total premiums paid. For many policyholders, the windfall arising from demutualization can be substantial. Shares may be sold at any time, without affecting policy benefits.

Central Life Assurance merged with American Mutual in 1994. American Mutual Life was renamed AmerUs Life Insurance Company in 1995. On September 20, 2000, it demutualized to become AmerUs Group. In 2001, the company merged with Indianapolis Life, which had also undergone a demutualization.

Approximately 300,000 policyholders and heirs became entitled to receive $452 million in AmerUs Group common stock and $340 million in cash and policy credits.

Distribution began on July 31, 2001. Eligible policyholders received a fixed component of 20 AmerUS common shares, as well as a variable component based on policy value. Those who elected to receive cash were compensate $26 per share entitlement. In the first year after the initial public offering, the price of an AmerUS common share increased 99%.

Hundreds of thousands of missing policyholders aren't aware they are entitled to receive demutualization compensation. Contact efforts were unsuccessful, due to name changes after marriage or divorce, unreported changes of address, expired postal forwarding orders and non-current beneficiary information. And a recent government audit found 21 major life insurance companies failed to pay death benefits to beneficiaries even in cases where they knew the policy holder was deceased. {Life Insurance Settlement Claims}

By law, unclaimed demutualization compensation is remitted to the custody of a government trust account until claimants come forward.

► Current and former policyholders and their heirs - the majority of whom are unaware they're entitled to unclaimed stock and/or cash - should initiate a database search.