In today’s modern age, a vast array of information is available at our fingertips. Whether you’re searching for facts about nutrition, celebrities, real estate, or insurance costs, as long as you have an internet connection, the answers you seek are only a few seconds away.
The same is true when you’re looking for facts about individuals, but only to a certain degree, as public records provide information in specified categories. Public records include census data, property information, tax liens and judgments, criminal records, bankruptcies, and court records, as well as marriage licenses and divorces (unless divorce records are sealed in certain situations)1.
When it comes to life insurance claims, however, that information is usually not part of public record
Are Life Insurance Claims Public Record?
When it comes to life insurance claims, however, that information is usually not part of public record 2.
Among others, one reason life insurance claims are not part of public record is that life insurance policies are typically paid directly to the beneficiaries named in the policy 3. As long as those who are named beneficiaries are alive and available to accept the payment, the claim is made and there is no process that calls for any sort of public record to be made.
One exception to this process is if the life insurance claim goes through probate3. (After an individual’s death, the legal process that takes place is called probate. The probate process involves proving the validity of a deceased person’s will in court; the identification and logging of the individual’s property; appraising the property; the paying of taxes and debts; and the distribution of the remaining property as the will – or, if there’s no will, the state law – instructs4.)
If you’d like more information on life insurance or life insurance claims, please contact our Customer Service Department:
Are Health Insurance Claims Public Record?
According to the Summary of the HIPAA Privacy Rule on HHS.gov, “The Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information (‘Privacy Rule’) established a set of national standards for the protection of certain health information,” and “A major goal of the Privacy Rule is to assure that individuals’ health information is properly protected while allowing the flow of health information needed to provide and promote high quality health care and to protect the public's health and well being” 5.
Covered entities are subject to this rule and must comply with the privacy standards. Employers, for example, are prohibited from accessing medical records or insurance claims6.
If you have any questions about health insurance claims, please contact our Customer Service Department:
With the ease and accessibility of the internet, public records are now more attainable than ever. However, certain private information is still not available for public viewing.
If you have any questions about life or supplemental health insurance, or about life or supplemental health insurance claims, please contact us and we will be happy to assist you.
Are Health Insurance Claims Public Record?
According to the Summary of the HIPAA Privacy Rule on HHS.gov, “The Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information (‘Privacy Rule’) established a set of national standards for the protection of certain health information,” and “A major goal of the Privacy Rule is to assure that individuals’ health information is properly protected while allowing the flow of health information needed to provide and promote high quality health care and to protect the public's health and well being” 5.
Covered entities are subject to this rule and must comply with the privacy standards. Employers, for example, are prohibited from accessing medical records or insurance claims6.
If you have any questions about health insurance claims, please contact our Customer Service Department:
With the ease and accessibility of the internet, public records are now more attainable than ever. However, certain private information is still not available for public viewing.
If you have any questions about life or supplemental health insurance, or about life or supplemental health insurance claims, please contact us and we will be happy to assist you.
- https://publiclibraries.com/public-records/, January 21, 2019
- https://www.lifeinsurancetypes.com/is-life-insurance-policy-public-record/, January 21, 2019
- https://www.lawyers.com/legal-info/trusts-estates/wills-probate/does-insurance-money-need-to-go-through-probate.html, January 21, 2019
- https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/probate-faq.html, January 22, 2019
- https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/privacy/laws-regulations/index.html, January 22, 2019
- https://www.verywellhealth.com/who-has-access-to-your-medical-records-2615502, January 22, 2019