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THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2021 Page 15 COVID-19 cases hit another plateau Doctors warn that pandemic is still not over How to Track Down an Unclaimed Life Insurance Policy Dear Savvy Senior, When my dad died, we thought he had a life insurance policy, but we have no idea how to track it down. Any suggestions? Searching Son Dear Searching, Lost or forgotten life insurance policies are very common in the U.S. According to a study by Consumer Reports, one out of every 600 people is the benefi ciary of an unclaimed life insurance policy with an average benefi t of $2,000. It could be like fi nding out you have a secret savings account. While unfortunately, there isn’t a national database for tracking down these policies, there are a number of strategies and a few new resources that can help your search. Here are several to get you started. Search his records: Check your dad’s financial records or areas where he kept his important papers for a policy, records of premium payments, or bills from an insurer. Also contact his employer or former employer benefi ts administrator, insurance agents, fi nancial planner, accountant, attorney or other adviser and ask if they know about a life insurance policy. Also check safe-deposit boxes, monitor the mail for premium invoices or whole-life dividend notices, and review old income-tax returns, looking for interest income from, and interest expenses paid, to life insurance companies. Get help: The National Association of Insurance Commissioners off ers a policy locator service (see NAIC.org and click on “Consumer” then on “Life Insurance Policy Locator”) that lets you run a nationwide search for insurance policies or annuities in the names of people who have died. There are also six state insurance departments (Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, New York, North Carolina and Oregon) that have free policy locator service programs that can help you search. To fi nd direct access to these state resources visit the American Council of Life Insurers website at ACLI.com – click on “Missing Policy Tips.” Contact the insurer: If you suspect that a particular insurer underwrote the policy, contact that carrier’s claim offi ce and ask. The more information you have, like your dad’s date of birth and death, Social Security number and address, the easier it will be to track down. Contact information for some big insurers include: Prudential 800-7782255; MetLife Metlife.com/policyfi nder; AIG 800-888-2452; Nationwide 800-848-6331; John Hancock JohnHancock.com – click on “Lost or unclaimed policy form” at the bottom of the page under “Quick Links.” Search unclaimed property: If your dad died more than a few years ago, benefi ts may have already been turned over to the unclaimed property offi ce of the state where the policy was purchased. Go to MissingMoney.com, a website of the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators, to search records from 39 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. Or, to find links to each state’s unclaimed-property division use Unclaimed.org. If your dad’s name or a potential benefactor’s name produces a hit, you’ll need to prove your claim. Required documentation, which can vary by state, is detailed in claim forms, and a death certifi cate might be necessary. Search fee-based services: There are several businesses that off er policy locator services for a fee. The MIB Group, for example, which is a data-sharing service for life and health insurance companies, off ers a policy locator service at MIB. com for $75. But it only tracks applications for individual policies made since 1996. You can also get assistance at Policy Inspector (PolicyInspector.com) for $99, and L-LIFE (LostLifeIns.com) for $108.50, who will do the searching for you. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior. org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. By Christopher Roberson T he COVID-19 pandemic continues to hang on despite the tremendous progress that has been made to control the spread of the virus. Dr. Daniel Kuritzkes, chief of the Infectious Diseases Division at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, said the number of cases is leveling off once again. “Things are slowing down, but gradually,” he said, adding that 1,000 to 2,000 cases are being reported every day for a positivity rate of two percent. Kuritzkes was also clear about what needs to happen to move away from the plateau and continue the downward trend. “The rest of the population that hasn’t been vaccinated needs to get vaccinated,” he said. In addition, Kuritzkes said “substantial transmission” has continued among school-age children. “They are the remaining vulnerable population,” he said. Looking ahead, Kuritzkes said RATES | FROM Page 14 ty Action Agency (CAA) (part of the Massachusetts Association for Community Action [MASSCAP] – https://www.masscap. org/heatinghelpma/). Customers who have a household income that is between 60 to 80 percent of the state median income may be able to seek help from the Good Neighbor Energy Fund (http://www.magoodneighbor.org/). Help for renters Renters who are struggling to aff ord their rent and utility costs may qualify for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP). ERAP is available to renters with a household income at or below 80 percent of the area median income. Residents experiencing COVID-19-related fi - nancial hardship might qualify for ERAP through one of six regional housing agencies. Winter shutoff moratorium Residential customers are protected from having their gas or electric service shut off from November 15, 2021, to March 15, 2022, if the service is needed for heating. However, cushe does not see COVID-19 going away completely, adding that it could eventually become endemic much like infl uenza. “Unfortunately, I don’t see any reason for real optimism,” said Kuritzkes. David Cecere, spokesperson for Cambridge Health Alliance, said that while there have been signifi cant improvements, the pandemic is not likely to go away any time soon. “While things are better than they were this time last year, we are still seeing COVID-related infections,” he said. “It’s premature to call for an approaching end to the pandemic.” Dr. David Hamer of Boston Medical Center agreed that COVID-19 cases have been steady since early September. He also said it is safe to “mix and match” vaccines when getting a booster shot. In fact, Hamer said he advises patients who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to get their booster shot using either the Pfi zer or Moderna vaccine. tomers will still be responsible for paying bills after the winter moratorium ends, and not making payments during that fourmonth period means a larger bill to pay later. To avoid falling into debt, the Attorney General’s Offi ce urges customers to enroll in a payment plan that will provide shutoff protection and potentially balance forgiveness. More information about the shutoff protections available to qualifying Massachusetts residents can be found on the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Offi ce’s website. Get an energy efficiency audit The Attorney General’s Offi ce recommends that customers consider contacting Mass Save (https://www.masssave.com/) for an energy effi ciency audit to see how they can reduce their overall energy use, which should result in lower monthly utility bills over time. Beware of competitive suppliers The Attorney General’s Offi ce urges customers to beware of deceptive competitive electric suppliers who might try to lure However, he said there continues to be new waves of the virus. “There will be a constant risk of reintroduction; we’re coming down from our most recent wave,” said Hamer. “It’s still a pandemic.” Hamer also agreed with Kuritzkes in that the virus could become endemic. “We need to learn to live with it,” said Hamer. According to the state Department of Public Health (DPH), 4.7 million residents have been fully vaccinated and approximately 630,000 residents have received booster shots. However, the DPH also reported that 54,200 individuals have tested positive for COVID-19 despite being vaccinated. As of November 8, the total number of cases in Massachusetts had risen to 803,165, according to the DPH. Within that fi gure, COVID-19 has taken the lives of 18,689 residents. Putting that in perspective, the town of Foxboro has a population of 18,618, according to the 2020 census. them to enroll with a promise of cheaper electricity. A report released by the Offi ce in April showed that Massachusetts customers who received their electricity from competitive suppliers were charged $426 million more on their bills after they switched. As the ratepayer advocate for Massachusetts, Healey’s Energy and Telecommunications Division works to ensure reasonable prices and access to clean energy for all customers. The Division also educates customers on the available programs to help them keep the lights on and stay warm. For more information on electric and gas prices and the available assistance programs, view the Attorney General’s new resource flyer and webpage, which includes contact information for the state’s utility companies. The resource fl yers will be provided to community organizations, including consumer advocates, municipal associations, nonprofi t service organizations and food pantries. Customers who have concerns about their utility rights should contact the Attorney General’s consumer assistance hotline at 617-727-8400 or fi le a complaint online. For Advertising with Results, call The Advocate Newspapers at 781-286-8500 or Info@advocatenews.net

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