ByFinding Veterans Affairs Unclaimed Money Is Easy With DoNotPay!
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs initiated their insurance programs in 1917. Millions of dollars in unclaimed money accumulated over the years, waiting for the rightful owners or beneficiaries to collect them.
Unclaimed insurance money is one type of unclaimed assets that might belong to you or the veterans in your family. DoNotPay can help you discover all kinds of unclaimed funds, whether it is military back pay or unclaimed money from deceased relatives.
What Counts as Veterans Affairs Unclaimed Money?
The most common type of unclaimed veterans money in the United States is life insurance money. The funds go unclaimed if the post office cannot deliver the payments for various reasons, including unreported address changes or deaths without named beneficiaries. In such situations, the money goes back to the Department of Veterans Affairs.
This government institution will keep the unclaimed money until the policyholder shows up with a claim or the Department locates the rightful owner of the unclaimed assets. A huge portion of the unclaimed money that is currently in the hold of the Veterans Affairs dates back to World War II.
Veterans Affairs unclaimed money mostly refers to:
- Death awards
- Dividend checks
- Premium refunds
The table below lists eligible insurance policies:
| Insurance Program | Policy Numbers Start With |
| United States Government Life | K |
| Veterans Special Life Insurance | RS or W |
| Service-Disabled Life Insurance | RH |
| National Service Life Insurance | N or V |
| Veterans Reopened Insurance | J or JR or JS |
While you may qualify for unclaimed funds from Veterans’ Group Life Insurance (VGLI) or Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (SGLI) policies from 1965 to this day, you won’t be able to get information about these unclaimed assets from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
How To Look for Unclaimed Veterans Money on Your Own
If you’re looking for unclaimed Veterans Affairs money as the policyholder of one of the qualifying insurance programs, you can use the Department of Veterans Affairs search tool on their website. The process involves the following steps:
- Open the Unclaimed Funds Search web page
- Enter the veteran’s last name (the first name is optional)
- Click on the Search button
- Hit I Accept when the disclaimer window pops up
- Locate the unclaimed assets in the search results list
- Click on Claim on the left side
- Confirm whether you’re the veteran in question
The search process doesn’t end here. Since this search tool doesn’t require more personal information—a Social Security number, for example—it will show the results for all veterans with the same name. To proceed with your claim, you will need to contact the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the next steps depend on whether you’re the veteran or you’re filing a claim as the beneficiary.
How To Proceed With Your Claim After the Search
If you’re claiming the funds in your name, the website instructs you to call the toll-free number 1-800-669-8477. While the available instructions don’t specify what documents you may need to present, they point out that identity verification will be necessary at some point.
Filing a claim for the deceased family member who was a veteran is more complicated:
- Download and complete the VA Form 29‑541 Certificate Showing Residence and Heirs of Deceased Veteran or Beneficiary (available on the Department of Veterans Affairs website)
- Include proof of identity and entitlement
- Submit your claim via fax to 1-888-748-5822 or postal mail to Department of Veteran Affairs, Regional Office and Insurance Center, PO Box 7208, Philadelphia, PA 19101
The following table specifies what documents may serve as appropriate proof of identity and entitlement:
| Proof of Identity | Proof of Entitlement |
|
|
Other Kinds of Unclaimed Military Money and Where To Find Them
Life insurance money is not the only kind of unclaimed money specific to veterans. The process described above won’t help with some other types of unclaimed military assets, including Veterans’ Group Life Insurance (VGLI) and Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (SGLI).
If you believe that there are unclaimed VGLI or SGLI funds under your name, you should contact the Office of Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance at 1-800-419-1473 or email the Prudential Insurance Company at osgli.osgli@prudential.com.
For more resources about unclaimed veterans assets, consult the table below:
| Asset Type | Description | Contact |
| Veterans Affairs Benefits | Includes various types of benefits such as disability payments and burial allowances | Veterans Benefits Administration |
| Military Pay | Refers to the pay or entitlements from the previous six years after an individual separates from the service | The Defense Finance and Accounting Service |
| Aid and Attendance (A&A) Special Pension | Includes benefits for veterans and surviving partners who require the regular help of another person | Department of Veterans Affairs |
| Bank Accounts | Refers to uncollected funds possibly left in various bank accounts across the United States and abroad | Depends on the banking institution (DoNotPay can help you handle inactive accounts in Wells Fargo or Bank of America) |
| US Savings Bonds | Includes Adjusted Service Bonds (ASB) and Armed Forces Leave Bonds (AFLB), that are issued as compensation for unused military leave | Relevant military branch offices or the Bureau of Public Debt |
How To Find Unclaimed Military Money With DoNotPay
One of the biggest issues with claiming lost assets is the lack of a centralized federal registry that would help you locate all kinds of unclaimed money that you’re entitled to. Many people give up on exercising their rights due to search complexities and countless hours spent browsing various government and non-government websites.
DoNotPay’s primary goal is to ensure the protection of your rights by using the benefits of modern technology. Our platform includes a search engine that combs through various online unclaimed assets databases. Using only one resource for finding all unclaimed funds under your name makes the process fast and convenient.
The search for unclaimed veterans money will take a few minutes of your time if you follow these steps:
- Set up your DoNotPay account in a default
- Log in and select the Missing Money feature
- Provide us with your contact details, including your name and address
- Select Claim My Property next to the found funds to initiate the claim
Our AI bots will ease the search process and handle the necessary paperwork whether you’re looking for lost military money or any other kind of unclaimed assets.
Is There Something Else DoNotPay Can Help You With?
Are you looking for the best loans for veterans to pay your bills? Our app can help you find them in an . We can also assist with locating any kind of unclaimed funds, whether you lived in California or Georgia.
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