Trusted Contacts Workflow

Introduction

The Trusted Contacts workflow prevents life insurance benefits from going unclaimed by establishing reliable points of contact when beneficiaries cannot be reached. This system protects both clients and their families while maintaining strict privacy boundaries.

🎯 Purpose of This Workflow

Every year, millions of dollars in life insurance benefits go unclaimed because:

Beneficiary information becomes outdated
Beneficiaries cannot be reached
Families don’t know a policy exists
Advisors have nobody to contact when communication fails

The Problem: Backed by Data

US$13+ billion in lost or unclaimed life insurance and annuity benefits have been reconnected to families through the NAIC Policy Locator since 2016
- Source: NAIC
886,000+ policy searches submitted; 460,952 resulted in matches
- Source: PRNewswire
Only 39% of baby boomer beneficiaries feel prepared to act
Only 30% of Millennials and 22% of Gen Z feel prepared
- Source: InsuranceNewsNet

Many beneficiaries do not know a policy exists, the insurer’s name, or how to claim it. Source: NAIC Consumer Insight

✅ Our Solution

Every client provides five Trusted Contacts (not beneficiaries) who can help us locate family members if something happens and beneficiaries cannot be reached.

Trusted Contacts do NOT receive financial information
They do NOT gain account access
They are simply reliable people who can help ensure the benefit gets to the right place

This workflow dramatically reduces the risk of unclaimed benefits.

Workflow Overview

The Trusted Contacts process follows these key steps:

Explain the Risk of Unclaimed Benefits
Introduce the Trusted Contacts Concept
Request Five Trusted Contacts
Clarify Boundaries and Privacy
Client Sends Intro Email
Advisor Sends Professional Intro + One-Pager
Follow Up With a Quick Phone Call

Step-by-Step Implementation

1. Explain the Risk of Unclaimed Benefits

Many life insurance payouts are lost because beneficiaries become outdated, unreachable, or unaware of the policy. The Trusted Contacts system prevents this.

2. Introduce the Trusted Contacts Concept

Explain that Trusted Contacts act as a safety measure — a way for us to ensure someone can be reached if beneficiaries cannot.

They receive no financial information
They have no responsibilities
They simply help locate the right person if needed

3. Request Five Trusted Contacts

Ask the client for five people who are:

✅ Reliable
✅ Reachable
✅ Stable long-term relationships
✅ Not beneficiaries
✅ Able to help confirm contact info only

4. Clarify Boundaries and Privacy

Reassure the client:

Trusted Contacts do not receive financial info
They do not gain account access
Their role is simply to help locate the right person if needed

5. Have the Client Send a Short Intro Email

This ensures you are not a stranger calling them in an emergency. The introduction is simple, non-intrusive, and client-controlled.

After the client introduces you, reply professionally and attach the “Trusted Contact One-Pager” which:

Explains your role
Explains the Trusted Contact role
Provides your contact info
Sets boundaries
Builds trust

7. Follow Up With a Quick Phone Call

Make a short, friendly call:

“Thank you for agreeing to be a Trusted Contact.”

Confirm their phone/email
Reinforce they have no responsibilities
Let them know you’re simply a point of contact if beneficiaries cannot be reached

Advisor Scripts and Templates

🔹 Core Script for Advisors

Use this when explaining Trusted Contacts to clients:

“One of the biggest reasons life insurance doesn’t get paid out is because beneficiaries can’t be contacted — numbers change, people move, or family situations change.

To protect you and your family, we create a list of five Trusted Contacts. These are people outside your beneficiary list who we’re allowed to call only if we cannot reach your beneficiary.

They’re not involved in your finances — they’re just people you trust who can help us make sure your benefit gets to the right place.

We also make a light introduction so they know who I am. That way, if I ever need to reach out, I’m not a stranger calling out of the blue.”

🔹 What Counts as a Trusted Contact?

Trusted Contacts should be:

✅ Easy to reach
✅ Stable, long-term relationships
✅ Calm in emergencies
✅ Trusted by the client
✅ Likely to answer their phone

Examples:

Close friends
Siblings
Adult children
Long-term colleagues
Community members (church, sports, etc.)

🔹 How to Ask for Trusted Contacts (Non-Invasive Method)

✔ Key Principle Don’t ask for “names and numbers.” Ask for help protecting the family.

Advisor Script:

“Who are five people in your life that you trust — people who, if I couldn’t reach your beneficiary, I’d be allowed to call just to help track down the right person?”

“They don’t get access to anything — they just help ensure nothing gets lost.”

This framing is:

Protective
Professional
Non-intrusive
Comfortable

Email Templates and Communication

🔹 Sample Intro Email: Client Sends

Copy/Paste Template

Subject: Quick Introduction – My Advisor

Hi [Name],

I wanted to quickly introduce you to [Advisor Name], my licensed financial advisor. I’ve listed you as one of my Trusted Contacts — someone the advisor can reach out to only if something ever happens and they can’t reach my beneficiary.

This doesn’t give you any responsibility or access to my accounts — it simply helps ensure my family can be notified properly.

I’ve cc’d [Advisor Name] here so you can put a face to the name.

Thank you!

— [Client Name]

🔹 Sample Email: Advisor Sends

Copy/Paste Template — With One-Pager Attachment

Subject: Nice to Meet You — I’m [Client Name]‘s Advisor

Hi [Name],

Thanks for the introduction. I’m [Advisor Name], and I work with [Client Name] on their financial planning.

You’ve been listed as a Trusted Contact, meaning:

You are not responsible for anything

You do not get access to their accounts or information

You are simply someone we may contact if we cannot reach the beneficiary

Attached is a simple one-page sheet with my contact info and a summary of how the Trusted Contact process works.

If you ever need anything, feel free to reach out.

Best regards, [Advisor Name] [Phone] [Email] [Company]

You can convert this into a branded PDF.

Trusted Contact Information — Overview

Why You’re Receiving This You were listed as a Trusted Contact for [Client Name] — someone we may reach out to only if beneficiaries cannot be reached.

Your Role

Confirm or update contact info if needed
Help ensure the family can be notified
You are not responsible for any decisions
You do not receive any financial details

Advisor Contact Information

Name
Title
Phone
Email
Office Address
Website / Booking Link

How the Process Works

Advisor attempts to reach the client
Advisor attempts to reach the beneficiary
Advisor contacts the Trusted Contact if information is outdated or unreachable
Advisor notifies appropriate next-of-kin so benefits can be claimed

Why This Matters Life insurance benefits often go unclaimed due to:

Outdated beneficiary info
Unreachable contact details
Beneficiaries unaware of the policy
Missing communication pathways

Trusted Contacts help prevent this loss.

Workflow Summary and Best Practices

🔹 Advisor Workflow Summary (Internal Training)

Step-by-Step Flow

Explain the unclaimed policy problem
Introduce the Trusted Contact concept
Ask for 5 names
Have client send intro email
Advisor replies with intro + one-pager
Add contacts to CRM under “Trusted Contacts”
Follow up with a friendly confirmation phone call
Review contacts every 2–3 years

Compliance & Boundaries

No financial disclosures to Trusted Contacts
No sales conversations
Only contact if beneficiary is unreachable
Keep communication informational and respectful

🔹 Team Coaching Notes

Keep tone protective, not salesy
Normalize the Trusted Contacts process
Use stats ($13B+ unclaimed) for impact
Reinforce this is a safety measure, not a sales tool
Keep the introduction simple and comfortable
Your professionalism sets the tone