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Disclaimer: this information pertains to US based payees and may not be applicable to non-US based payees.
What is unclaimed property?
Generally, unclaimed property means any abandoned or uncashed funds held by a company where the payee can no longer be reached. If you have received a courtesy or due diligence letter from us indicating that you have unclaimed property with Markel, please view the FAQs below for additional information. To view more information on state regulations around unclaimed property, please visit your state’s unclaimed property website.
Why have I received a letter regarding unclaimed property?
Markel regularly sends out letters in an attempt to locate owners of inactive or uncashed checks. Once checks reach the time that they are 4-6 months old, a courtesy letter is sent to all payees with outstanding checks. Courtesy letters are sent in addition to the applicable state required due diligence letters which we send out approximately 3-6 months before applicable state filing deadlines. We make diligent efforts to try to contact our payees to make sure any outstanding checks get to the intended payee.
If you have received a correspondence from us regarding unclaimed property, it means that our records have indicated we have a liability owed to you. We are required by applicable state laws to attempt to make contact with any person or business that we owe funds to (e.g. an uncashed check). Ultimately, if we cannot contact the payee or owner of the funds to reissue the check, the funds will be sent to the state of the owner’s last known address.
What are the next steps for me to claim my funds from Markel?
If you have received a letter from us and wish to have your funds reissued to you, the next step is to complete the bottom portion of the letter, check the “Please reissue check to below address”, and return it to us via email, fax, or mail.
However, if you believe that the funds are no longer due, please return the letter with the check box indicating that the funds are no longer due.
Email: RegDisbRequests@Markel.com
Fax: (402) 505-4893
Mail: 4521 Highwoods Parkway, Glen Allen, VA 23060
I do not recognize the name Markel. What are these funds from?
Markel Group Inc. is a financial holding company that includes a group of affiliated insurance companies. Usually, uncashed checks are the result of insurance losses, settlements, or insurance premium refunds due to a change or cancellation of a policy with one of the Markel Group insurance companies.
The Markel Group U.S. insurance companies includes, but is not limited to, the following: Markel Global Reinsurance Company, Essentia Insurance Company (insurance plans administered by “Hagerty”), Evanston Insurance Company, FirstComp Insurance Company, Markel American Insurance Company, Markel Insurance Company, State National Companies, Inc. State National Insurance Company, Inc., SureTec Insurance Company, and T.B.A. Insurance Group, Ltd..
I have the check in my possession but I have been holding it until service or repairs are completed before I cash it. What should I do with the check? Can I continue to hang onto it until work is complete?
If you receive a courtesy letter from us regarding an uncashed check and you are still holding that check because you are waiting for vehicle or other repairs or services to be completed, you should consider setting those funds aside in a savings account. Holding onto a check can result in the check becoming stale and no longer valid. We recommend cashing and depositing the funds rather than holding on to the physical check.
I need to change the payee name on the original check due to the death of the beneficiary or the closure of a business. What do I need to do and what documentation is needed?
If the beneficiary name for a check payment needs to be altered, legal documentation will be required.
Death of a beneficiary: please send an email to RegDisbRequests@markel.com with the completed letter and indicate that the beneficiary of the funds needs to be changed. We can reissue the check to “The Estate of…” with the following documentation:
- A completed unclaimed property letter
- An official copy of the death certificate
If you need additional information concerning the probate process in general, we recommend reaching out to a private attorney.
Closure of a business: please send an email to RegDisbRequests@markel.com with the completed letter and indicate that the beneficiary of the funds needs to be changed. Additional documentation needed is:
- A completed unclaimed property letter
- A Certificate of Dissolution for the business from the state/county where your business was originally registered specifying how final monies are to be handled
The letter I received is from the State of California, not Markel. How do I proceed in order to claim funds?
The State of California sends out their own due diligence letters based on preliminary filing information that we are required to send to the state. To claims funds related to a letter sent from the State of California, you can proceed by writing on the letter received. Specifically, on the letter, write:
- “Replacement check needed” If you believe the funds are not due to you, please complete these same steps but write “Funds are not due to me”.
- A current address, phone number and/or email address
- Sign, date & print your name
- Send the letter, a scanned copy or picture of this letter to Markel via:
Email: RegDisbRequests@Markel.com
Fax: (402) 505-4893
Mail: 4521 Highwoods Parkway, Glen Allen, VA 23060
Why do you require personal information such as address and phone number?
Unclaimed property is subject to audit by applicable state government agencies. In an audit, we are required to demonstrate that we took appropriate steps to return property to the rightful owner and require the completed letter for our audit record-keeping purposes. Further, address updates may be needed to reissue the check to the correct location and phone and/or email contact information may be needed in case we have additional questions or otherwise need to make contact.
I submitted the letter requesting a check reissue. How long will I need to wait to receive it?
Once we have received your completed letter, we strive to make sure you receive the reissued check within 6 to 8 business weeks. If you have not received your check or would like an update on the status, you can contact us by phone (804) 565-1913 or by email at RegDisbRequests@Markel.com.
I received or returned the letter more than 30 days after the date on the letter, is it too late?
Not necessarily! We send out courtesy letters well in advance of the applicable state remittance deadline and due diligence letters more than 30 days before the applicable state filing deadlines. The 30 day deadline is to designed to encourage a response and make sure we have sufficient time to reissue your check. If the check has been remitted to the state, we will reach out to notify you and provide next steps to claim it.
How do I find out if I have additional unclaimed property?
It is possible that you may have additional unclaimed property being held by the state that you currently reside in or the state of a previous residence. To check for additional properties, simply log onto that state’s website and search by your name or business name.
What if I have additional questions not answered here?
Please feel free to contact us at any time via email at RegDisbRequests@markel.com or by phone at (804) 565-1913. When leaving a message, please make sure to include your name, the check number (if known) or check amount, a phone number, and any other relevant information.