German Carriers Release List of Holocaust Insureds

German insurance companies have made public the names of 363,232 victims of the Holocaust who were covered by life insurance policies but whose records were previously sealed.

The publication of names was required under the terms of an agreement entitled “Remembrance, Responsibility, and the Future” signed in October by the International Commission on Holocaust Era Insurance Claims (ICHEAC).

European insurers that sold coverage as World War II approached—and routinely refused to pay claims after the war citing the lack of proof of policy, possession of death certificate, and payment to other parties—have fought the publication of policyholders’ names, often citing privacy laws.

Claimants have until Sept. 30, 2003 to file claims with the ICHEAC on covered policies.