Hawaii Helping Residents Find Unclaimed Funds, Insurance Refunds

A Hawaii state program has returned $22 million of previously unclaimed funds to their rightful owners over the past five years.

The Department of Budget and Finance says it has paid 29,810 claims to individuals and businesses under the Unclaimed Property Program.

The state holds in safekeeping abandoned or unclaimed property. It includes dormant savings accounts, unclaimed inheritances, uncashed payroll checks and insurance refunds.

The department’s outreach effort includes a free online search database.

Department Director Georgina Kawamura says helping people determine if they have funds owed them is important as more people struggle with the high cost of living.