By TRACEY DRURY
tdrury@bizjournals.com | 716-541-1609

Hard to believe in this economic climate that anyone would let a check go uncashed, but that's what nearly 12,000 individuals and companies have done.

Univera Healthcare has published online a list of those that have yet to cash more than $1.5 million in checks. The checks, representing claims or refunded premiums, were issued in 2007 by Univera and its parent company, Excellus Healthcare.

The publication of unclaimed checks at least three years old is required by state law. After the online notice, the company will list the names in legal notices in print newspapers to find the people who have money to claim. If funds are not claimed by the end of August, it is turned over to the state comptroller, who acts as custodian for the funds.

Univera's searchable list also includes companies that haven't cashed checks, which include the following from Western New York: American Homecare Supply Inc., Hook's Shoe Stores Inc., Lincare Inc. and Rapid Tile Services Inc.

The list can be found at www.univerahealthcare.com/wps/portal/uv/our/news/forgottenfunds.

Health insurers aren't the only ones that may be holding forgotten funds.

According to the comptroller's website, state law requires banks, insurance companies, utilities and other businesses to turn dormant savings accounts, unclaimed insurance and stock dividends, and other inactive holdings over to the state. If there has been no activity in the account for a set period of time, usually between two and five years, the money is considered unclaimed or abandoned.

There is no time limit and no fee for claiming the funds from the state comptroller.

The reasons for the unclaimed checks are varied, including members who moved and left no forwarding address, deaths or, more often, members simply forgot about the money.

The comptroller's site also includes a searchable database with details on $10.5 billion in unclaimed funds, available at ouf.osc.state.ny.us/ouf/.