How to Replace a Lost Bell Atlantic Stock Certificate

Replace old stock certificates in order to keep track of your investments.

When people think of investing in the stock market, they think of buying or selling shares online themselves or through a broker. However, there was a time that when people purchased stocks, they were issued an actual stock certificate by the company. These certificates were proof of ownership and could be sold to other investors. Bell Atlantic is a former telephone company which used to issue such certificates. If you have lost your stock certificate, you need to follow a few steps to get a replacement.

Instructions

1. Contact the Verizon Communications investor relations department. Bell Atlantic merged with Verizon in 2000. All Bell Atlantic stock certificates still have value. Verizon has set up a program where stock certificates have been registered by the company. Contact Verizon to find out if your stock certificates were registered at that time.

   Verizon Communications
   c/o Computershare
   P.O. Box 43005
   Providence, RI 02940
   800-631-2355

2. Place a "stop-transfer" on the lost stock certificates. If you have contacted investor relations and they do not have a record of your stock certificates that can be reissued, then you must take additional measures. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recommends that you place a stop transfer on the stock certificates so that someone else may not transfer the stock to their name. The "stop-transfer" can be done through the investor relations department.

3. Draft an affidavit to Verizon. The SEC also recommends drafting this document, which should cover all events surrounding the loss of the stock certificate. Have the affidavit signed by a notary public. (This will be sent along with a packet to Verizon investment relations.)

4. Purchase indemnity bond insurance. Indemnity bond insurance protects the issuer of the stock from liability in case someone lays claim to the same stock down the line. The insurance company will pay for the loss the company must take for issuing the same stock to two people. The cost of indemnity insurance will range from 1 to 2 percent of the stock value. You can contact your own insurance provider to see if it offers indemnity insurance or select from a host of companies listed on the Internet. Just be sure that they are a licensed insurance company.

5. Request new stock certificates from Verizon. Add a request letter which states your name, address and brokerage information, and stock will be reissued by the company to your brokerage account.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have copies of the stock certificates, or any other records that are associated with the lost with the stock certificates, include copies of them in the packet to the Verizon Investor Relations Department.

• According to the SEC, if someone is an innocent purchaser of those stock certificates, then you may not be able to have the stock reissued. An example of an innocent purchaser would be someone buying stock certificates at a yard sale thinking the company was long out of business. This is also why you want to purchase indemnity insurance.

References

• Verizon: Share Owner FAQs
• Securities and Exchange Commission: Stock Certificates Lost, Stolen
• Investopedia: Indemnity Insurance