My father died, my stepmother (apparently) sent death certificates and I don't know what else to the life insurance company in December.

I am a beneficiary to the life insurance policy. I do not know which company the plan is with and have had no contact with them.

Is this company going to send my check directly to my stepmother? Contact me for proof of my identity?

How long should this take?

I feel uncomfortable being so completely out of the loop on this - it just seems like I should have received some sort of notice from the insurance company.
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Edited to add: I must say that some of your responses are so offensive. I loved my father deeply. He was everything to me. I cared for my father around the clock for weeks and am still recovering from the toll that took on me. He was very wealthy. I am to receive a very minimal amount for reasons I don't need to go into. Yes I am sure that I am the beneficiary. I wouldn't have asked the question if I was not. No I am not selfishly grabbing at money. The money is not what I am concerned about. my concern was family dynamics about *who* had sent in the application and how I would know what was going on. Your responses make me wish I'd never asked.