SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — A Maryland man detained in Aruba inthe presumed death of his travel partner had anaccidental-death insurance policy on her for $1.5 millionand sought to claim the money two days after reporting her missing,a person who provided information to the investigation has told TheAssociated Press.

The details of the policy obtained by Gary V. Giordano beforehis trip to Aruba may help explain why he has been detained onsuspicion of involvement in the death of Robyn Gardner during theirshort getaway to the Dutch Caribbean island.

The person with knowledge of the policy told the AP thatGiordano purchased a $1.5 million AmericanExpressTravel Insurance policy shortly before he left forAruba and that the accidental-death benefit covered only the lengthof their short trip.

The source told the AP that Giordano calledthe insurance company on Aug. 4, while the search forGardner was still going on. He sought to confirm that the documentslisting him as the insurance beneficiary had beenreceived and wanted to begin redeeming the policy.

This person also said that records indicate Giordano askedwhether any search costs would be covered by the policy.

The source did not have authorization to publicly release theinformation and agreed to speak with the AP only on condition ofanonymity.

A spokeswoman for American Express, Gail Wasserman, said thecompany could not comment on any individual policies for privacyreasons.

Aruban Solicitor General Taco Stein, the spokesman for theinvestigation into Gardner's disappearance, said Wednesday thatGiordano had travel insurance but he provided fewdetails, saying investigators were still reviewing financialdocuments as they tried to determine what happened to the35-year-old woman from Frederick, Maryland.

Stein said investigators were still studying the policy todetermine exactly what it entailed.

“If you travel, you take out insurance. That's not anuncommon thing, to say the least,” Stein told the AP. “It alldepends on what's in the policy.”

Investigators were trying to determine if there was anythingunusual or striking about the policy. “If you change the policyaround and make it higher or whatever, then it may be of interestto the investigation but we haven't established that yet,” hesaid.

ABC news, citing an unidentified police source, first reportedthat Giordano had taken out a $1.5 million AmericanExpress insurance policy on Gardner and that it was beingconsidered as a possible motive in her disappearance.

Giordano's attorney, Michael Lopez, did not respond to a requestto comment on the insurance policy. The attorney haspreviously said that there is no evidence that Giordano committedany crime and that he should be released.

Giordano, a 50-year-old business owner from Gaithersburg,Maryland, traveled to Aruba with Gardner on July 31 andreported her missing two days later, saying she disappeared whilethe two were snorkeling.

He initially assisted the search but was detained at the airportas he tried to leave Aruba. Authorities said they had founddiscrepancies in his story.

Giordano, a twice-divorced father of three sons, has denied anywrongdoing through his attorney.

A judge ruled Monday there is enough evidence to hold him for atleast 16 more days on suspicion of involvement in Gardner'spresumed death. The woman's body has not been found and Arubanauthorities on Thursday were preparing for a new, large-scalesearch of the island for her remains or other evidence.

The FBI, which searched Giordano's home in an upscale Washingtonsuburb, has been assisting Aruban authorities with theinvestigation and has put out a missing person poster with threephotographs of the 5-foot-4-inch blonde, including one showing ajungle-print design tattoo on her left shoulder. The poster urgesanyone with information about Gardner to contact the FBI or thenearest U.S. embassy or consulate.

The exact nature of his relationship with Gardner, who had aboyfriend back home in Maryland, isn't clear but the prosecutor'soffice has said the couple stayed in a room together at a Marriotthotel in Aruba.

Investigators said they have little information about what thecouple did and how they behaved while on the island and haveappealed for any witnesses to contact police.