How To Claim Life Insurance (2024)

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When someone dies, their loved ones are often left with a lot of questions about what to do next. One important thing to figure out is how to collect life insurance. This process can be complicated, but it is much easier if you understand which documents are needed and how most life insurance companies want to be notified of a death. Keep reading for more information on how to claim a life insurance policy.

How to claim life insurance after death

Perhaps you're reading this article after realizing, "I am the beneficiary of a life insurance policy, but have no idea what to do." If this is you, try to remain calm. Know that there are many people who are the beneficiary of a life insurance policy with no idea what that means or how to receive any of the payouts from the life insurance policy. The good news is, while life insurance can be complicated and confusing, the steps to claim a life insurance payout are relatively straightforward. Here's the steps to take when you're ready to claim a life insurance policy.

Step 1: Gather required documentation

Before you get in touch with the life insurance company, it's important that you gather required documentation. Having this documentation ready to go beforehand will make the process much easier. You'll need the following documents in order to file a claim with most life insurance companies:

• A claim form (this can usually be found on a life insurance company's website)
• The life insurance policy number or policy itself
• A death certificate

The life insurance claim form will typically ask you the following information:

• The decedent's full name
• The decedent's date of birth
• The decedent's date of death
• The decedent's residential address
• The cause of death
• Your relationship to the decedent
• Your contact information

Step 2: Get in touch with the insurance company

Once you've gathered all the required documentation, it's time to contact the company to notify them of the death. Many companies have an online death notification form, but if you have any questions or complications, it can help to get in touch by phone. For contact steps for major life insurance companies, keep reading through this article.

Step 3: Provide any additional documentation requested

After notifying the company of the death and submitting all required documentation, you'll need to wait as the life insurance company processes the claim. Keep an eye out on your email and phone during the waiting process since the company may need additional documentation from you in order to process the claim. Failing to provide this additional documentation can delay the payout process.

Step 4: Get paid

After your claim has been verified and approved, the life insurance will get in touch with you regarding how you'd like to receive the payout. Typically they payout in the form of a check or by direct deposit and can payout in one lump-sum or in installments.

How to find out if I am a beneficiary of a life insurance policy

Finding out if you're the beneficiary of a life insurance policy can be confusing, especially if you're not sure where to start. If you already know that there's a life insurance policy, here are the steps you should take:

1. Find out the name of the company the life insurance policy is under.
2. Contact the company and explain that there's a policy and you'd like to know if you're listed as a beneficiary.
3. Some companies may give you this information, but many will ask that you file a claim before telling you whether or not you're a beneficiary. If you're asked to file a claim, this is the next step.
4. Once you've filed a claim, wait to hear from the company regarding the status of the claim and your status as a beneficiary.

If you don't know if there's a life insurance policy, then it's time to find out if a life insurance policy exists. A few places you can look for a life insurance policy include:

• Bank statements
• Email accounts
• Digital storage
• Safety deposit boxes
• Stacks of important documents or bills

For more information on how to find a life insurance policy, read this article.

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Ready to contact life insurance companies? Here are the steps to take when notifying major life insurance companies of a death.

New York Life Insurance

Steps:

1. Start a claim.
2. Download & fill out the forms.
3. Mail the forms in.

If you are the beneficiary of a life insurance policy, you fill out this form.

If you are the beneficiary of an annuity policy, you fill out this form.

If you are the beneficiary of both, you fill out both.

Mail to:

New York Life
Claims & Benefits
PO Box 130539
Dallas, TX 75313-0539

Overnight mail:

New York Life
Claims & Benefits
4849 Greenville Ave, Suite 700
Dallas, TX 75206-4187

Alternatively, you can fill out a form on the link at the start of this section and they’ll mail you a claim kit.

Northwestern Mutual

Report a death online at their site.

You can send additional documents (like death certificates) by email at LifeBenefits@Northwesternmutual.com.

MetLife

Complete and mail this form.If you are claiming proceeds on the behalf of a company, trust, or an estate, fill out this form.

For those filling out the individual claim form, you need information on the insured and yourself that includes:

• Your full name (and the insured's name)
• Full address
• Date of birth
• Social security number
• Your relationship to the insured individual
• The insurance policy number you're filing a claim for - if you don't know this number, you can use MetLife's finder here.

For those filling out an entity/trust claim form, you need the information listed above and additional information about the entity/trust, including:

• Full name of the entity/trust/estate
• Address for the entity/trust/estate
• Date the trust was established (if you're claiming on behalf of a trust)
• Tax ID number for the entity/trust/estate
• Insurance policy numbers you're filing a claim for - if you don't know this number, you can use MetLife's finder here.
• Documentation that shows your authorized to represent the entity/trust/estate

Once you've filled out the relevant forms and gathered the requested information, you can submit the claim IF (the policy you're filing a claim for is less than $100,000 or the certified/original death certificate is already on file from a different beneficiary:

• Online, for individuals.
• Online, for those filing for an entity/trust.

Provide the claim information in one of the following ways:

• Email the claim & information to INDlifeclaims@metlife.com
• Fax 1-908-655-9586
• Mail to the address provided in your claim kit

Prudential

File a claim online here.Information you'll need to file a claim:

• Social security number
• Policy number
• Full name of the insured
• Date of birth and date of death
• The name and phone of the funeral home handling the arrangements

What to expect:

• The online claim takes around 5-7 minutes to finish.
• You'll be guided through each section of the claim and the more information you can provide, the faster they're able to process your claim.
• The submission is reviewed by a representative who will send you additional forms to complete and return if needed. If you receive additional forms, they'll need to be completed and returned for the claim to be finalized. If there is no need for additional forms, the online claim form is your final submission.
• Prudential won't receive any information until you've clicked the submit button and have received confirmation of receipt.

Lincoln Financial Group

File a claim over the phone at 800-487-1485 or file a claim here.If filing over the phone, you’ll need:

• The address of the policy owner
• Any policy number(s)
• The date of death of the insured

If filing a workplace insurance claim, head here.

MassMutual

You can start a claim online, here.Submit a claim packet (once you've started the claim process, you'll receive a claim packet in the mail in 3 business days).

1. Email: lifeclaimsemail@massmutual.com
2. Fax: 866-329-4527
3. Receive payment - The benefit payment is processed within 10 business days once all requirements have been met.

Or, submit by Mail at:

Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company
DMS
1295 State St.
Springfield, MA 01111-0001

State Farm

You can Contact your State Farm agent or Call the Life Claims department at 877-292-0398 ( To report a new claim, select Option 1; to speak about an existing claim, selection Option 2).

Have the following information:

• The full name of the insured (and nickname, if applicable)
• Date of birth
• Date of death
• Cause of death
• Policy number (if known)
• Name of individual who is reporting the claim
• The relationship to the deceased
• Contact phone numbers

After speaking with a representative, you'll likely need to mail in requested information to:

State Farm Life Insurance Company
Bloomington Life Operations
Life Claims
P.O. Box 2364
Bloomington, IL 61702-236

Transamerica

File a claim here.

Guardian

File a claim over the phone: Call 866-452-4542, to get started, select option 2.

Haven Life

Call their policy center at 1-855-744-2836 to report a death and begin the process of filing a claim. You will want the following information:

• Your relationship to the deceased
• Social security number of the decedent
• Date of birth and date of death of the decedent
• Policy numberAfter you file a claim over the phone, they'll send you documents in the mail for you to complete and return.

AARP (through New York Life)

Download or request a claim packet online (click download now) or by phone at (800) 695-5165. You'll need the following info:

• Social security number of the insured
• Policy number or contract number
• Date of death
• Cause of death

Complete and return your form by mail or fax.

Regular Mail:

New York Life Ins. Co. AARP Operations
Attn: Claims Department
P.O. Box 30713
Tampa, FL 33630-3713

Express Mail:

New York Life Ins. Co. AARP Operations
Attn: Claims Dept., Bldg. 3 - 1st Floor
5505 West Cypress Street
Tampa, FL 33607

Fax: (855) 381-5010

When returning your forms, be sure you include the policy or agreement number. A claims representative may ask you to send in additional documents. For a full list of these documents, check here.

Pacific Life

Initiate a claim online.

John Hanco*ck

Report a death by phone at 888-887-2739 or online.

If you didn’t complete it online, find, complete, and mail in the correct form.

Submit the required documentation in one of the following ways:

By fax: 1-617-572-1571

By regular mail:

Life Post Issue - Claims
John Hanco*ck PO Box 55979
Boston, MA 02205

By overnight mail:

Life Post Issue - Claims
John Hanco*ck 410 University Avenue, Suite 55979
Westwood, MA 02090

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Frequently asked questions

Life insurance can be complicated and you may find that you still have many questions regarding the life insurance payout or how to claim life insurance. Here are some answers to some frequently asked questions regarding how to collect life insurance after someone dies.

How long does a beneficiary have to claim a life insurance policy?

There isn't a time limit on filing a claim for a life insurance policy, but it's typically smarter to file a claim as soon as possible. Keep in mind that a life insurance policy claim is not automatically paid out by the life insurance company. Instead, claimants or beneficiaries need to file a claim with the life insurance company, using either their online life insurance claim form or by mailing in a completed claim form.

How long does it take to collect life insurance after death?

The amount of time it takes to receive a life insurance payout depends on the company you've filed a life insurance claim with, how long you decide to wait before filing the claim, the status of the documentation you file with your claim, and any concerns the company may have regarding the claim's validity. Typically, once filed, a beneficiary can expect to receive a life insurance payout in around 30 to 60 days. For more accurate and up to date information on the life insurance payout timeline, you should contact the life insurance company directly and ask for a status update.

What is the average life insurance payout?

According to Haven Life, the average life insurance payout is $618,000. While many people will be paid out much less than this (and others will be paid out more than this), it's still a number to keep in mind when considering filing a claim for life insurance. The life insurance payout amount will of course depend on the policyholder and what type of policy they chose.

How is life insurance paid out to beneficiaries?

Life insurance can be paid out to beneficiaries in a number of different ways, depending on what the policy owner chooses at the time of setting up the life insurance policy. Typically, life insurance is paid out in a lump-sum payment. The full amount of the proceeds are paid out to the beneficiary in one lump-sum payment. In more modern life insurance policies, there are some different options for how the beneficiaries can receive the funds such as an installments or annuities account. For installments or annuity policies, the person who gets the life insurance payout would receive installments or periodic payouts throughout their life.

How does term life insurance payout?

Term life insurance is paid out similarly to regular life insurance policies in that the beneficiaries are given a lump-sum payment once they claim the life insurance policy.

How long does it take for life insurance to be distributed?

Distribution of life insurance policy payments depends on how long you take to file the claim, whether or not you include all required documentation, how certain the life insurance company is of the claim's validity, and other processes and internal procedures the company may have. Typically, you can expect a life insurance payout within 30 to 60 days.

Do life insurance companies contact beneficiaries?

Life insurance companies may attempt to contact beneficiaries after a death occurs, but it's typically the responsibility of the beneficiary or claimant to get in touch with the life insurance company to notify them of the death. If you're relying on a life insurance payout, getting in touch with them as soon as possible and starting the claim process is generally the best decision.

Does the beneficiary of a life insurance policy have to pay for the deceased’s funeral costs?

The beneficiary of a life insurance policy does not have any obligation to pay or cover the deceased's funeral costs. If you've received a life insurance policy payout and don't want to cover the funeral expenses, you are free to do what you'd like with the funds you've received. There are no life insurance beneficiary rules that state that you must use the funds to pay for funeral expenses.

Do you have to pay taxes on money you receive as a beneficiary?

Typically, you do not need to pay taxes on funds you've received from a life insurance policy since they aren't included in your gross income. It's a good idea to double check with a financial authority or tax authority before proceeding. For more information, you can visit the IRS's website.

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