How to File a Life Insurance Death Claim

Step 1: Find the policy

You need the name of the insurance company, and ideally the policy number. If you do not have the policy itself, look in these places.

• Files, safes and safe deposit boxes, for the policy or annual statements
• Bank and card statements, for premium payments to an insurer
• Mail and email, for bills or notices from an insurance company
• The person's employer or former employer, union or association, for group coverage
• Their insurance agent, attorney or accountant

If you cannot find it

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners runs a free Life Insurance Policy Locator at naic.org. You submit the person's details and participating insurers search their records, then contact you if you are a beneficiary. Benefits that go unclaimed for years are turned over to the state, so also search the unclaimed property office in each state where the person lived.

Step 2: Contact the insurance company

Call the insurer's claims department or start the claim on its website. If the coverage was through work, the employer's benefits office can start it for you. Have the following ready.

• The policy number, if you have it
• The insured person's full name, date of birth and Social Security number
• The date and cause of death
• Your own name, relationship and contact details

Step 3: Send the paperwork

The insurer will ask for a completed claim form from each beneficiary and a certified copy of the death certificate. Order several certified copies from the funeral home or the vital records office, because banks and other insurers will want one too. Keep copies of everything you send and note the date.

Step 4: Choose how to be paid

Most people take a single lump sum. Insurers may also offer installments or an account that holds the money and pays interest. You do not have to decide on the spot, and you can ask for the options in writing.

How long it takes, and what slows it down

Many claims are paid within a few weeks of the insurer receiving complete paperwork. It can take longer if the death happened in the first two years of the policy, if documents are missing, if the beneficiary is a minor or cannot be located, or if the death is under investigation.

If a claim is denied or stalls

Ask the insurer to explain the reason in writing and what you can do to appeal. If you believe the decision is wrong, or you cannot get an answer, file a complaint with your state insurance department. It is free, and insurers are required to respond.

Thinking about your own family

Going through a claim often makes people look at their own situation. If handling this has made you want coverage in place for the people who depend on you, that is something a licensed agent can help with, and you can call the number on this page to speak with one. Please do not call that number about an existing claim. The agents who answer cannot look up or process a claim on another company's policy.

Common questions