How do I file a life insurance claim?
To begin the claims process:
-- Get several copies of the death certificate.
-- Call your insurance agent. He or she can help you fill out
the
necessary forms and act as an intermediary with the insurance
company. (Don’t keep life insurance policies in your safe
deposit
box. In most states, safe deposit boxes are sealed
temporarily
upon the death of the owner, which can delay the settlement.
) If
you don’t have an insurance agent, or don’t know who the
deceased's agent was, contact the company directly.
-- Submit a certified copy of the death certificate from the
funeral
director with the policy claim. Once the claim is submitted, a
settlement should be issued to you shortly. Once a life insurance
claim is submitted, you must determine how the proceeds will be
distributed. These are some of the options available:
-- Lump sum -- You receive the entire death
benefit in a single
amount.
-- Specific income provision -- The company pays
you both
principal and interest on
a predetermined schedule.
-- Life income option -- You receive a guaranteed
income for life.
The amount of income
depends on the death benefit, your
gender and your age at
the time of the insured's death.
-- Interest income option -- The company holds
the proceeds
and pays you interest on
them. The death benefit remains
intact and goes to a
secondary beneficiary upon your death.
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