How to File a Life Insurance Claim

Life insurance provides vital protection for workers and their families, and valuable benefits in their time of need. It is important for everyone with a family to support to have adequate life insurance protection in place to replace his or her income and protect the family from financial crisis.

Of course we all buy life insurance coverage with the hope that it will not be needed, making it unique among all purchases. We all hope to have our loved ones with us forever, rendering those life insurance policies moot. Even so, we all know that eventually someone in the family will need to rely on the proceeds of a life insurance policy, and it is important to understand how to file a life insurance claim when that happens.

If you have a life insurance policy in place to protect your family, there is a lot you can do to ease their burden in the event of your death. One of the best things people can do for their families is to let everyone know where the original policy is kept. Many people keep their life insurance policies and other important documents in a safe deposit box at the bank.

If you do this it is important to provide your spouse with all the information he or she will need to open that safe deposit box and find that life insurance policy. Having the life insurance policy in hand will make it much easier for your family to file the claim and collect the funds you have so thoughtfully set aside for them. Keep in mind that if your family members have to hunt down your life insurance policy they could face significant delays getting the money they need to pay day to day living expenses, keep the mortgage current and keep a roof over their heads. Keeping your life insurance policy in order, and letting your family members know where they can find it, is one of the most thoughtful things you can do for those you love.

After the life insurance policy has been located, the first step is to contact the life insurance company and let them know that the insured person has died. This will get the ball rolling and help to expedite the claim. If you originally purchased your policy from an agent, be sure to contact the agent to report the death. The life insurance agent should be able to guide you through the rest of the claim process. The agent should also be able to tell you exactly which documents you will need to complete the claim.

The life insurance company will certainly need a certified copy of the death certificate, so be sure to request additional copies from the funeral home when making the burial arrangements. Some additional documentation may be needed as well, so be sure to ask the life insurance agent or customer service representative what you need. Always be sure to make copies of all correspondence and documentation for your records. This will make it easier to proceed if the original documents are lost in the mail.

After the initial claim has been filed, it is important to follow up on a regular basis to check its progress. The speed of claim processing will vary from company to company, but checking in on a regular basis will help assure you that the process is moving along. If there are any problems along the way be sure to provide the required information as quickly as possible. Providing the information needed will help to make processing faster and help you get the money you need going forward.