Claim Form

• Each company has its own claim form that a beneficiary needs to complete. The first step in any claim is notifying the insurance company that the insured has died. The company will then provide you with all the necessary paperwork for filing the claim. The standard claim form includes information about the insured, the time and cause of death, policy details and beneficiary information. Some claim forms request information about the insured’s medical history over the past five or 10 years. Be sure all information is filled out to the best of your knowledge.
  
  

Insurance-Related Forms

• Depending on the cause of death or other circumstances, the insurer may ask for forms in addition to the claim form. An attending physician's statement is often required, which all physicians and hospitals who attended to the insured during the last illness or accident need to complete. If the cause of death was accidental, some companies require additional documentation to provide details about the accident. If the life insurance policy was a group policy administered by an employer, the insured’s employer needs to fill out an employer certificate.
  
  

Proofs of Death, Coverage and Beneficiary Identity

• You are required to submit an original death certificate. If you are unable to provide one, most companies accept a certified copy of the death certificate. Some insurance companies ask that you send the original policy with your claim. If you do not have the original policy, the company may ask you to fill out a document stating the policy has been lost or damaged. As the claimant or beneficiary you will be asked to provide photo identification of yourself. If the beneficiary is a minor, you'll generally need to provide a birth certificate and letter of guardianship.
  
  

Follow-Up

• Once you have reviewed your claim and are certain it is complete, proceed with sending it to the insurance company for their review. Because the claim package will contain original documents, you should send the document by certified mail or a trackable overnight delivery service; also request delivery confirmation. Allow a few days for processing before you follow up with the insurance company. Call the company directly for updates on the status of your claim and when you should expect to receive the payment.