Claims
Life Insurance claim resources
Life Insurance claims are paid after our service team verifies you are the rightful beneficiary, the contract is active and all conditions have been satisfied.
Prefer not to start your claim online?
Start your claim by phone by calling our Life Insurance Service Center
Monday–Thursday, 8:30 a.m. - 7 p.m. ET
Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. ET
Documents and forms
You will need the documents below for all claims:
- Completed Death Claim Form - Required for all beneficiaries listed on the policy/contract.
- Death certificate - a copy of the death certificate with cause and manner of death
- W9 Form - Completed for the Beneficiary
- Additional documents - claim form that is required for the payment option you have selected (see additional documents below)
Additional documents may be needed
You may also request the correct forms be sent to you by calling the numbers below, submitting an online claim notification or through the policyholder’s financial professional.
Not all options are available to all beneficiaries. Depending on your personal situation, these additional documents may be necessary.
- Special Payment Plan Form - Required when requesting an Interest, Installment Payments or Life Income Options settlement
- Family Status Statement Form - Required if the policy covers more than the deceased person (i.e. children’s term rider, additional insured rider)
- Release of Interest in Claims Proceeds by Beneficiary Form - Required if disclaiming proceeds. (Please Note: Proceeds will then be payable according to policy provisions)
- Statement of Surviving Children Form - Required if beneficiaries of the policy/contract are the children of the insured, but are not named in the beneficiary provision
- Certification of Foreign Status of Beneficial Owner for United States Form (W8-BEN) - Required if you are a foreign national. This form is non-applicable for permanent residents
- Affidavit for Transfer w/o Administration Form - Required when the deceased's estate is not being probated
- Certificate of appointments (copy) - If you are filing as the executor, administrator or guardian
- Copy of Trust excerpts title, appointment and signature pages and any amendment naming the successor trustee
- Losing a Loved One Beneficiary Guide - To assist with important decisions after the loss of a loved one
- Authorization to Release Information - Required if the death occurs within two years of policy issue
You may also request the forms be sent to you by calling the numbers below.
Contact and mail information for Life Insurance service center
Fax
(855) 268-6373
Regular Mail
Equitable Life Operations
PO Box 1424
Charlotte, NC 28201-1047
Express Mail
Equitable Life Operations
National Operations Center
8501 IBM Drive, Suite 150
Charlotte, NC 28262
FAQs
Options may include a lump-sum payment, an Access Account if eligible, or a special payment plan. In some cases, the policyholder may have selected the payment method. Beneficiaries should contact a financial professional or the applicable support area and consult a tax advisor before choosing.
Generally, life insurance proceeds paid to a beneficiary are income-tax free, although exceptions may apply. Interest paid on the proceeds may be reported as taxable income. For guidance on how tax laws apply to your individual situation, please consult a tax professional. See our Losing a Loved One Beneficiary Guide for more information.
Death certificates may be obtained through the funeral director or County Clerk's office. The current page also directs users to the National Center for Health Statistics for assistance.
No. Multiple death certificates are not required for a claim regardless of the product or number of beneficiaries.
In most cases, proceeds become payable to the contingent beneficiary. If there is no surviving contingent beneficiary, payment is determined by the policy terms. If the designated beneficiary survives the insured but dies before the claim is made, proceeds may be payable to the beneficiary's estate.
A death in a foreign country requires special handling and may extend processing time. The current page requests an original death certificate and a State Department form for the death of a U.S. citizen abroad, with a translation if the certificate is in another language.
Requirements vary by state and benefit amount. A court-appointed guardianship or conservatorship document may be required when the amount exceeds the applicable state limit.
Yes. Copies of the appropriate supporting documentation are required when an Attorney-in-Fact, Guardian, or Conservator signs for the beneficiary.
Yes. A company officer must sign with the officer's designation, and documentation showing authority to sign may also be required.
Copies of the trust documents help confirm the existence and date of the trust and verify the trustee or successor trustee. A certificate of trust may be accepted instead.
Documentation showing that the trust no longer exists is required. If there is no contingent beneficiary, the policy provisions determine the default beneficiary.
These documents identify the legal representative appointed for the estate. Letters Testamentary are generally issued to the executor named in a probated will. Letters of Administration are generally issued to an administrator when no will is admitted to probate. Names vary by state.
They are generally required when the estate is the named beneficiary and is due the life insurance proceeds. They are not generally required when another named beneficiary receives the proceeds.
Contact the applicable Customer Service area for guidance.
GE-9158822.1 (10/2026) (Exp. 10/2030)
Support is available