Notifying the 9/11 VCF when someone dies
Executor is responsible for notifying the 9/11 VCF
OverviewWhen someone dies
VCF Helpline
Phone1-855-885-1555
Mailing Address
September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, P.O. Box 34500, Washington, DC 20043 (overnight: 1220 L Street NW, Suite 100 - Box 408, Washington, DC 20005-4018)
WebsiteVisit website→
HoursMonday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, except federal holidays
VCF Helpline (Deceased Claims Assistance)
Phone1-855-885-1555
WebsiteLearn about benefits→
HoursMonday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, except federal holidays
Claims Management System (Online Filing)
Phone1-855-885-1555
Timeline
Registration must be submitted within two years of the later of (a) the date of death or (b) the date the VCF verifies the condition that caused death as 9/11-related, unless a timely prior personal injury registration exists. The Claim Filing Deadline (the final date to file the completed claim) is October 1, 2090 for everyone. Claim processing time varies; expedited review is available for terminally ill claimants and certain other circumstances through the VCF Expedited Claim Process.
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HoursOnline system available 24/7; helpline Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Verified Jul 2026
When someone dies, the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (9/11 VCF) must be notified. The executor is responsible for notifying the 9/11 VCF.
Notification deadline: If the victim previously registered a timely VCF personal injury claim, the deceased claim is automatically considered timely. Otherwise, the Personal Representative must register the deceased claim within two years of the later of: (1) the victim's date of death, or (2) the date the VCF (through the Private Physician Process) verifies the condition that caused death as 9/11-related. The Claim Filing Deadline itself is October 1, 2090 for everyone, but the Registration Deadline can be much sooner..
Steps to take
Steps for notifying the 9/11 VCF and applying for survivor benefits:
1
Determine whether to file a Personal Representative amendment or a new deceased claim:
- •If the victim died of causes unrelated to 9/11, file a Personal Representative amendment to the existing personal injury claim (if one exists)
- •If the victim died as a result of an eligible 9/11-related condition (or you are unsure), register a new deceased claim
- •Critical: take one action or the other, never both, for the same victim
2
Obtain court appointment as Personal Representative:
- •Contact the probate or surrogates court in the state where the decedent was domiciled
- •File a Petition for Letters Testamentary (if the decedent had a will) or Letters of Administration (if no will)
- •Even small estates that would not otherwise require probate should obtain a Personal Representative appointment so the VCF can validate authority
- •Letters of Voluntary Administration are accepted only in very limited circumstances and must explicitly permit the filing and processing of the VCF claim
3
Create or access the VCF online account:
- •Visit claims.vcf.gov and select "Create Account" (or sign in to the existing victim account if continuing a personal injury claim)
- •You may also register or get account help by calling the VCF Helpline at 1-855-885-1555
4
Register the deceased claim before the registration deadline:
- •In the Claims Management System, click "New Registration" and complete the Victim, Claimant, Attorney (if applicable), and Alternate Contact tabs
- •Submit the registration to receive a claim number
- •Registration must occur within two years of the later of the victim's date of death or the date the VCF verifies the condition as 9/11-related (unless a prior timely personal injury registration exists)
5
Establish the 9/11-related condition:
- •Submit proof of World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program certification for the condition that caused death — this is the standard path
- •If the victim was not certified by the WTC Health Program, request VCF Private Physician Process verification
- •For New York City responders, certification from the New York Workers' Compensation Board or FDNY/NYPD/NYCERS pension funds may also satisfy the trigger
6
File the deceased claim through claims.vcf.gov:
- •Log in, select "Existing Registrations and Claims," and select "Begin Eligibility"
- •Answer "Yes" to "Did the decedent die as a result of his or her 9/11-related physical injury?" if pursuing wrongful death
- •Upload the long-form death certificate showing cause of death (short-form often lacks the detail the VCF needs)
- •Upload Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration showing Personal Representative authority
- •Upload proof of presence at the eligible site, dependents documentation, and offset documentation (life insurance, Social Security survivor benefits, etc.)
7
Coordinate with any attorney representing the claim. If the victim was represented by a law firm, that firm submits the claim on the family's behalf and is the primary point of contact.
8
Monitor the claim status through the Claims Management System and respond to any VCF requests for additional documentation. The deadline to file (not register) the claim itself is October 1, 2090 for every claimant.
Required Documents
- Certified copy of the death certificate (long-form with cause of death is strongly preferred; short-form often does not include enough detail for the VCF to evaluate cause)
- Court-issued Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration appointing the Personal Representative
- WTC Health Program certification for the condition that caused death (or VCF Private Physician Process verification, or qualifying NY Workers' Compensation Board / FDNY / NYPD / NYCERS pension fund determination)
- Proof of presence at the World Trade Center site, NYC Exposure Zone, Pentagon, or Shanksville site during the eligible exposure period
- Documentation of dependents (for the wrongful death non-economic loss calculation)
- Offset documentation: life insurance payouts, Social Security survivor benefits, pension survivor benefits, workers' compensation death benefits
- Documentation of out-of-pocket burial or memorial expenses (for economic loss reimbursement)
- If a personal injury claim was previously filed, the existing claim number and any prior award correspondence
Timeline
Registration must be submitted within two years of the later of (a) the date of death or (b) the date the VCF verifies the condition that caused death as 9/11-related, unless a timely prior personal injury registration exists. The Claim Filing Deadline (the final date to file the completed claim) is October 1, 2090 for everyone. Claim processing time varies; expedited review is available for terminally ill claimants and certain other circumstances through the VCF Expedited Claim Process.
Survivor benefits
Deceased Victim Claim (Wrongful Death Component)
When a victim dies as a result of an eligible 9/11-related physical condition, the VCF pays a wrongful death award to the estate in addition to any personal injury losses suffered while the victim was alive. The award has two parts: (1) the personal injury award for losses suffered while alive (pain and suffering, past lost earnings), and (2) the wrongful death award for the family (future lost earnings and presumed non-economic loss). Offsets such as life insurance, death benefits, and Social Security survivor benefits reduce the wrongful death portion but not the personal injury portion.
Eligibility: Personal Representative of a victim who (a) was present at the World Trade Center, NYC Exposure Zone, Pentagon, or Shanksville site during the eligible exposure period, (b) was diagnosed with a 9/11-related physical condition certified by the World Trade Center Health Program (or verified through the VCF Private Physician Process), and (c) died as a result of that condition.
Amount: Per the VCF policy for deceased claims, presumed non-economic loss for wrongful death is generally $250,000 for the decedent plus an additional $100,000 on account of the spouse and on account of each dependent of the deceased individual (as defined in the regulations), in addition to economic loss and any personal injury award.
How to apply: Register the deceased claim and file through the online Claims Management System at claims.vcf.gov. Submit the court-issued Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration, the death certificate (long-form with cause of death is strongly preferred), proof of WTC Health Program certification or VCF Private Physician verification, and documentation of dependents and offsets.
Learn more →Burial and Memorial Expense Reimbursement
The VCF compensates documented out-of-pocket burial or memorial expenses for victims who died as a result of an eligible 9/11-related physical injury or condition. This is paid as part of the economic loss calculation in the deceased claim.
Eligibility: Personal Representative filing a deceased claim where death was caused by an eligible 9/11-related condition
How to apply: Submit receipts and documentation of out-of-pocket burial or memorial costs as part of the deceased claim file in the online Claims Management System
Learn more →Personal Injury Award for the Decedent
If the victim filed a personal injury claim while alive but had not yet received payment when they died, the VCF makes every effort to issue payment of the non-economic personal injury award once the proper Personal Representative is validated and consistent with any limitations in the court-issued Letters of Administration. Economic loss attributable to the personal injury is then recalculated as part of the deceased claim review.
Eligibility: Personal Representative of a victim who filed a personal injury claim before death
How to apply: File a Personal Representative amendment to the existing personal injury claim, or if death was 9/11-related, follow the deceased claim process — but not both
Learn more →Frequently asked questions
Only the Personal Representative of the victim can file a deceased claim, regardless of the cause of death. The Personal Representative must be appointed by a state probate or surrogates court through Letters Testamentary (if the decedent had a will) or Letters of Administration (if there was no will). Even when an estate is small enough that probate would not otherwise be required, the VCF asks that you obtain a Personal Representative appointment so it can validate your authority to receive any award.
There are two separate deadlines. If the victim previously filed a timely VCF personal injury claim, the deceased claim is automatically considered timely registered. Otherwise, the Personal Representative must register the deceased claim within two years of the later of (1) the victim's date of death or (2) the date the VCF verifies the condition that caused death as 9/11-related through the Private Physician Process. The final Claim Filing Deadline — the last date anyone can submit a completed claim — is October 1, 2090.
Registration alerts the VCF that you may be a potential claimant and meets the legal timeliness requirement. It preserves your right to file a claim later and waives no legal rights. Filing the claim is a separate, more detailed step where you submit eligibility documentation, prove presence, document losses, and request compensation. You must register before your individual Registration Deadline; you can file the claim itself any time before October 1, 2090.
In most cases, yes. The VCF generally requires that the 9/11-related physical condition be certified for treatment by the World Trade Center Health Program. If the decedent was never enrolled or certified, you can request the VCF's Private Physician Process to have the condition verified as 9/11-related. For New York City responders, certification from the New York Workers' Compensation Board or the FDNY/NYPD/NYCERS pension funds can also satisfy this requirement.
No. The original VCF (often called "VCF1") operated from 2001 to 2004. The current program was reactivated by the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010, reauthorized in 2015, and permanently authorized by the Never Forget the Heroes: James Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer, and Luis Alvarez Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act, signed July 29, 2019. That law extended the claim filing deadline to October 1, 2090 and appropriated funds to pay all eligible claims. If a victim received an award from VCF1, additional limits apply.
A long-form death certificate that includes a medical report detailing the cause of death is the strongest evidence. Short-form or standard death certificates often do not identify the cause of death in enough detail for the VCF to evaluate the link to a 9/11-related condition. A letter from the decedent's treating physician explaining the cause of death and connecting it to the certified 9/11-related condition is also helpful. Without proof linking the death to an eligible condition, you can still pursue a Personal Representative amendment to recover any personal injury losses suffered while the victim was alive.
Life insurance proceeds are an offset against the wrongful death portion of a deceased claim. They reduce both the economic and non-economic components of the wrongful death award but do not offset the personal injury portion (the losses suffered while the victim was alive). If the decedent had a large life insurance policy, you should weigh the offset in evaluating whether to file a deceased claim. Other wrongful death offsets include Social Security survivor benefits, pension survivor benefits, and workers' compensation death benefits.
The action depends on cause of death. If the victim died of causes unrelated to 9/11, file a Personal Representative amendment to the existing personal injury claim so the estate can receive any pending award. If the victim died as a result of an eligible 9/11-related condition (or you are unsure), register a new deceased claim instead. Critical: take one action or the other, never both, for the same victim. Follow the VCF's "Information and Instructions — Steps to take if a Personal Injury Claimant passes away after filing a Claim."
Call the VCF Helpline at 1-855-885-1555 (TTY 1-855-885-1558, or 1-202-514-1100 from outside the United States), Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, except federal holidays. Helpline representatives can help you register, retrieve a claim number, get online access, and navigate the Claims Management System. Spanish-speaking representatives are available and interpreters can join for other languages. The mailing address is P.O. Box 34500, Washington, DC 20043.
After completing the notification process, eligible survivors can apply for 3 benefits through the 9/11 VCF. Each benefit has its own eligibility requirements and application process.
Keep copies of all documents submitted to the 9/11 VCF. Original documents submitted for verification are typically returned after processing.
VCF Helpline
Phone1-855-885-1555
Mailing Address
September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, P.O. Box 34500, Washington, DC 20043 (overnight: 1220 L Street NW, Suite 100 - Box 408, Washington, DC 20005-4018)
WebsiteVisit website→
HoursMonday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, except federal holidays
VCF Helpline (Deceased Claims Assistance)
Phone1-855-885-1555
WebsiteLearn about benefits→
HoursMonday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, except federal holidays
Claims Management System (Online Filing)
Phone1-855-885-1555
Timeline
Registration must be submitted within two years of the later of (a) the date of death or (b) the date the VCF verifies the condition that caused death as 9/11-related, unless a timely prior personal injury registration exists. The Claim Filing Deadline (the final date to file the completed claim) is October 1, 2090 for everyone. Claim processing time varies; expedited review is available for terminally ill claimants and certain other circumstances through the VCF Expedited Claim Process.
WebsiteLearn more →
HoursOnline system available 24/7; helpline Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Verified Jul 2026