How to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at Aetna
Covers 9 insurance accounts — beneficiaries can be managed online
Aetna Customer Service Center
Phone1-888-772-9682
Mailing Address
Aetna Life Insurance Company, 151 Farmington Avenue, Hartford, CT 06156
Aetna General Customer Service
Aetna Voluntary Plans
Aetna Senior Supplemental Insurance
WebsiteLearn more→
Aetna Customer Service Center
Phone1-888-772-9682
Mailing Address
Aetna Life Insurance Company, 151 Farmington Avenue, Hartford, CT 06156
Aetna General Customer Service
Aetna Voluntary Plans
Aetna Senior Supplemental Insurance
WebsiteLearn more→
Aetna Voluntary Plans - Group Life Claims
Phone1-888-772-9682
Fax1-859-455-8650
Mailing Address
Aetna Voluntary Plans, Attn: Claim Department, PO Box 14079, Lexington, KY 40512-4079
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Jul 2026
Estate planning with Aetna policies centers on beneficiary designations—the single most important step for ensuring life insurance proceeds and annuity benefits reach the intended recipients without probate involvement. Unlike bank or brokerage accounts, insurance products are not retitled into trusts; instead, trusts are named as beneficiaries when estate tax planning or controlled distributions are needed.
Aetna has 9 policies with different estate transfer rules. Here is how beneficiary designations, trust ownership, and probate apply to each one.
Aetna Basic Group Term Life InsuranceAetna Voluntary/Supplemental Life InsuranceAetna AD&D Ultra InsuranceAetna Dependent Life InsuranceAetna Short-Term Disability InsuranceAetna Long-Term Disability InsuranceAetna Individual Life InsuranceAetna Conversion Life InsuranceAetna Portable Group Life Insurance
1
Log in to your employer benefits portal or Aetna member portal at aetna.com
2
Navigate to the life insurance or benefits enrollment section
3
Add primary and contingent beneficiaries:
- Full legal names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, relationships, and percentage allocations totaling 100%
- For trusts: select trust as beneficiary type and provide the full legal trust name, date established, trustee name, and trust EIN
4
Review and confirm your beneficiary designations
Required Documents
- Trust name, date established, and tax ID (EIN or SSN)
Special Requirements
- Beneficiary changes for group life insurance are typically processed through the employer HR or benefits department
- The Designation of Beneficiary form revokes all prior beneficiary designations when submitted
- If any named beneficiary predeceases the insured, proceeds are payable equally to remaining named beneficiaries unless otherwise specified
- If no named beneficiary survives the insured, proceeds are payable as prescribed in the Group Policy (typically to the estate)
- In community property states (AZ, CA, ID, LA, NV, NM, TX, WA, WI), the spouse may have a legal claim to a portion of the life insurance benefit, and naming someone other than the spouse may delay payment
- Beneficiary designations override instructions in a will
- Children under 18 cannot receive benefits directly; name a custodian under UTMA/UGMA or a trust instead
- Include Social Security numbers, addresses, and phone numbers for all beneficiaries to avoid delays
Sources
Data sourced from Aetna primary sources (10 pages reviewed). How we research.
Download these Aetna instructions
Download instructions for the whole estateA printable PDF with the steps, required documents, and contact details — verified against Aetna primary sources. Bring it to the branch or keep it beside the phone.
Aetna Customer Service Center
Phone1-888-772-9682
Mailing Address
Aetna Life Insurance Company, 151 Farmington Avenue, Hartford, CT 06156
Aetna General Customer Service
Aetna Voluntary Plans
Aetna Senior Supplemental Insurance
WebsiteLearn more→
Aetna Customer Service Center
Phone1-888-772-9682
Mailing Address
Aetna Life Insurance Company, 151 Farmington Avenue, Hartford, CT 06156
Aetna General Customer Service
Aetna Voluntary Plans
Aetna Senior Supplemental Insurance
WebsiteLearn more→
Aetna Voluntary Plans - Group Life Claims
Phone1-888-772-9682
Fax1-859-455-8650
Mailing Address
Aetna Voluntary Plans, Attn: Claim Department, PO Box 14079, Lexington, KY 40512-4079
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Jul 2026
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your Aetna accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
