What to do when a VALIC account holder dies

Processing timelines at VALIC: 5 business days after all requirements received in good order. Incomplete documentation is the most common cause of delays—submitting all required documents with the initial claim helps avoid additional processing time.

VALIC requires several documents to process a claim, including Certified death certificate (original certified copy if cumulative value exceeds $50,000), Government-issued ID for each beneficiary, and Completed Death Claim Form (VL 995) for each beneficiary, and additional documentation depending on the account type. Certified copies are typically needed—photocopies are generally not accepted for death certificates or court documents.

VALIC's Death Claims can be reached by phone at 1-800-448-2542 and fax at 1-877-202-0187 for questions throughout the claims process.

If the deceased held multiple VALIC policies, each may require a separate claim or have different documentation requirements. The Death Claims can confirm which accounts require individual attention and which can be processed together.