American National
Subsidiary of American National Group Inc. (Brookfield Wealth Solutions)
americannational.comWhat to do when an American National account holder dies
Report the death to American National's Life Claims Department at 1-800-615-7372
American National has changed ownershipAcquired, effective May 2022
Brookfield Reinsurance completed its acquisition of all outstanding shares of American National Group, Inc. at $190 per share, an approximately $5.1 billion all-cash transaction, on May 22, 2022. Existing policies remain in force and are serviced under the American National brand. American National Group Inc. is now the SEC-registrant holding company for both the American National and American Equity insurance companies, under Brookfield Wealth Solutions. American National stopped writing new life and health insurance and now focuses on annuities and pension risk transfer; property and casualty moved to the Farm Family brand.
When an insured person dies, the beneficiary or executor should contact American National's Life Claims Department at 1-800-615-7372 to start the claims process. Insurance proceeds are paid directly to the named beneficiary and do not go through probate. How quickly the claim is processed depends on the policy type, documentation, and cause of death.
Death claim process
Here is the step-by-step death claim process at American National:
Filing a claim
- Life: pages 1, 2 and 3 of Form AN-536, signing pages 2 and 3
- Annuity: pages 1-3 of Form AN-10749, signing pages 1 and 3 where applicable, and selecting the issuing company
- List the deceased's name, date of birth, every policy number you are claiming on, and any other names the deceased used
- Include the claiming beneficiary's own date of birth
- Answer both tax questions (backup withholding and federal income tax withholding); the form says a missing answer sends it back to you and delays the claim
- For a tax-qualified contract, say whether the owner's minimum required distribution for the year of death was satisfied, and if not, whether it should be satisfied from this policy
- Mail: American National, Life Claims Department, Mail Processing Center, P.O. Box 10466, Springfield, MO 65808-0466
- Overnight (annuity form): Mail Processing Center, Attn: Life & Annuity Claims 10466, 1949 E. Sunshine St., Springfield, MO 65899-0001
- Fax: 281-538-6757
Required Documents
- Individual Life Claim Form (AN-536), one per claimant on a life policyReturn pages 1, 2 and 3, signed on pages 2 and 3.
- Annuity Claim Form (AN-10749), one per claimant on an annuityReturn pages 1-3, signed on pages 1 and 3 where applicable.
- Certified death certificate"Only one certified death certificate is necessary," however many claimants there are.
- Certified death certificate filed with the Board of Health, on an annuity claimThe annuity form asks for the certificate as filed with the Board of Health.
- The insurance policy or policiesPayment may be expedited if the policy is sent with the completed proof of death. The form asks whether the policy is lost.
- Certified copy of the Court Order appointing the executor or administrator, if the proceeds are payable to the estateThe executor or administrator signs the claim. List the estate's Tax Identification Number, not the signer's Social Security number.
- Copy of the Trust Agreement and any amendments, if the proceeds are payable to a trustThe Trustee or Successor Trustee named in the agreement completes the form. List the trust's Tax Identification Number, not the trustee's Social Security number.
- Certified copy of the guardian's or conservator's court appointment, if the beneficiary is a minor or a mentally incompetent personThe guardian or conservator of that person's estate signs the claim. List the beneficiary's Social Security number, not the guardian's.
- Assignment, power of attorney or other instrument affecting title, if the policy was assigned or such an instrument was executedThe original or a certified copy. The company may require proof of the interest of any assignee.
- Copy of the assignment to a mortuary, funeral home or cemetery, if the policy was assigned to one
- Certified copy of a deceased beneficiary's death certificate, if a beneficiary has diedOr other satisfactory proof of that beneficiary's death.
- Newspaper clippings, and a copy of any inquest findings, on a life claim, if death resulted from other than natural causes; the findings if a coroner or other legal official held an inquest
- Statements from the physicians who treated the insured, on a life claim, if the company asks for themThe company reserves the right to require them.
Forms American National issues2
- Individual Life Claim Form (AN-536)
Completed by each claimant on a life policy. Available to download.1
- Annuity Claim Form (AN-10749)
Completed by each claimant on an annuity. Available to download.2
What happens to each kind of account2
- Life insurance policy
Unless the policy owner preselected a method of settlement before the death, the beneficiary may take a lump sum or periodic payments. If no option is selected, a lump sum is paid.1
- Annuity
The beneficiary chooses a method of settlement on Form AN-10749: a lump sum, spousal assumption of the existing contract, purchase of a new annuity with the company, or a settlement option.2
A spouse or non-spouse beneficiary of a qualified contract can take a Beneficiary IRA kept with the company or transferred out with transfer paperwork attached. On a non-qualified contract, the choice is a Non-Qualified Beneficiary Annuity kept with the company or transferred out.2
Accounts handled elsewhere5
- American National Health Claim Service
Health insurance claims3
Phone: 1-800-899-6520
Email: FileAHealthClaim@AmericanNational.com
Fax: 1-866-490-3164
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM CT
Mailing address: P.O. Box 10546, Springfield, MO 65808-0466
- American National Disability Claim Service
Disability insurance claims3
Phone: 1-800-899-6520
Email: Health.Disability&Life@AmericanNational.com
Fax: 1-409-621-3077
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM CT
Mailing address: P.O. Box 10546, Springfield, MO 65808-0466
- American National Specialty Products claims
Specialty products claims4
Phone: 1-800-899-6502
- Homeowners, auto, farm & ranch and business claims
Homeowners, auto, farm & ranch and business policy claims4
Phone: 1-800-333-2860
Email: Claims@AmericanNational.com
- American National Pensions
Company pensions transferred to American National3
Phone: 1-833-703-1905
Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00 AM-6:00 PM ET
What American National's agreement and guidance say2
- How proceeds are paid
An annuity settlement option pays fixed payments for a specified period, life income, life income with a period certain, or joint life income with 1/2, 2/3, 3/4 or 100% to the survivor, or holds the proceeds at interest for up to five years from death.2
- What it says about taxes
The Annuity Claim Form describes spousal assumption, which continues the existing contract, as a "nontaxable event", and the purchase of a new annuity with the company as a "potential taxable event".2
Not in American National's published guidance1
- How long a claim takes
Sources4
- 1.Individual Life Claim Form (Form AN-536), RV 10-23
- 2.Annuity Claim Form (Form AN-10749), RV 09-24
- 3.Contact Us
- 4.Claims
American National's Life Claims Department can be reached by phone at 1-800-615-7372, email at Life.LifeClaimsDept@AmericanNational.com, and fax at 1-281-538-6757 for questions throughout the claims process.
Sources
Data sourced from American National primary sources (23 pages reviewed). How we research.
American National death claims support
Life Claims Department
Phone
Annuity Claims (same line)
Health Claims
Disability Claims
Specialty Products Claims
P&C Claims (Farm Family)
Fax
Hours
Mailing address
Website
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