What to do when a Americo account holder dies
Contact Americo — 5-step process, 6 required documents, and varies by state; americo reviews submitted documents and the policy upon receipt of all required materials.
Policyholder Services
Phone1-816-641-2850
Fax1-800-395-9238
Mailing Address
Americo Financial Life and Annuity Insurance Company, PO Box 410288, Kansas City, MO 64141-0288
Agent Services
Medicare Supplement
WebsiteLearn more→
Policyholder Services
Phone1-816-641-2850
Fax1-800-395-9238
Mailing Address
Americo Financial Life and Annuity Insurance Company, PO Box 410288, Kansas City, MO 64141-0288
Agent Services
Medicare Supplement
WebsiteLearn more→
Claims Department
Phone1-816-641-2850
Fax1-800-395-9238
Mailing Address
Americo Financial Life and Annuity Insurance Company, PO Box 410288, Kansas City, MO 64141-0288
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Apr 2026
Filing a death claim on a Americo policy begins with notifying the Claims Department at 1-816-641-2850. Life insurance claims are separate from probate—proceeds transfer directly to named beneficiaries regardless of whether the estate goes through court. The timeline and documentation requirements depend on the policy type and cause of death.
Death claims at Americo can be started through an online portal, which streamlines the initial notification and document upload. Phone and mail options are also available.
Death claim process
Here is the step-by-step death claim process at Americo:
Filing a claim
1
Notify Americo as soon as possible of the death of the insured by completing the electronic claim form at americo.com/claims or by calling (816) 641-2850 (press 4 for claims)
2
Americo will mail a claim form packet to each beneficiary listed on the policy
3
Gather required documents:
- Claimant's Statement completed by each beneficiary
- Death certificate with final cause and manner of death (certified copy required for policies of $150,000 or more)
- Original policy (if available)
- Trust documents or Certificate of Trust (if trust is named as beneficiary)
4
Submit completed forms and documents by mail, email (claims.operations@americo.com), or fax (800-395-9238)
5
Americo will review the submitted documents, the policy, and other information to process the claim
Required Documents
- Claimant's Statement (completed by each beneficiary; each beneficiary completes their own form)
- Death certificate with final cause and manner of death (certified copy required for policies of $150,000 or more)
- Original policy (if available)
- Government-issued photo identification for each beneficiary
- Trust documents or Certificate of Trust (if trust is named as beneficiary)
- Letters of administration or court appointment (if estate is beneficiary)
Only one death certificate is needed regardless of the number of beneficiaries. For policies of $150,000 or more, a certified death certificate is required and a copy will not be accepted. Faxed documents are generally acceptable except for the original policy and certified death certificate. Each beneficiary must complete their own Claimant's Statement.
Expected timelines at Americo: Varies by state; Americo reviews submitted documents and the policy upon receipt of all required materials. Delays are almost always caused by incomplete paperwork—gathering all required documents before filing the initial claim helps avoid back-and-forth.
Americo requires several documents to process a claim, including Claimant's Statement (completed by each beneficiary; each beneficiary completes their own form), Death certificate with final cause and manner of death (certified copy required for policies of $150,000 or more), and Original policy (if available), and additional documentation depending on the account type. Certified copies are typically needed—photocopies are generally not accepted for death certificates or court documents.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Americo life insurance policy ownership can be transferred to an ILIT using the Ownership Change Request form (Form 18-162-2). A Certificate of Trust and trustee identification are required. The three-year lookback rule applies: if the insured dies within three years of the ownership transfer, the death benefit may be included in the taxable estate for federal estate tax purposes.
The process is similar to a life insurance death claim. Go to americo.com/claims and enter the contract number to complete the electronic claim form, or call (816) 641-2850 (press 4 for claims). Americo will mail an Annuity Claim Form packet to each beneficiary. Each beneficiary must complete their own Claimant's Statement and submit it along with a death certificate and the original contract if available. An Affidavit of Next of Kin form may also be required. Forms can be submitted by email (claims.operations@americo.com), fax (800-395-9238), or mail to PO Box 410288, Kansas City, MO 64141-0288.
Each beneficiary must complete their own Claimant's Statement (included in the claim form packet mailed by Americo). A death certificate with final cause and manner of death is required; for policies of $150,000 or more, a certified copy is required and a copy will not be accepted. The original policy should be submitted if available. If a trust is named as beneficiary, trust documents or a Certificate of Trust are required. If the estate is the beneficiary, Letters of Administration or court appointment documents are needed. Only one death certificate is required regardless of the number of beneficiaries.
Yes. Americo accepts completed, signed forms by email as PDF attachments sent to forms@americo.com. Forms can also be faxed to 800-395-9238. For death claims, documents can be uploaded online through the claims page (maximum 5 files, 15 MB total, PDF recommended) or emailed to claims.operations@americo.com. Note that original policies and certified death certificates cannot be submitted by fax and must be mailed to PO Box 410288, Kansas City, MO 64141-0288.
Americo's Claims Department can be reached by phone at 1-816-641-2850, email at claims.operations@americo.com, and fax at 1-800-395-9238 for questions throughout the claims process.
If the deceased held multiple Americo policies, each may require a separate claim or have different documentation requirements. The Claims Department can confirm which accounts require individual attention and which can be processed together.
Policyholder Services
Phone1-816-641-2850
Fax1-800-395-9238
Mailing Address
Americo Financial Life and Annuity Insurance Company, PO Box 410288, Kansas City, MO 64141-0288
Agent Services
Medicare Supplement
WebsiteLearn more→
Policyholder Services
Phone1-816-641-2850
Fax1-800-395-9238
Mailing Address
Americo Financial Life and Annuity Insurance Company, PO Box 410288, Kansas City, MO 64141-0288
Agent Services
Medicare Supplement
WebsiteLearn more→
Claims Department
Phone1-816-641-2850
Fax1-800-395-9238
Mailing Address
Americo Financial Life and Annuity Insurance Company, PO Box 410288, Kansas City, MO 64141-0288
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Apr 2026
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