What to do when a Baltimore Life account holder dies
Contact Baltimore Life — 9-step process, 12 required documents, and for non-contestable claims, the standard processing time is 7-10 business days from receipt of all required paperwork. missing or incomplete documentation may delay processing. claims where the insured died within two years of policy issuance or reinstatement are contestable and may trigger a hipaa-authorized medical investigation (form 7712).
Baltimore Life Customer Service
The Baltimore Life Insurance Company, 10075 Red Run Boulevard, Owings Mills, MD 21117-4871
Baltimore Life Customer Service
The Baltimore Life Insurance Company, 10075 Red Run Boulevard, Owings Mills, MD 21117-4871
Baltimore Life Claims Department
The Baltimore Life Insurance Company, Attn: Claims Department, 10075 Red Run Blvd., Owings Mills, MD 21117
A death claim on a Baltimore Life policy is filed through the Baltimore Life Claims Department (1-800-628-5433). Because insurance proceeds pass directly to named beneficiaries, this process is separate from probate. The required documentation and timeline vary by policy type.
To start a claim, contact Baltimore Life by phone at 1-800-628-5433 or email documentation to claimsfax@baltlife.com. You will need the account holder's full name, account numbers, and a certified death certificate.
Death claim process
The death claim process at Baltimore Life works as follows:
Filing a claim
- Policy number(s), if available
- $20,000 or more: an original, certified death certificate with a raised or colored seal showing manner/cause of death, mailed via U.S. postal mail
- $10,000-$19,999: a legible copy of the death certificate PLUS a second proof of death (obituary, funeral home bill, or contract), fax/email acceptable
- $9,999 or less: a legible copy of the death certificate, fax/email acceptable
- Government-issued photo ID for the beneficiary (claimant)
- Policy number(s) and the deceased's name, date of birth, and date of death
- Claimant's full legal name, mailing address, relationship to the insured, and contact information
Required Documents
- Death certificate — original certified copy (raised/colored seal, showing manner and cause of death) for total claims of $20,000 or more; legible copy plus a second proof of death for $10,000-$19,999; legible copy for $9,999 or less
- Government-issued photo ID for the beneficiary (claimant)
- Completed Claimant's Statement (Form 258, provided by Baltimore Life)
- Original policy document(s) if available
- Policy number(s) or other identifying information for the policy
- If a beneficiary predeceased the insured or died after the insured: proof of that beneficiary's death (obituary, mass card, or death certificate)
- If the beneficiary is a trust: trust documentation including trustee identification and successor trustee provisions
- If the beneficiary is a minor: state laws determine payout procedures; court-appointed guardianship documentation may be required
- If the claim is payable to the estate: Short Certificate or Letters Testamentary/Administration showing the claimant is executor, plus the estate EIN
- If the claim is contestable (insured died within two years of policy issue or reinstatement): Form 7712 Claims Authorization for Health-Related Information (HIPAA)
- For payment directed to a funeral home: the funeral home's signed Assignment (and an itemized funeral bill for an irrevocable assignment)
- For deaths outside the U.S.: the official record of death authenticated by a U.S. Diplomatic and Consular Representative
Claims Contact
What to know at this institution
Submission rules key off the TOTAL claim amount across all Baltimore Life policies (per the current Form 258-1125): $20,000 or more requires an original certified death certificate mailed to the Claims Department; $10,000-$19,999 accepts a legible copy plus a second proof of death by fax (866-879-9867) or email (claimsfax@baltlife.com); $9,999 or less accepts a legible copy by fax/email. The named beneficiary files the claim; if the primary beneficiary predeceased the insured, the contingent beneficiary files. If proceeds are payable to the estate, the appointed representative completes the Claimant's Statement and submits the Short Certificate/Letters and estate EIN. Direct payment to a funeral home is available if the beneficiary signs the funeral home's Assignment. For annuity death benefit claims, the process differs from life insurance claims; contact Baltimore Life at 800-628-5433 for annuity-specific procedures. Life insurance death proceeds are generally income tax-free except for accrued interest; annuity gain is taxable to the beneficiary.
Prepare your letter of instruction to Baltimore Life
Baltimore Life provides its own letter-of-instruction form. Answer a few questions and we complete that official form for you to print and sign.
Build your letter of instructionProcessing timelines at Baltimore Life: For non-contestable claims, the standard processing time is 7-10 business days from receipt of all required paperwork. Missing or incomplete documentation may delay processing. Claims where the insured died within two years of policy issuance or reinstatement are contestable and may trigger a HIPAA-authorized medical investigation (Form 7712). Incomplete documentation is the most common cause of delays—submitting all required documents with the initial claim helps avoid additional processing time.
Baltimore Life requires several documents to process a claim, including Death certificate — original certified copy (raised/colored seal, showing manner and cause of death) for total claims of $20,000 or more; legible copy plus a second proof of death for $10,000-$19,999; legible copy for $9,999 or less, Government-issued photo ID for the beneficiary (claimant), and Completed Claimant's Statement (Form 258, provided by Baltimore Life), 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
Download the Claimant's Statement (Form 258) at https://www.baltlife.com/pdf/258.pdf, or contact Customer Service at 800-628-5433 and choose option 1 for claims (Monday - Friday, normal business hours, Eastern Time); you can also email info@baltlife.com. The named beneficiary completes the form and submits it with a death certificate and a government-issued photo ID. Submission rules key off the total claim across all Baltimore Life policies: for $9,999 or less a legible copy of the death certificate can be faxed to (866) 879-9867 or emailed to claimsfax@baltlife.com; for $10,000-$19,999 a legible copy plus a second proof of death (obituary or funeral home bill) can be faxed or emailed; for $20,000 or more an original certified death certificate is required and the paperwork must be mailed to the Claims Department at 10075 Red Run Blvd., Owings Mills, MD 21117. Only one death certificate is needed even with multiple beneficiaries, but each beneficiary must complete a separate Form 258.
Yes. Baltimore Life allows policy ownership to be transferred to a trust, but there is no online process; the policy owner must request and submit a paper ownership change form. Contact Baltimore Life at 800-628-5433 to request the form. You will need the trust name, date of trust, trustee information, trust EIN, and a copy of the trust agreement or Certification of Trust. Once ownership is transferred to an irrevocable life insurance trust, the death benefit is generally removed from the insured's taxable estate. The Single Premium Whole Life and Generation Legacy products are specifically designed as estate planning tools and are commonly owned by trusts.
Baltimore Life sets its submission method by the total claim across all of the insured's policies. For a total claim of $9,999 or less, a photocopy of the death certificate is accepted and the completed Form 258 may be faxed to (866) 879-9867 or emailed to claimsfax@baltlife.com. For $10,000-$19,999, a legible copy plus a second proof of death (obituary or funeral home bill) may still be faxed or emailed. For a total claim of $20,000 or more, an original certified death certificate with a raised or colored seal is required and the paperwork must be mailed to the Claims Department. Because the $20,000 mark determines whether a beneficiary needs a certified copy of the death certificate, it is worth ordering certified copies early when settling an estate.
Baltimore Life pays the death benefit to the named beneficiary. If the primary beneficiary predeceased the insured, the contingent beneficiary on the policy may file the claim. If no contingent beneficiary was named and the primary beneficiary predeceased the insured, the benefit may be payable to the estate of the insured (or the estate of the deceased beneficiary, depending on timing), in which case the claimant must provide Letters of Administration from the probate court. Naming a contingent beneficiary, or a trust, on the Change of Beneficiary form avoids forcing the proceeds through probate.
For IQumulate single premium deferred annuities and the Flexible Premium Retirement Annuity, the death benefit process differs from a life insurance claim, and the proceeds are not entirely income tax-free: gain in an annuity is taxable to the beneficiary. With the Generation Legacy product, which combines a single premium immediate annuity with a whole life policy, SPIA payouts are partially or fully taxable depending on the funding source. Contact Baltimore Life at 800-628-5433 for annuity-specific claim procedures, which require different forms than the life insurance Claimant's Statement.
Baltimore Life's Baltimore Life Claims Department can be reached by phone at 1-800-628-5433, email at claimsfax@baltlife.com, and fax at 1-866-879-9867 for questions throughout the claims process.
Multiple Baltimore Life policies may mean multiple claims. Some account types can be processed together, but others require their own documentation. Check with the Baltimore Life Claims Department to confirm what applies.
Sources
Data sourced from Baltimore Life primary sources (18 pages reviewed). How we research.
Baltimore Life Customer Service
The Baltimore Life Insurance Company, 10075 Red Run Boulevard, Owings Mills, MD 21117-4871
Baltimore Life Customer Service
The Baltimore Life Insurance Company, 10075 Red Run Boulevard, Owings Mills, MD 21117-4871
Baltimore Life Claims Department
The Baltimore Life Insurance Company, Attn: Claims Department, 10075 Red Run Blvd., Owings Mills, MD 21117
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