What to do when a CNO Financial account holder dies
Contact CNO Financial — 7-step process, 7 required documents, and most life insurance claims are processed within 30 days of receiving all required documentation. state insurance regulations may require payment within a specified timeframe, typically 30-60 days after proof of loss is received.
CNO Financial Group Corporate
CNO Financial Group, Inc., 11299 Illinois Street, Suite 200, Carmel, IN 46032
CNO Financial Group Corporate
CNO Financial Group, Inc., 11299 Illinois Street, Suite 200, Carmel, IN 46032
Washington National Life & Annuity Claims
Washington National Insurance Company, Life & Annuity Claims, PO Box 1917, Carmel, IN 46082-1917
A death claim on a CNO Financial policy is filed through the Washington National Life & Annuity Claims (800-525-7662). Because insurance proceeds pass directly to named beneficiaries, this process is separate from probate. The required documentation and timeline vary by policy type.
Gather the account holder's full name, date of birth, and any known account or policy numbers before contacting CNO Financial. A certified death certificate is the primary document required to start any claim.
Death claim process
Follow these steps to file a death claim with CNO Financial:
Filing a claim
- Policy number(s)
- Full name and date of death of the insured
- Cause of death
- Claimant (beneficiary) name and contact information
- Completed and signed claimant statement
- Certified death certificate (original or certified copy)
- Copy of the insurance policy if available
- Claimant identification (government-issued photo ID)
- IRS Form W-9 from the claimant
- Life insurance and annuity death claims: mail to Washington National Insurance Company, Life & Annuity Claims, PO Box 1917, Carmel, IN 46082-1917, or fax to (317) 817-4431
- Medicare Supplement claims: mail to PO Box 2034, Carmel, IN 46082-2034, or fax to (317) 208-8662
- Supplemental health claims (accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity, etc.): mail to PO Box 2024, Carmel, IN 46082-2024, or fax to (317) 208-8656
Required Documents
- Completed Life Insurance Claim Form (Form C14) or annuity claimant statement (provided by Washington National)
- Certified death certificate (original or certified copy)
- Copy of the insurance policy (if available)
- Government-issued photo identification of the claimant
- IRS Form W-9 from the claimant
- Letters testamentary or letters of administration (if claim is made by an estate)
- Trust certification (if beneficiary is a trust)
Claims Contact
What to know at this institution
Each CNO subsidiary (Bankers Life, Washington National, Colonial Penn) handles death claims through its own policyholder services department. For Bankers Life policies, call 800-621-3724. For Colonial Penn policies, call 877-877-8052. For Washington National policies, call 800-525-7662. For long-term care or short-term care claims, call 1-800-541-2254. Washington National uses purpose-specific PO Boxes: Life & Annuity Claims at PO Box 1917, Carmel, IN 46082-1917 (fax (317) 817-4431); Medicare Supplement Claims at PO Box 2034, Carmel, IN 46082-2034 (fax (317) 208-8662); and all other (supplemental health) claims at PO Box 2024, Carmel, IN 46082-2024 (fax (317) 208-8656); Policy Services / general correspondence go to PO Box 2022, Carmel, IN 46082-2022 (fax (800) 757-6324). Claims for policies issued by Bankers Conseco Life Insurance Company of New York follow the same process through Bankers Life. If you are unsure which subsidiary issued a policy, call the CNO general inquiry line or any subsidiary and they can direct you to the correct department. Claim forms are available at https://my.washingtonnational.com/forms.
Prepare your letter of instruction to CNO Financial
CNO Financial asks for a letter of instruction alongside its claim form. We prepare a transmittal cover letter and the enclosure checklist CNO Financial requires.
Build your letter of instructionHow long the process takes at CNO Financial: Most life insurance claims are processed within 30 days of receiving all required documentation. State insurance regulations may require payment within a specified timeframe, typically 30-60 days after proof of loss is received. The most common reason for delays is missing or incomplete documentation, so submitting everything upfront is the best way to keep things moving.
Documentation required by CNO Financial includes Completed Life Insurance Claim Form (Form C14) or annuity claimant statement (provided by Washington National), Certified death certificate (original or certified copy), and Copy of the insurance policy (if available), along with additional paperwork that varies by account type. All death certificates and court documents must be certified copies.
Frequently asked questions
Most life insurance death claims are processed within 30 days of Washington National, Bankers Life, or Colonial Penn receiving all required documentation. State insurance regulations typically require insurers to pay claims within 30-60 days after satisfactory proof of loss is received. Delays may occur if documentation is incomplete, the death occurred within the contestability period (first two years of the policy), or additional investigation is required.
Yes. Washington National offers fixed annuities and fixed indexed annuities that support trust ownership for non-qualified contracts. A revocable living trust can be named as the annuity owner, which allows the annuity to avoid probate at the owner's death and pass directly to the trust beneficiaries. A trust can also be named as the beneficiary of an annuity without transferring ownership. Contact your Washington National agent or call 800-525-7662 for the ownership change forms and specific requirements.
Yes. Individually owned Washington National life insurance policies - including Whole Life, Universal Life, and Individual Term Life Insurance - may be assigned to an irrevocable life insurance trust (ILIT). This removes the death benefit from the insured's taxable estate, though policies transferred within three years of death are pulled back into the estate under IRC Section 2035. Group term coverage such as Monthly Income Protection generally cannot be reassigned to a trust because it is issued under an employer worksite contract; for those policies a trust can still be named as beneficiary. Contact Washington National at 800-525-7662 or your agent for the ownership assignment forms.
Washington National routes claims to product-specific PO Boxes in Carmel, IN. Life insurance and annuity death benefits go to Life & Annuity Claims, PO Box 1917, Carmel, IN 46082-1917 (fax (317) 817-4431) - this is the address most estate beneficiaries will use. Medicare Supplement claims go to PO Box 2034, Carmel, IN 46082-2034 (fax (317) 208-8662). All other supplemental health claims (accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity) go to PO Box 2024, Carmel, IN 46082-2024 (fax (317) 208-8656). Call 800-525-7662 first to report the death and have the correct packet mailed; claim forms are also at https://my.washingtonnational.com/forms.
Yes. Bankers Conseco Life Insurance Company of New York (BCLIC) is a CNO Financial subsidiary that issues life insurance and annuity policies for New York residents because Bankers Life and Casualty Company and Washington National are not licensed to sell in New York. BCLIC policies are administered through Bankers Life and follow the same death-claim process. Call 800-845-5512 (BCLIC general inquiries) or 800-621-3724 (Bankers Life claims) to report a death and request a claim packet. The beneficiary, policy ownership, and trust assignment rules are the same as for other CNO life and annuity policies.
CNO Financial's Washington National Life & Annuity Claims can be reached by phone at 800-525-7662 and fax at (317) 817-4431 for questions throughout the claims process.
Multiple CNO Financial policies may mean multiple claims. Some account types can be processed together, but others require their own documentation. Check with the Washington National Life & Annuity Claims to confirm what applies.
Sources
Data sourced from CNO Financial primary sources (19 pages reviewed). How we research.
CNO Financial Group Corporate
CNO Financial Group, Inc., 11299 Illinois Street, Suite 200, Carmel, IN 46032
CNO Financial Group Corporate
CNO Financial Group, Inc., 11299 Illinois Street, Suite 200, Carmel, IN 46032
Washington National Life & Annuity Claims
Washington National Insurance Company, Life & Annuity Claims, PO Box 1917, Carmel, IN 46082-1917
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