What to do when a Colonial Life account holder dies
Report the death to Colonial Life's Claims Department at 1-800-325-4368
Filing a death claim on a Colonial Life policy begins with notifying the Claims Department at 1-800-325-4368. 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.
The first step is contacting Colonial Life at 1-800-325-4368 with the account holder's full name, account numbers, and the death certificate in hand.
Death claim process
Follow these steps to file a death claim with Colonial Life:
Filing a claim
- Policy number
- Policyholder's name
- Policyholder's Social Security number
- Policyholder's address
- Policyholder's date of birth
- Payable to the estate: the executor or administrator completes it and furnishes a certificate of appointment. If no one is appointed, ask an attorney or the county courthouse where the insured lived.
- Payable to a minor, intellectually disabled or incapacitated person: a guardian completes it and furnishes a certificate of the guardian's appointment.
- Named beneficiary has died: furnish a certified copy of that beneficiary's death certificate. The person entitled under the policy terms completes the statement.
- Payable to a trust: provide the trust documentation that names the successor trustee(s).
- Payable to next of kin: provide an obituary naming the next of kin, or a next of kin affidavit signed by all parties.
- Each beneficiary gives a mailing address, telephone, email, date of birth, relationship to the deceased, and a Social Security number or estate identification number.
- The claim form says Section 3 is completed by the physician attending during the last illness or by the deceased's personal physician.
- The checklist says the regular doctor of the deceased, not necessarily the doctor who attended at death, and adds policies reinstated within two years.
- For a loss due to an accident, a physician completes Section 4.
- Accident claim or catastrophic accident claim
- Disability claim form or continuing disability claim form
- Cancer claim
- Critical Illness claim form
- The multi-policy (universal) claim form, where Colonial Life works out which of several policies pays
Required Documents
- Universal Proof of Death Form (101940-5)Section 1, the Beneficiary's Statement, completed by the person or persons the insurance is payable to.
- Certified death certificateThe claim form says a certified death certificate or a copy of the death certificate must be furnished.
- Physician's statement (Section 3, or Section 4 for an accident), if the life coverage has been in force less than two years, or the loss was due to an accidentFor an accident, if the statement cannot be obtained, send a copy of all itemized medical bills or medical records related to the accident. None is required if death was instant and no treatment was given.
- AuthorizationSigned and completed by a next of kin or the executor of the estate, with a copy of the court order appointment.
- Certificate showing the appointment of the executor or administrator, where the policy is payable to the estate of the deceasedThe executor or administrator completes the Beneficiary's Statement. If no one has been appointed, contact your attorney or the courthouse in the county where the insured lived.
- Trust documentation naming the successor trustee(s), where a trust is the beneficiary
- Copy of the certified death certificate of the beneficiary, if the beneficiary died before the insured
- Court order appointing a conservator over the minor's financial interest, where a beneficiary is a minorThe checklist notes that custody or guardianship of a person does not automatically grant authority over finances.
- Certificate of the guardian's appointment, and the minor's birth certificate, where a beneficiary is a minor, intellectually disabled or incapacitatedA guardian completes the statement. For a minor beneficiary, the form asks for copies of the birth certificate and legal documentation regarding guardianship.
- Obituary naming the next of kin, or a next of kin affidavit signed by all parties, where the beneficiary is next of kin
- Police report, for any death investigated by the police (a motor vehicle accident, homicide or house fire, for example)Including the blood alcohol content and toxicology report if the deceased was the driver.
- Divorce decree and property settlement, if the insured was divorced
- Community Property Release, in AK, AZ, CA, ID, NV, NM, PR, TX, WA and WI, where the claimant is not the spouseSigned by the spouse and a witness. A box is checked instead when no signature is required because the spouse is deceased.
- The original policy, if availableIf you do not have it, indicate that on the claim form. A policy on a dependent need not be returned unless it is in the dependent's name.
Claims Contact
Website: Online portal →
Forms Colonial Life issues8
- Universal Proof of Death Form (101940-5)
Completed by the beneficiary, or the executor, administrator or guardian who completes the statement for one. Available to download.1
- Accident claim
Available to download.2
- Catastrophic accident claim
Available to download.2
- Disability claim form
Available to download.3
- Continuing disability claim form
Available to download.3
- Cancer claim
Available to download.4
- Critical Illness claim form
Available to download.5
- Multi-policy (universal) claim form
Available to download.6
What happens to each kind of account1
- Life insurance policy
If it is determined that a divorce revoked the spouse's status as beneficiary, benefits are payable as defined in the policy to the contingent beneficiary.7
Where "Estate" is the beneficiary, the proceeds go through probate with the rest of the deceased's assets, cannot be paid directly to the family, and may be reduced by the claims of creditors.8
Where no beneficiary is designated, benefits are in most cases paid to the insured's estate, though some policies state who is entitled when no beneficiary was named or the named beneficiary died first.8
What Colonial Life's agreement and guidance say4
- How proceeds are paid
Life benefit proceeds are paid in a lump sum. The policy may contain other payment options; a claimant who wants one reviews the policy and notifies Colonial Life.9
- Payment to a minor or incapacitated beneficiary
Life insurance proceeds cannot be paid to a minor, or to a minor's natural parents for the child's benefit, unless a court has appointed a guardian of the child's interest.8
If Colonial Life does not receive letters of guardianship, it can hold the proceeds until the minor reaches the age of majority, and it pays interest on funds it holds for a minor.8
- What it says about taxes
Colonial Life's beneficiary guidance says proceeds paid to an estate, "though normally tax exempt, may incur estate taxes."8
- What it does when notified
By furnishing forms and investigating the claim, Colonial Life does not admit that there is any insurance in force and does not waive any of its rights or defenses.9
Sources9
- 1.Loss of Life Claim
- 2.Accident Claim
- 3.Disability Claim
- 4.Cancer Claim
- 5.Critical Illness Claim
- 6.Multi-Policy Claim
- 7.Life/Accidental Death Claims Checklist (DXA-7008563537)
- 8.Important Information About Changing The Beneficiary On An Insurance Policy: Commonly Asked Questions
- 9.Universal Proof of Death Form (101940-5), 7-25
Colonial Life says to allow 14 days for processing when claims information is faxed.
Colonial Life's Claims Department can be reached by phone at 1-800-325-4368 and fax at 1-800-880-9325 for questions throughout the claims process.
Sources
Data sourced from Colonial Life primary sources (19 pages reviewed). How we research.
Colonial Life death claims support
Claims Department
Phone
Supplemental health / multi-policy paper claims fax
Fax
Hours
Mailing address
Website
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