What to do when a Colonial Penn account holder dies
Contact Colonial Penn — 7-step process, 6 required documents, and life insurance death claims are typically processed within 30 to 60 days from receipt of all required documentation. delays may occur if documentation is incomplete, the policy is within the two-year contestability period, or if the death occurred during the limited benefit period of a guaranteed acceptance policy.
Customer Service
Phone1-877-877-8052
Toll-Free1-877-877-8052
Mailing Address
Colonial Penn Life Insurance Company, Policyholder Services, PO Box 1918, Carmel, IN 46082-1918
NY Residents (Bankers Conseco)
WebsiteLearn more→
Customer Service
Phone1-877-877-8052
Toll-Free1-877-877-8052
Mailing Address
Colonial Penn Life Insurance Company, Policyholder Services, PO Box 1918, Carmel, IN 46082-1918
NY Residents (Bankers Conseco)
WebsiteLearn more→
Life Claims Department
Phone1-800-523-9100
Toll-Free1-800-523-9100
Mailing Address
Colonial Penn Life Insurance Company, Life Claims Department, PO Box 1918, Carmel, IN 46082-1918
File a Claim Call Line (colonialpenn.com/file-a-claim)
NY Residents (Bankers Conseco)
General Customer Service
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Jul 2026
A death claim on a Colonial Penn policy is filed through the Life Claims Department (1-800-523-9100). Because insurance proceeds pass directly to named beneficiaries, this process is separate from probate. The required documentation and timeline vary by policy type.
Colonial Penn offers an online claims portal that makes the initial filing process more straightforward. Survivors can also initiate claims by phone or by mailing documentation directly.
Death claim process
Here is the step-by-step death claim process at Colonial Penn:
Filing a claim
1
Locate the Colonial Penn policy documents and note the policy number
2
Obtain a certified copy of the death certificate from the local vital records office (only one is needed regardless of the number of policies or certificates)
3
Report the death and obtain the Claimant's Statement for Life Insurance Death Benefits through one of these channels:
- Call the Colonial Penn Life Claims Department at 1-800-523-9100, or the claims call line published on colonialpenn.com/file-a-claim, 1-800-517-5102 (Monday-Thursday 8:30 AM-10 PM ET, Friday 8:30 AM-7 PM ET, Saturday 9 AM-5 PM ET); NY residents call Bankers Conseco at 877-891-0915
- Log in to https://my.colonialpenn.com/ to download the claim form and file online
- Visit https://colonialpenn.com/file-a-claim for claim filing instructions and form access
4
Complete the Claimant's Statement for Life Insurance Death Benefits with the policy number, deceased's information, and beneficiary details
5
Submit the completed Claimant's Statement for Life Insurance Death Benefits along with required documentation:
- Certified death certificate
- Original insurance contract(s) if available
6
Send documents by mail:
- Mail to: Colonial Penn Life Insurance Company, Life Claims Dept, PO Box 1918, Carmel, IN 46082-1918
- NY residents mail to: Bankers Conseco Life Insurance Company, Life Claims Dept, PO Box 1918, Carmel, IN 46082-1918
7
Choose how you want to receive the payout when prompted: options may include a lump sum or periodic payout
Required Documents
- Completed Claimant's Statement for Life Insurance Death Benefits (download from my.colonialpenn.com or colonialpenn.com/file-a-claim)
- Certified death certificate (one copy regardless of number of policies or certificates)
- Original insurance contract(s) if available
- Government-issued ID for the beneficiary
- Policy number and deceased's information
- Trust documents and trustee ID (if a trust is the beneficiary)
Claims Contact
What to know at this institution
Report a death and request a claim form through the Colonial Penn Life Claims Department at 1-800-523-9100 (the number printed on the official Claimant's Statement for Life Insurance Death Benefits) or the claims call line published on colonialpenn.com/file-a-claim, 1-800-517-5102 (both distinct from general customer service at 877-877-8052). Claim forms can be downloaded from my.colonialpenn.com (online portal) or accessed via colonialpenn.com/file-a-claim; the Claimant's Statement for Life Insurance Death Benefits comes in generic, Pennsylvania, and New York versions. The online portal at my.colonialpenn.com also allows beneficiaries to file claims, check claim status, and review previous claims. To register, you need the policy number and the date of birth of the insured. Only one certified death certificate is required regardless of the number of policies held. For guaranteed acceptance whole life policies, if the insured dies within the first two years from natural causes, beneficiaries receive a return of premiums paid plus interest rather than the full death benefit. Accidental death benefits are payable from day one. For New York residents, claims are processed through Bankers Conseco Life Insurance Company of New York (call 877-891-0915).
Prepare your letter of instruction to Colonial Penn
Colonial Penn asks for a letter of instruction alongside its claim form. We prepare a transmittal cover letter and the enclosure checklist Colonial Penn requires.
Build your letter of instructionHow long the process takes at Colonial Penn: Life insurance death claims are typically processed within 30 to 60 days from receipt of all required documentation. Delays may occur if documentation is incomplete, the policy is within the two-year contestability period, or if the death occurred during the limited benefit period of a guaranteed acceptance policy. The most common reason for delays is missing or incomplete documentation, so submitting everything upfront is the best way to keep things moving.
Colonial Penn requires several documents to process a claim, including Completed Claimant's Statement for Life Insurance Death Benefits (download from my.colonialpenn.com or colonialpenn.com/file-a-claim), Certified death certificate (one copy regardless of number of policies or certificates), and Original insurance contract(s) 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
Colonial Penn's guaranteed acceptance whole life insurance includes a two-year limited benefit period. If the insured dies within the first two years of the policy from natural causes, beneficiaries receive a return of all premiums paid plus interest rather than the full death benefit. Accidental death is covered from day one with the full benefit amount. After the two-year period, the full death benefit is payable for any cause of death.
Call the Colonial Penn Life Claims Department at 1-800-523-9100 (the number printed on the official claim form) or the claims call line published on colonialpenn.com/file-a-claim, 1-800-517-5102, to report the death and request the Claimant's Statement for Life Insurance Death Benefits, or log in to my.colonialpenn.com to download the form (generic, PA, and NY versions) and file online. Complete the form and submit it along with a certified death certificate and the original insurance contract(s) if available. Mail to: Colonial Penn Life Insurance Company, Life Claims Department, PO Box 1918, Carmel, IN 46082-1918. NY residents: call Bankers Conseco at 877-891-0915.
Yes. An ILIT can own a Colonial Penn life insurance policy, removing the death benefit from the grantor's taxable estate. The trust can own the policy from inception, or an existing policy can be transferred to the trust, subject to a three-year lookback rule under IRC Section 2035. Once transferred, the grantor permanently relinquishes control. Contact Colonial Penn at 877-877-8052 to request a Request for Transfer of Ownership form (signed by the current owner, new owner, and a witness); note it does not automatically change the beneficiary, so submit a separate Request for Change of Beneficiary form to name the ILIT as beneficiary. Colonial Penn does not set up ILITs; you must work with an estate attorney to establish one.
Colonial Penn's main customer service line at 877-877-8052 is available Monday through Thursday from 8:30 AM to 10:00 PM ET, Friday from 8:30 AM to 7:00 PM ET, and Saturday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM ET. To report a death and file a claim, the Life Claims Department line is 1-800-523-9100 (printed on the official claim form) and the colonialpenn.com/file-a-claim page publishes a claims call line of 1-800-517-5102. New York residents can call Bankers Conseco at 877-891-0915.
Colonial Penn's guaranteed acceptance whole life insurance requires no health questions and no medical exam, with acceptance guaranteed for ages 50-85, and includes a two-year limited benefit period. The permanent whole life insurance plan is available for ages 40-75 with up to $50,000 in coverage, requires health questions but no medical exam, and offers optional Living Insurance accelerated death benefit riders for cancer, heart attack/stroke, or chronic illness. LifeChoice whole life insurance is exclusive to New York residents, requires a few health questions, and offers coverage between $5,000 and $25,000. All three products build cash value after the first year, have locked-in premiums that never increase, and can name a trust as beneficiary or be assigned to an ILIT.
Yes. Colonial Penn offers an online policyholder portal at my.colonialpenn.com where you can manage your policy, download forms, file claims, check claim status, and review previous claims. To register, you need your policy number and the date of birth of the insured. You can also download forms at colonialpenn.com/download-forms, including the Request for Change of Beneficiary form and the Claimant's Statement for Life Insurance Death Benefits.
Colonial Penn's Life Claims Department can be reached by phone at 1-800-523-9100 for questions throughout the claims process.
Sources
Data sourced from Colonial Penn primary sources (24 pages reviewed). How we research.
Customer Service
Phone1-877-877-8052
Toll-Free1-877-877-8052
Mailing Address
Colonial Penn Life Insurance Company, Policyholder Services, PO Box 1918, Carmel, IN 46082-1918
NY Residents (Bankers Conseco)
WebsiteLearn more→
Customer Service
Phone1-877-877-8052
Toll-Free1-877-877-8052
Mailing Address
Colonial Penn Life Insurance Company, Policyholder Services, PO Box 1918, Carmel, IN 46082-1918
NY Residents (Bankers Conseco)
WebsiteLearn more→
Life Claims Department
Phone1-800-523-9100
Toll-Free1-800-523-9100
Mailing Address
Colonial Penn Life Insurance Company, Life Claims Department, PO Box 1918, Carmel, IN 46082-1918
File a Claim Call Line (colonialpenn.com/file-a-claim)
NY Residents (Bankers Conseco)
General Customer Service
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Jul 2026
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