What to do when a Continental Finance account holder dies
Report the death to Continental Finance's Cardholder Services at 1-866-449-4514
When an account holder at Continental Finance dies, the executor contacts the Cardholder Services (1-866-449-4514) to report the death and request the balance as of the date of death. The balance is a claim against the estate: it is paid from estate assets, in the order the state sets, before anything reaches the heirs.
Gather the account holder's full name, date of birth, and any known account or policy numbers before contacting Continental Finance.
Death claim process
Follow these steps to file a death claim with Continental Finance:
Filing a claim
- The bank issuing the card is identified on the back of the Mastercard and in the cardholder agreement, which governs the account
- Find the agreement on the cardholder agreement page with the last 4 of the card and of the SSN, and the ZIP code or date of birth
- Request the form by phone at 866-665-7967 (Mon-Fri 8am-6pm ET), by email at CPClaims@CPCustomerCare.com, by mail, or at CPCustomerCare.com
- Send the completed form by US mail to Credit Protection Program, PO Box 8099, Newark, DE 19714-8099, by email, or upload it through CPCustomerCare.com
- The Benefit Activation Form contains complete instructions
Required Documents
- Benefit Activation Form, completed, for a Continental Credit Protection loss-of-life claimSubmitted within 120 days from the date of the death.
- Copy of the death certificate, for a Continental Credit Protection loss-of-life claim
Claims Contact
Website: Online portal →
Forms Continental Finance issues1
- Benefit Activation Form
Completed by the cardholder's estate. Sent by the institution on request.1
What happens to each kind of account1
- Debt protection, GAP or service contract
Continental Credit Protection cancels the outstanding account balance as of the date of death shown on the death certificate. The death must be the primary cardholder's; authorized users are not covered.1
There is no benefit if the death was caused by suicide, intentional self-inflicted injury or criminal acts, or if the account had no outstanding balance on the date of death.1
Accounts handled elsewhere1
- Credit Protection Program
Continental Credit Protection benefit activations, including loss-of-life claims1
Phone: 1-866-665-7967
Email: CPClaims@CPCustomerCare.com
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-6:00 PM ET
Mailing address: Credit Protection Program, PO Box 8099, Newark, DE 19714-8099
What Continental Finance's agreement and guidance say3
- Fees
The Continental Credit Protection charge is $1.39 for each $100 of the outstanding balance and appears as a Purchase on the monthly billing statement, so a statement shows whether the account was enrolled.1
- Payments after the death
The addendum says the minimum payment due must be paid on time until the benefit activation period begins, to avoid late fees and penalties.1
- What it says about taxes
The addendum says cancellation of all or part of the outstanding balance may be taxable income to the cardholder or the cardholder's estate.1
Not in Continental Finance's published guidance4
- A procedure for reporting a death
- A department for deceased-customer accounts
- An online way to report a death
- How long a claim takes
Sources1
- 1.Continental Credit Protection Addendum, Version Effective 9/1/26
Continental Finance's Cardholder Services can be reached by phone at 1-866-449-4514 for questions throughout the claims process.
Sources
- continentalfinance.com
- cdn.continentalfinance.net
- cpcustomercare.com
- matrixcardinfo.com
- surgecardinfo.com
- yourcreditcardinfo.com
Data sourced from Continental Finance primary sources (15 pages reviewed). How we research.
Continental Finance death claims support
Cardholder Services
Phone
Continental Credit Protection benefit activations
Hours
Website
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