What to do when an EMC Life account holder dies
Report the death to EMC Life's Claims at 1-800-232-5818
When an insured person dies, the beneficiary or executor should contact EMC Life's Claims at 1-800-232-5818 to start the claims process. Insurance proceeds are paid directly to the named beneficiary and do not go through probate. How quickly the claim is processed depends on the policy type, documentation, and cause of death.
Death claim process
The death claim process at EMC Life works as follows:
Filing a claim
- Online: complete the Start a Claim form and select "Death Claim" as the claim type
- By phone: call 800-232-5818 and select option 4 (Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT)
- By email: write to help@emcnl.com with the policy number to request claim forms
- Less than $100,000: email the documents, including a copy of the death certificate, to claims@emcnl.com or the assigned claims team member, or fax them to 515-237-2282
- $100,000 or more: mail the documents with an original certified death certificate to EMC National Life Company, P.O. Box 9197, Des Moines, IA 50306-9197
- The letter that comes with the claim form says which category your claim falls into
- EMC National Life Company, P.O. Box 9197, Des Moines, IA 50306-9197
- The Start a Claim page prints the same box without the ZIP+4 (P.O. Box 9197, Des Moines, IA 50306); either form reaches the claims team
- Do not use P.O. Box 9202, Des Moines, IA 50306: that is the general service box for premiums, policy changes and beneficiary changes
Required Documents
- Completed claim formOne per beneficiary, signed. The claims team sends it after the claim is opened.
- Certified death certificate showing the final cause of deathAn original is required when total proceeds are $100,000 or more; a copy is accepted below that. A certificate with a pending cause of death is not accepted.
- Social Security number or Taxpayer Identification Number, for each beneficiary, estate or trust receiving proceedsThe claim cannot be processed without it. Interest paid on the claim is reported to the IRS.
- Government-issued ID, for the beneficiary
- Policy number and the deceased person's information
- Trust documents, trustee identification and the trust's TIN, if a trust is the beneficiary
- Letters testamentary, letters of administration or other court appointment, if the estate is the beneficiary or an estate representative makes the claim
- Marriage certificate, divorce decree or court name-change document, if a beneficiary's name differs from the designation on fileA marriage certificate or divorce decree is preferred; a court name-change document covers a change for any other reason.
- Power of attorney document, if an attorney-in-fact completes the claim form for a beneficiaryThe signature shows the fiduciary title.
- Copy of the deceased beneficiary's death certificate, if a named primary beneficiary died before the insuredA copy of that beneficiary's certified death certificate is accepted. If none is available, EMC National Life may accept an obituary, a funeral program, or a mention in another person's obituary.
- Funeral home assignment request and the funeral home's final bill, only if proceeds are being assigned to a funeral homeThe assignment request is signed; the copy of the final bill shows the outstanding balance.
Claims Contact
Website: Online portal →
Forms EMC Life issues1
- EMC National Life claim form
Completed by each beneficiary (one form per beneficiary). Sent by the institution on request.1
What happens to each kind of account1
- Life insurance policy
If the insured accelerated part of the death benefit, the policy death benefit and any additional insured benefit rider death benefit were reduced by the percentage accelerated, as were accumulation values, cash values and any outstanding loan.2
Acceleration payments have no effect on an accidental death benefit rider, a waiver of premium rider or a children's term life rider.2
For a Workplace Term Life or Workplace Whole Life claim, the employer's HR department may need to start the claim or verify employment. Both certificates are portable, so a former employee's certificate may still be in force, and that claim goes directly to EMC National Life.1
Help EMC Life offers survivors1
- Memorial gift
EMC National Life makes a charitable donation in the policyowner's honor on every policyowner death. The gift comes from EMC National Life and does not reduce any beneficiary's benefit.3
Who qualifies: The beneficiary chooses the recipient at the time of the claim: Alzheimer's Association, American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, Make-A-Wish Foundation or Wounded Warrior Project.
What EMC Life's agreement and guidance say4
- Contestability of a recent policy
If the insured died within two years of the policy's or rider's effective or reinstatement date, the claim is in the contestability period and EMC National Life may review medical history to confirm the accuracy of the application.1
- Payment to a minor or incapacitated beneficiary
If a beneficiary is a minor with no guardian named, EMC National Life states that the Uniform Transfers to Minors Act or Uniform Gifts to Minors Act permits disbursement without guardianship papers, subject to state-specific guidelines and limits.1
- How proceeds are paid
If a beneficiary signed a funeral home assignment before the claim is settled, EMC National Life is obligated to honor it and pays the funeral home from the proceeds. A collateral assignment may also have been made before the insured's death.1
- What it says about taxes
EMC National Life reports interest it pays on the proceeds to the IRS on Form 1099-INT, issued when the interest is $10.00 or more.1
Typically 30 to 60 days from receipt of all required documents; longer if documents are incomplete or the death needs further investigation.
EMC Life's Claims can be reached by phone at 1-800-232-5818, email at claims@emcnl.com, and fax at 1-515-237-2282 for questions throughout the claims process.
Sources
Data sourced from EMC Life primary sources (21 pages reviewed). How we research.
EMC Life death claims support
Claims
Phone
Claims (select option 4)
Courier or overnight delivery
Fax
Hours
Mailing address
Website
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