What to do when a EquiTrust account holder dies
Contact EquiTrust — 10-step process, 12 required documents, and death benefits are paid upon receipt of due proof of death. interest accrues from the date of death at the rate applicable to the contract. for policies issued in illinois, the claim form carries a statutory notice: interest accrues on the death proceeds from the date of death at 10% until the first payment is made, unless payment is made within 31 days of the latest of (1) the date due proof of death is received, (2) the date equitrust receives enough information to determine liability, its extent, and the payee entitled to the proceeds, or (3) the date outside legal impediments to payment are resolved. claims are typically processed within 30 to 60 days from receipt of all required documentation.
Policyholder Services
EquiTrust Life Insurance Company, P.O. Box 14500, Des Moines, IA 50306-3500
Policyholder Services
EquiTrust Life Insurance Company, P.O. Box 14500, Des Moines, IA 50306-3500
Claims Department
EquiTrust Life Insurance Company, P.O. Box 14500, Des Moines, IA 50306-3500 (overnight: 7100 Westown Parkway, Suite 200, West Des Moines, IA 50266-2521)
Filing a death claim on a EquiTrust policy begins with notifying the Claims Department at 1-866-598-3692. 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.
Claims can be filed by phone (1-866-598-3692) or by emailing documentation to Customer.Service@EquiTrust.com. Before reaching out, gather the account holder's full name, account numbers, and a certified death certificate.
Death claim process
To file a claim after an account holder's death, here is what EquiTrust requires:
Filing a claim
- A beneficiary can file the Report A Death form in the My EquiTrust client portal at https://my.equitrust.com/report-a-death/ (Multi-Factor Authentication must be enabled on the account first)
- A trustee or executor/administrator must instead call EquiTrust customer service at 866-598-3692 (Monday-Thursday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM CT; Friday, 8:00 AM - 2:00 PM CT) to file the report
- EquiTrust then mails the required claim forms to the beneficiaries on file
- Completed Annuity Claimant Statement (form ET-2700; New Mexico beneficiaries use ET-2700NM) with the contract number and deceased information
- One certified copy of the death certificate listing the cause of death
- If the death occurred outside the United States, include a U.S. Consular Report of the Death of an American Citizen
- Government-issued identification for the beneficiary or claimant
- Payment/payout option election and tax withholding preferences (once processed, neither the payout election nor the withholding election can be changed)
- If a trust is the beneficiary, add the Trustee Certification (ET-TRUST-2502) and the trust EIN (the deceased Social Security number cannot be used as the trust Tax ID)
- If an Inherited IRA or Stretch IRA option is elected, add the Inherited IRA Information Form (ET-INHIRA, https://agents.equitrust.com/files/Forms/ET-INHIRA.PDF)
- If the beneficiary is not a U.S. citizen, add IRS Form W-8BEN (natural person) or W-8IMY (entity); a foreign beneficiary may take only a Lump Sum, and up to 30% of the gain or interest is withheld unless a treaty rate applies and a U.S. TIN is supplied
- Completed Life Policy Beneficiary Statement (form ETL-CLAIM-2700) with all pages
- One certified copy of the death certificate listing the cause of death
- Government-issued identification for the beneficiary
- If a share of proceeds exceeds $2,000 and a payment option (rather than a lump sum) is elected, add the Beneficiary Payment Option Election Form (ETL-BENPOE-2710); shares under $2,000 are paid only as a lump-sum check
- If a trust is the beneficiary, add the Trust Information/Certification (ET-TRUST-2502) and the trust EIN
- If the original policy cannot be found, complete the Lost Policy section of ETL-CLAIM-2700, certifying that the policy was not assigned, hypothecated, or pledged and agreeing to indemnify EquiTrust
Required Documents
- Completed claim form (Annuity Claimant Statement ET-2700 / ET-2700NM for annuities, or Life Policy Beneficiary Statement ETL-CLAIM-2700 for life insurance) - one per beneficiary
- One certified copy of the death certificate listing the cause of death
- U.S. Consular Report of the Death of an American Citizen (if death occurred outside the United States)
- Government-issued identification for the beneficiary or claimant
- Contract or policy number and deceased information
- Trust: Trustee Certification (ET-TRUST-2502) plus the trust EIN (the deceased SSN cannot be used as the trust Tax ID)
- Estate: court-certified Executor/Administrator appointment or Letters Testamentary plus the estate EIN (claim is payable to the estate)
- Beneficiary Payment Option Election Form (ETL-BENPOE-2710) for life shares over $2,000 taking a payment option
- Power of Attorney Certification (ET-POACERT-2500) if an attorney-in-fact signs; Entity Certification and Indemnification Agreement (ET-ENTITY-2503) for a corporation or charity beneficiary
- Minor beneficiary: a copy of the legal document naming the court-appointed guardian or conservator; the claimant statement is signed in that capacity, and the Tax ID used is the minor child's
- Inherited IRA Information Form (ET-INHIRA) when an Inherited IRA or Stretch IRA option is elected on a qualified contract
- Foreign beneficiary: IRS Form W-8BEN (natural person) or Form W-8IMY plus corporate resolution/bylaws (entity)
Claims Contact
What to know at this institution
Due Proof of Death consists of a certified copy of an official death certificate, a certified copy of a decree of a court of competent jurisdiction as to the finding of death, or any other proof satisfactory to the company. EquiTrust reserves the right to request additional information needed to settle the claim. A surviving spouse who is the sole primary beneficiary may elect Spousal Continuation and assume the annuity as their own (contract provisions, surrender charges, and fees continue for the balance of the term, and the spouse may name new beneficiaries). Non-spouse beneficiaries choose among the payout options EquiTrust makes available by beneficiary type. For qualified (IRA) contracts these are Inherited IRA, Inherited Roth IRA, Stretch IRA (eligible designated beneficiaries only, or any beneficiary where death was before 1/1/2020), Payout Option, 10-Year Deferral, 5-Year Deferral, Lump Sum, and - if the deceased contract is out of its surrender-charge period - an Internal Transfer (the Confidence Income immediate annuity is excluded). For non-qualified contracts the options are Spousal Continuation (spouse only), Payout Option, 5-Year Deferral, or Lump Sum. A TRUST beneficiary is limited to a Payout Option (5 years), a 5-Year Deferral, or a Lump Sum; an ESTATE, corporation, or entity beneficiary is limited to a Lump Sum. Payout Option installments are sent by EFT only; Lump Sum proceeds are paid by physical check (EFT is not available for lump sums). Distribution rights for inherited IRA annuities turn on whether the beneficiary is an eligible designated beneficiary (spouse, individual not more than 10 years younger than the owner, disabled, or chronically ill) under the SECURE Act. Surrender charges may apply to annuity death benefits, and both the elected payout option and the tax-withholding election are irrevocable once the claim is processed - death proceeds are non-returnable. EquiTrust's Inherited/Stretch IRA guidance also references the Election to Stretch/Inherit form (ET-2536) and the IRA Beneficiary Guideline (ET-IRABENEGUIDELINE); sales of new Inherited/Stretch IRA cases are suspended, but existing elections are still processed.
Prepare your letter of instruction to EquiTrust
EquiTrust provides its own letter-of-instruction form. Answer a few questions and we complete that official form for you to print and sign.
Build your letter of instructionExpected timelines at EquiTrust: Death benefits are paid upon receipt of Due Proof of Death. Interest accrues from the date of death at the rate applicable to the contract. For policies issued in Illinois, the claim form carries a statutory notice: interest accrues on the death proceeds from the date of death at 10% until the first payment is made, unless payment is made within 31 days of the latest of (1) the date due proof of death is received, (2) the date EquiTrust receives enough information to determine liability, its extent, and the payee entitled to the proceeds, or (3) the date outside legal impediments to payment are resolved. Claims are typically processed within 30 to 60 days from receipt of all required documentation. Delays are almost always caused by incomplete paperwork—gathering all required documents before filing the initial claim helps avoid back-and-forth.
Documentation required by EquiTrust includes Completed claim form (Annuity Claimant Statement ET-2700 / ET-2700NM for annuities, or Life Policy Beneficiary Statement ETL-CLAIM-2700 for life insurance) - one per beneficiary, One certified copy of the death certificate listing the cause of death, and U.S. Consular Report of the Death of an American Citizen (if death occurred outside the United States), along with additional paperwork that varies by account type. All death certificates and court documents must be certified copies.
Frequently asked questions
EquiTrust runs two reporting channels and they are not interchangeable. A named beneficiary can file the Report A Death form inside the My EquiTrust client portal at https://my.equitrust.com/report-a-death/, but Multi-Factor Authentication of your identity must be enabled in your Account Profile before the form will open. A TRUSTEE or an EXECUTOR/ADMINISTRATOR cannot use the online form: EquiTrust directs you to call customer service at 866-598-3692 (Monday-Thursday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM CT; Friday, 8:00 AM - 2:00 PM CT) to file the report. Either way, have the contract or policy number (or the decedent Social Security number), the decedent state of residence, date of birth, and date of death ready. EquiTrust then mails the correct claim form to the beneficiaries on file and requires one certified death certificate for the owner, plus a death certificate for any beneficiary who predeceased the owner. If the claim is payable to the estate, complete the form with the estate information rather than your own, and attach a court-certified executor appointment or Letters Testamentary and a separate estate EIN - the deceased Social Security number cannot be used as the estate Tax ID.
If you die during the guarantee period of a Certainty Select MYGA, the named beneficiary receives a death benefit equal to the full accumulation value with all surrender charges waived. No Market Value Adjustment is applied to the death benefit. The beneficiary files the Annuity Claimant Statement (form ET-2700, or ET-2700NM in New Mexico) with a certified death certificate. A surviving spouse who is the sole primary beneficiary may elect Spousal Continuation and take over the contract as their own, though contract provisions, surrender charges, and fees continue for the balance of the term. Other beneficiaries elect from the options EquiTrust makes available by beneficiary type - for a non-qualified contract that is a Payout Option, a 5-Year Deferral, or a Lump Sum. The election is irrevocable once the claim is processed, so it cannot be changed later.
When a trust is named as the beneficiary, the trustee files the claim on behalf of the trust. The claim package must include the completed claim form (Annuity Claimant Statement ET-2700, or ET-2700NM in New Mexico, for annuities; Life Policy Beneficiary Statement ETL-CLAIM-2700 for life insurance), the Trust Information Form and Trustee Certification (ET-TRUST-2502, https://agents.equitrust.com/files/Forms/ET-TRUST-2502.PDF), one certified copy of the death certificate, and the trust EIN. The deceased Social Security number cannot be used as the trust Tax ID - the trust needs its own EIN from the IRS. For a TESTAMENTARY trust, also attach a copy of the will and the letters testamentary. EquiTrust can require proof that the trust is still in full force and effect before it pays. On an annuity, a trust beneficiary is limited to a Payout Option (5 years, paid by EFT), a 5-Year Deferral, or a Lump Sum - Spousal Continuation, Inherited IRA, and Stretch IRA are not available to a trust. Mail the completed package to EquiTrust Life Insurance Company, P.O. Box 14500, Des Moines, IA 50306-3500. Death benefits are paid upon receipt of Due Proof of Death.
EquiTrust's Claims Department can be reached by phone at 1-866-598-3692, email at Customer.Service@EquiTrust.com, and fax at 1-515-226-5101 for questions throughout the claims process.
If the deceased held multiple EquiTrust policies, each may require a separate claim or have different documentation requirements. The Claims Department can confirm which accounts require individual attention and which can be processed together.
Sources
Data sourced from EquiTrust primary sources (29 pages reviewed). How we research.
Policyholder Services
EquiTrust Life Insurance Company, P.O. Box 14500, Des Moines, IA 50306-3500
Policyholder Services
EquiTrust Life Insurance Company, P.O. Box 14500, Des Moines, IA 50306-3500
Claims Department
EquiTrust Life Insurance Company, P.O. Box 14500, Des Moines, IA 50306-3500 (overnight: 7100 Westown Parkway, Suite 200, West Des Moines, IA 50266-2521)
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