How to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at Erie Insurance
Beneficiaries are managed in branch, by phone or by mail. Trust paperwork is taken in branch, by phone or by mail
Estate planning with Erie Insurance policies centers on beneficiary designations—the single most important step for ensuring life insurance proceeds and annuity benefits reach the intended recipients without probate involvement. Unlike bank or brokerage accounts, insurance products are not retitled into trusts; instead, trusts are named as beneficiaries when estate tax planning or controlled distributions are needed.
Across 11 product types, Erie Insurance policies vary in how they transfer at death. The sections below walk through beneficiary designations, trust funding options, and which products support each method.
Beneficiary form at Erie Insurance
Erie Family Life policy change form.
- Add primary and contingent beneficiaries with full legal names, dates of birth, relationships, and percentage allocations totaling 100%
- For trusts: provide the full legal trust name, date established, and trust EIN
- Primary beneficiaries with full legal names, dates of birth, relationships, and percentage allocations totaling 100%
- Contingent beneficiaries if desired with their own percentage allocations totaling 100%
- For trusts: provide the full legal trust name, date established, and trust EIN
- Mail to: Erie Family Life Service Center, P.O. Box 83026, Lincoln, NE 68501-3026
- Or fax to: 866-567-1219
- Do not send a policy change to the Erie, PA claims address or the 814-461-1238 claims fax; that pair is for death claims only
Required Documents
- Policy number and insured information
- Personal identification (by phone)
- Beneficiaries' full legal names, dates of birth, relationships and percentage allocations. Primary and contingent beneficiaries each total 100%
- Full legal trust name, date established and trust EIN (for a trust)
- For naming a trust as beneficiary: complete the beneficiary change form with trust information
- For ILIT ownership transfer: complete the assignment of ownership form
- Name your trust as the policy beneficiary
- Transfer policy ownership to an ILIT (request an assignment of ownership form)
- For naming a trust as beneficiary: complete the beneficiary change form with full trust details
- For ILIT ownership transfer: complete the assignment of ownership form
- Full legal trust name exactly as it appears in the trust document
- Date the trust was established and the trust EIN
- Trustee name as the contact person
- Mail to: Erie Family Life Service Center, P.O. Box 83026, Lincoln, NE 68501-3026
- Or fax to: 866-567-1219
Required Documents
- Completed beneficiary change form (for naming the trust as beneficiary)
- Assignment of ownership form (for an ILIT ownership transfer)
- Trust name, date established and EIN. The full legal trust name exactly as it appears in the trust document
- Trustee identification
- Trustee name as the contact person
- Certificate of Trust or trust abstract. Do not send the full trust document unless requested
- Trust EIN documentation. IRS Letter 147C or SS-4 confirmation
What Erie Insurance says about beneficiaries and trusts
Each section is Erie Insurance's own statement, with the document it comes from numbered under Sources.
Which accounts take a beneficiary2
Who can be named1
- A trust, life insurance policys
A trust can be named as the policy beneficiary, so the death benefit pays directly into the trust.1
How many beneficiaries, and how shares are split
- All accounts
Percentage allocations must total 100% for each beneficiary tier. Contingent beneficiaries can be named with their own allocations.1
What a designation takes to be effective
- All accounts
The beneficiary change form is signed and dated.1
Beneficiary forms Erie Insurance issues1
- Erie Family Life policy change form
Completed by the policyowner. Sent by the institution on request.1
Return to
Fax: 1-866-567-1219
Mailing address: Erie Family Life Service Center, P.O. Box 83026, Lincoln, NE 68501-3026
What Erie Insurance's agreement says about beneficiaries3
State requirements Erie Insurance statesNew York
- New York
Erie Family Life products are not sold in New York, so a New York ERIE policy carries no beneficiary designation. A New York ERIE customer holds property and casualty coverage only.1
Which accounts a trust can hold1
- Life insurance policy
Erie Family Life individual life insurance policies support two trust paths: a trust named as the policy beneficiary, or an irrevocable life insurance trust (ILIT) as owner of the policy.1
Trust account forms Erie Insurance issues2
- Assignment of ownership form
For life insurance policys. Sent by the institution on request.1
Return to
Fax: 1-866-567-1219
Mailing address: Erie Family Life Service Center, P.O. Box 83026, Lincoln, NE 68501-3026
- Beneficiary change form
Sent by the institution on request.1
Return to
Fax: 1-866-567-1219
Mailing address: Erie Family Life Service Center, P.O. Box 83026, Lincoln, NE 68501-3026
What Erie Insurance says about trust accounts1
Not in Erie Insurance's published guidance2
- A beneficiary form to download
- Downloadable ownership change form
Sources1
Sources
Data sourced from Erie Insurance primary sources (20 pages reviewed). How we research.
Download these Erie Insurance instructions
Download instructions for the whole estateA printable PDF with the steps, required documents, and contact details — verified against Erie Insurance primary sources. Bring it to the branch or keep it beside the phone.
Erie Insurance estate support
ERIE Property & Casualty (auto, home, renters)
Phone
Toll-free
Hours
Mailing address
Website
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your Erie Insurance accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
Is this your situation?
Get a complete guide for your specific circumstances.
New Baby or Adoption
Your family is growing. Your protection should too. Guardian nominations, trusts for minors, beneficiary updates, and the documents new parents need in place.
Learn more
Marriage
What married couples need in place: one joint trust or two, wills, beneficiary updates, and the spousal rights your state grants you automatically.
Learn more
New Home
How to put your house in a revocable trust: the deed you record, what it does to your mortgage and property taxes, and when a TOD deed is simpler.
Learn more
Retirement
Retirement changes your financial picture. Healthcare directives, beneficiary reviews, long-term care planning, and protecting what you've built.
Learn moreForms for Planning Your Estate
Free forms for planning your estate: a will, living trust, pour-over will, both powers of attorney, living will, and TOD deed.
Revocable Living Trust
Create a revocable living trust to avoid probate, protect privacy, and control asset distribution.
Last Will and Testament
Name your heirs, guardians, and final wishes. Free for every state.
Transfer on Death Deed
Transfer real property to a beneficiary upon your death without probate. Available in 34 states and the District of Columbia.
Tools for Planning Your Estate
Free tools for planning your estate: what a will or trust costs, whether you need a trust or TOD deed, and how documents are signed.
How Much Does a Revocable Living Trust Cost?
Compare revocable living trust costs across providers including online services and attorneys.
How Does SimplyTrust Compare to LegalZoom, Trust & Will, and Other Services?
Compare what it costs to make a trust official across SimplyTrust, LegalZoom, Trust & Will, Rocket Lawyer, and Quicken WillMaker.
Do I Need a Revocable Trust?
Find out if a revocable trust makes sense based on your state, estate value, and family situation.
Trust or Will: Which Costs Less?
Compare the cost of probate vs a trust for your state and estate value.
What Does Estate Planning Actually Cost?
Compare costs across estate planning providers including online services and attorneys.
How Much Life Insurance Do I Need?
Calculate your life insurance needs based on income, debts, and family situation.
