What to do when a F&G account holder dies
Report the death to F&G Service Center at 1-888-513-8797
When an insured person dies, the beneficiary or executor should contact F&G Service Center at 1-888-513-8797 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 F&G works as follows:
Filing a claim
Required Documents
- Due Proof of DeathThe F&G SecureMYGA sample contract defines it as a certified copy of an official death certificate or a certified copy of a court decree as to the finding of death.
- The policy number
- Evidence of the identity, age and other facts about a beneficiary, where F&G asks for itThe sample contract says F&G may require this before making any payment.
- An original copy of the foreign death certificate, where the person died outside the U.S.F&G reserves the right to require additional documentation at the time of the claim.
- Consular Report of a U.S. Citizen Death Abroad, where a U.S. citizen died outside the U.S.
What happens to each kind of account2
- Annuity
On the F&G SecureMYGA sample contract, a surviving spouse named as beneficiary may continue the contract as the new owner, and the surrender charge schedule continues to apply. If another beneficiary dies before their share is paid, the rest goes to their estate or as they told F&G.1
On the F&G SecureMYGA sample contract, no death benefit is paid when an annuitant who is not an owner dies before the maturity date, unless the owner is a non-natural person. All owners must notify F&G within 90 days and choose a new annuitant; otherwise the oldest owner becomes the annuitant.1
On the F&G Confidence Builder sample contract, the death benefit is the account value on the Death Claim Date: the latest of the date F&G receives Due Proof of Death, the date it can determine the payee, and the date legal impediments are resolved.2
On the F&G Confidence Builder sample contract, unless spousal continuation is elected on the date F&G receives Due Proof of Death, the share of a beneficiary who has not given payment instructions moves into the Fixed Interest Strategy until instructions arrive.2
- Trust account
On the F&G SecureMYGA sample contract, where a trust or another non-natural person owns the contract, the death of the annuitant is treated as the death of an owner.1
Accounts handled elsewhere1
- Fidelity & Guaranty Life Insurance Company of New York
Service center mail from New York residents3
Mailing address: Fidelity & Guaranty Life Insurance Company of New York Service Center, P.O. Box 81337, Lincoln, NE 68501-1337
What F&G's agreement and guidance say3
- Telling the institution
The F&G SecureMYGA sample contract says the death of any owner or annuitant must be reported to F&G immediately with Due Proof of Death, and F&G may recover any overpayment made because it was not told.1
- Wills, probate and small estates
On the F&G SecureMYGA sample contract, if no beneficiary is named at the owner's death or every beneficiary died before the owner, the owner's estate is the beneficiary.1
- How proceeds are paid
On the F&G SecureMYGA sample contract, the death benefit is the greater of the account value and the minimum guaranteed surrender value on the date of death, and no surrender charge applies to it. F&G pays interest on it from the date of death at the rate in effect on that date.1
The F&G SecureMYGA sample contract adds daily interest if the benefit is not paid within 31 days of the latest of: receipt of Due Proof of Death, receipt of enough information to determine the payee, and the resolution of legal impediments, such as appointing a guardian, conservator, trustee, executor or administrator.1
F&G pays the death benefit in U.S. dollars by check mailed to the designated beneficiary, even if the beneficiary lives outside the U.S., unless precluded by law.4
Not in F&G's published guidance2
- A claim form to download
- How long a claim takes
Sources4
- 1.F&G SecureMYGA ROP 5 sample contract, ICC21-MYGA (03-21)
- 2.F&G Confidence Builder sample contract, RILA (05-22)
- 3.Change of Beneficiary Request Form (ADMIN 5742), ADMIN 5742 (09-2017), Rev. 09-2018
- 4.Moving Outside of the U.S.
F&G Service Center can be reached by phone at 1-888-513-8797 and fax at 1-800-281-5777 for questions throughout the claims process.
Sources
Data sourced from F&G primary sources (16 pages reviewed). How we research.
F&G death claims support
F&G Service Center
Phone
Toll-free
Living benefits claims
Annuity policyholder services fax
Fax
Hours
Website
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