What to do when a Foresters account holder dies
Contact Foresters — 10-step process, 9 required documents, and 15 business days for non-contestable claims after all documentation is received; 30 business days for contestable claims after all medical records are received
Foresters Financial, P.O. Box 179, Buffalo, NY 14201-0179
Foresters Financial, P.O. Box 179, Buffalo, NY 14201-0179
Life Insurance Claims
Foresters Financial, P.O. Box 179, Buffalo, NY 14201-0179
A death claim on a Foresters policy is filed through the Life Insurance Claims (1-800-828-1540). Because insurance proceeds pass directly to named beneficiaries, this process is separate from probate. The required documentation and timeline vary by policy type.
Foresters offers an online claims portal that makes the initial filing process more straightforward. Survivors can also initiate claims by phone or by mailing documentation directly.
Death claim process
Here is the step-by-step death claim process at Foresters:
Filing a claim
- Name of the deceased
- Date of death
- Cause and manner of death (if available)
- Contact information for where forms should be sent
- Life Claimant Statement Non-Contestable (for deaths in certificate year three or after, with no reinstatement in the last two years)
- Life Claimant Statement Contestable (for deaths in the first two years of the certificate or within two years of reinstatement)
- If the trust is the beneficiary: the trustee completes the claimant statement, provides a copy of the trust agreement, and supplies a statement that the trust is still in full force and effect
- If the beneficiary is an estate: the court-appointed executor completes the claimant statement and provides a copy of the court papers appointing them as executor
- If the cause of death was an accident or homicide: submit police report, coroner's report, and/or toxicology report
- Mail to: Foresters, P.O. Box 179, Buffalo, NY 14201-0179
- Overnight to: Foresters Financial, 2221 Kenmore Ave, Suite 108, Buffalo, NY 14207-1306
- Fax to 1-877-329-4631
- Non-contestable claims: processed within 15 business days of receiving complete documentation (not including mail time)
- Contestable claims: require medical records review from the decedent's medical providers; once all records are received, a claims decision is provided within 30 business days
Required Documents
- Completed Life Claimant Statement (Non-Contestable or Contestable version, as applicable)
- Certified death certificate (with raised seal or multicolored signature seal from the issuing authority)
- Certificate number (if available)
- Medical authorization / HIPAA form (for contestable claims)
- Beneficiary Social Security number and contact information
- Trust agreement and statement that trust is in full force and effect, plus trustee identification (if trust is beneficiary)
- Court papers appointing executor and Letters of Administration (if estate claim)
- Police report, coroner's report, and/or toxicology report (if death was due to accident or homicide)
- Foreign Death Questionnaire, notarized translation of death certificate, and copy of passport (if death occurred outside the U.S. or Canada)
Claims Contact
What to know at this institution
For overnight mail, send to: Foresters Financial, 2221 Kenmore Ave Suite 108, Buffalo, NY 14207-1306. Fax: 1-877-329-4631. Regular post office mailing takes 7-10 business days. Two claim forms exist: Life Claimant Statement Non-Contestable (death in certificate year three or after, no reinstatement in last two years) and Life Claimant Statement Contestable (death in first two years or within two years of reinstatement). Contestable claims include a HIPAA medical authorization section. Foresters will request medical records from the decedent's medical providers for contestable claims. Some claims may be eligible for Express handling that does not require a claimant statement; call 1-800-828-1540 to determine eligibility. If the primary beneficiary is deceased, a certified death certificate for that beneficiary is also required. If a beneficiary is a minor, the legally appointed guardian must complete the claimant statement and provide court appointment documentation. If the death occurred outside the U.S. or Canada, additional documentation is required including a Foreign Death Questionnaire and notarized translation. As a fraternal benefit society, Foresters issues certificates rather than policies. Foresters also provides a charity benefit provision where the company donates a percentage of the certificate amount to a chosen charity for each claim.
Prepare your letter of instruction to Foresters
Foresters 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 instructionProcessing timelines at Foresters: 15 business days for non-contestable claims after all documentation is received; 30 business days for contestable claims after all medical records are received. Incomplete documentation is the most common cause of delays—submitting all required documents with the initial claim helps avoid additional processing time.
Foresters requires several documents to process a claim, including Completed Life Claimant Statement (Non-Contestable or Contestable version, as applicable), Certified death certificate (with raised seal or multicolored signature seal from the issuing authority), and Certificate number (if available), and additional documentation depending on the account type. Certified copies are typically needed—photocopies are generally not accepted for death certificates or court documents.
Frequently asked questions
A trust can be connected to a Foresters certificate two ways. To name a trust as beneficiary, complete the Change of Beneficiary form with the trust name, date established, trustee name, and trust EIN. To transfer ownership to an Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust (ILIT), complete the Transfer of Ownership Form and include a copy of the trust agreement. The transfer of ownership revokes all existing beneficiary, trustee, and successor owner designations, and the grantor loses control of the certificate. Once owned by an ILIT, the death benefit is generally excluded from the insured's taxable estate. Permanent products (whole life, universal life, SPVL, VUL) are preferred for ILITs because term policies may expire before the insured's death.
You will need a completed Life Claimant Statement (Non-Contestable or Contestable, depending on when the death occurred), a certified death certificate, and the certificate number if available. For contestable claims (death within the first two years of the certificate or within two years of reinstatement), a medical authorization (HIPAA) form is also required. If a trust is the beneficiary, the trustee must provide a copy of the trust agreement and a statement that the trust is still in full force and effect. For estate claims, the court-appointed executor must provide Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration. For accidental or homicide deaths, provide police, coroner, and/or toxicology reports. Call 1-800-828-1540 option 6 to start a claim.
A Foresters certificate is contestable if the death occurred in the first two years of the certificate or within two years of a reinstatement. Non-contestable claims are processed within 15 business days of receiving complete documentation. Contestable claims require medical records from the decedent's providers along with a completed HIPAA authorization, and a claims decision is provided within 30 business days after all medical records are received. Foresters uses two separate claim forms: Life Claimant Statement Non-Contestable and Life Claimant Statement Contestable.
Foresters's Life Insurance Claims can be reached by phone at 1-800-828-1540, email at service@foresters.com, and fax at 1-877-329-4631 for questions throughout the claims process.
Multiple Foresters policies may mean multiple claims. Some account types can be processed together, but others require their own documentation. Check with the Life Insurance Claims to confirm what applies.
Sources
Data sourced from Foresters primary sources (23 pages reviewed). How we research.
Foresters Financial, P.O. Box 179, Buffalo, NY 14201-0179
Foresters Financial, P.O. Box 179, Buffalo, NY 14201-0179
Life Insurance Claims
Foresters Financial, P.O. Box 179, Buffalo, NY 14201-0179
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