What to do when a Global Atlantic account holder dies
Report the death to Global Atlantic's Claims at 1-877-462-8992
When an insured person dies, the beneficiary or executor should contact Global Atlantic's Claims at 1-877-462-8992 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
To file a claim after an account holder's death, here is what Global Atlantic requires:
Filing a claim
- Accordia Life and Annuity Company: Form 17003
- First Allmerica Financial Life Insurance Company: Form 17003 (FANY)
- Beneficiary (individual): complete one form for each beneficiary; a former spouse completes the form as Other
- Trustee: skip to Section 5
- Executor, administrator or personal representative: include the court certificate of appointment and complete the form with the estate information; the claim is payable to the estate
- On behalf of a minor child, as attorney-in-fact, or as custodian or guardian: include appropriate documentation
- Foreign beneficiary: include a signed IRS Form W-8BEN (natural person) or W-8-IMY (entity)
- Spouse of the deceased who is a Pennsylvania resident with divorce proceedings pending: a separate box
- Other: list the capacity; a former spouse includes a copy of the divorce decree and settlement agreement
- The full name, address and phone number of the trust, and the original and any amended trust dates
- The state law that governs the trust and the state or states taxes are to be reported in
- Whether any trustee may act solely and independently or only together with the co-trustees, in which case all trustees sign
- The trust or personal TIN used for tax reporting, which is the trust's number and not the trustee's
- That the trust agreement was formed and domiciled in the United States or one of its territories and is in full force and effect
- That the trustees have authority to accept the death proceeds and release the company from liability
- Each beneficiary in Section 7 has a "Distribute the proceeds per stirpes" box
- Additional pages are accepted if each is signed, dated and marked "Attachment" with the policy number, and the box on the form is checked
- Mail: P.O. Box 4318, Clinton, IA 52733-4318 (printed on both Form 17003 and Form 17003 (FANY))
- Fax: 800 255 0835, as printed on both forms; the Claims listing on the financial professional contact page gives fax (800) 351-0603
- Private express carrier: Accordia Life, 1315 19th Ave NW, Clinton, IA 52732 (financial professional contact page)
- Questions: Customer Contact Center, 877 462 8992
Required Documents
- Life Insurance Claim Form Statement of Beneficiary, for a life insurance claimComplete one form for each beneficiary.
- Original certified death certificateShowing cause and manner of death; the form marks it required.
- Life policy numbers and the deceased person's detailsAll of the life policy numbers being claimed, and the deceased person's name, date of birth, date of death and Social Security number.
- Trust Verification (Section 5 of the claim form), if the beneficiary is a trustThe trustees certify the trust's name, address, dates, governing law, tax states, trustees and TIN, under penalty of perjury.
- Court certificate of appointment, if you claim as executor, administrator or personal representativeComplete the form with the estate information rather than your own; the claim is payable to the estate.
- Copy of the divorce decree and settlement agreement, if a former spouse is claimingA former spouse completes the form as Other.
- Documentation of your authority, if you claim on behalf of a minor child, or as attorney-in-fact, custodian, guardian or conservator
- IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8-IMY, for a beneficiary who is not a United States citizenW-8BEN for a natural person; W-8-IMY for an entity, with a copy of the corporate resolution, bylaws or other documents showing the signer is authorized.
Forms Global Atlantic issues2
- Life Insurance Claim Form Statement of Beneficiary, Form 17003 (02-24), Accordia Life and Annuity Company
Completed by each beneficiary. Available to download.1
- Life Insurance Claim Form Statement of Beneficiary, Form 17003 (FANY) (02-24), First Allmerica Financial Life
Completed by each beneficiary. Available to download.2
What happens to each kind of account1
- Life insurance policy
On a preneed policy, the death benefit is assigned to the funeral provider and paid upon the death and after fulfillment of the preneed contract.3
Accounts handled elsewhere5
- Forethought Life Insurance Company, annuity servicing (A, B, C, D or E)
Annuity contracts starting with A, B, C, D or E4
Phone: 1-833-275-4248
Email: GAoperations@email.gafg.com
Fax: 1-855-299-0104
Hours: Monday-Thursday 8:00 AM-7:00 PM ET; Friday 8:00 AM-6:00 PM ET
Mailing address: Forethought Life Insurance Company, 123 Town Square Place, PMB711, Jersey City, NJ 07310
- Forethought Life Insurance Company, annuity servicing (5, 6, 7 or 8)
Annuity contracts starting with 5, 6, 7 or 84
Phone: 1-833-275-4248
Email: annuityservicecenter@gafg.com
Fax: 1-785-286-6104
Mailing address: Forethought Life Insurance Company, P.O. Box 758507, Topeka, KS 66675-8507 (private express carrier: Mail Zone 507, 5801 SW 6th Avenue, Topeka, KS 66636)
- Forethought Life Insurance Company, annuity servicing (2)
Annuity contracts starting with 24
Phone: 1-877-244-7526
Email: annuitypolicyservice@gafg.com
Fax: 1-877-554-2413
Hours: Monday-Thursday 8:00 AM-7:00 PM ET; Friday 8:00 AM-6:00 PM ET
Mailing address: Forethought Life Insurance Company, P.O. Box 246, Batesville, IN 47006 (private express carrier: One Forethought Center)
- Commonwealth Annuity and Life Insurance Company
Commonwealth Annuity and Life Insurance Company accounts4
Phone: 1-800-457-8803
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-6:00 PM ET
- Forethought Life Insurance Company preneed
Preneed life insurance policies5
Phone: 1-800-331-8853
Email: ask.us@gafg.com
Fax: 1-888-425-2463
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-7:00 PM ET
Mailing address: Forethought Life Insurance Company, Attn: Claims Submission, One Forethought Center, Batesville, IN 47006
What Global Atlantic's agreement and guidance say4
- How proceeds are paid
Section 6 of the claim form offers a lump sum settlement or a settlement option. The settlement option issues a supplementary contract to you, for a minimum of 5 years, paid monthly, quarterly, semi-annually or annually, with a Life or Certain Period option.1
Section 8 of the claim form lets you ask for the proceeds to be delivered to you by your active Accordia agent.1
- Powers of attorney
The claim form says the power of attorney or guardian for the policy owner is not authorized to act on behalf of a trustee.1
- Who can get account information
A trustee with questions about values or distribution options is asked to complete and return Sections 1, 2, 3, 5 and 12 before calling, so the company can verify the trustee over the phone.1
- What it says about taxes
The claim form says that for a beneficiary who is not a United States citizen the company "is required to withhold up to 30% of any gain and/or interest", and that a lower treaty rate needs the beneficiary's United States TIN.1
If every other document is in, the company settles the claim and withholds 30% of the gain or interest; it does not help a beneficiary apply for a TIN.1
Not in Global Atlantic's published guidance3
- How long a claim takes
- Annuity death claim procedure
- Annuity death claim form
Sources5
- 1.Life Insurance Claim Form Statement of Beneficiary (Form 17003, Accordia Life and Annuity Company), 17003 (02-24)
- 2.Life Insurance Claim Form Statement of Beneficiary (Form 17003 (FANY), First Allmerica Financial Life Insurance Company), 17003 (FANY) (02-24)
- 3.Life Insurance, Funeral and Memorial Planning
- 4.Contact the Global Atlantic team (financial professional contact page)
- 5.Contact Us (preneed agent contact page)
Global Atlantic's Claims can be reached by phone at 1-877-462-8992, email at AskCustomerService@gafg.com, and fax at 1-800-255-0835 for questions throughout the claims process.
Sources
Data sourced from Global Atlantic primary sources (16 pages reviewed). How we research.
Global Atlantic death claims support
Claims
Phone
Toll-free
Annuity servicing, contracts beginning with a number
Annuity servicing (contracts starting 2)
Annuity servicing (contracts starting A, B, C, D or E)
Commonwealth Annuity and Life Insurance Company accounts
Preneed customer service
Claims fax (financial professional contact page)
Preneed claims fax
Fax
Hours
Mailing address
Website
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