What to do when a Horace Mann account holder dies
Report the death to Horace Mann Claims at 1-800-999-1030
A death claim on a Horace Mann policy is filed through Horace Mann Claims (1-800-999-1030). Because insurance proceeds pass directly to named beneficiaries, this process is separate from probate. The required documentation and timeline vary by policy type.
Death claim process
The death claim process at Horace Mann works as follows:
Filing a claim
- The deceased person's first name, middle initial, last name, and "nickname or other names used"
- A separate "name of insured (if different than deceased)" field, for when the person who died is not the insured life
- Date of birth, date of death, the deceased person's address, and cause of death (natural, accidental or unknown)
- Policy numbers if known, in three fields: life policy, annuity or supplemental contract, and group policy or certificate
- Whether the deceased person also held Horace Mann auto policies and, separately, property policies (Yes, No or Unknown)
- Who is reporting: name, address, phone, email, and relationship to the deceased person, chosen from Horace Mann's list
- A yes/no consent to receive claim correspondence and other claim-related documents electronically
- Funeral home name, address, city, state, ZIP and phone, plus an "additional comments" box
- Annuity correspondence: Horace Mann Life Insurance Company, P.O. Box 4657, Springfield, IL 62708-4657
- Corporate headquarters: The Horace Mann Companies, 1 Horace Mann Plaza, Springfield, IL 62715
Required Documents
- Policy or contract numberThe Notice of Death Claim form has three fields: life policy number, annuity or supplemental contract number, and group policy or certificate number.
- The deceased person's full name and any other name usedAlso the name of the insured, if that is a different person from the deceased. Both are fields on the intake form.
- Death certificateHorace Mann's Claims FAQ says "you may need a copy of the death certificate and additional certified copies for other life insurance companies."
- Completed Horace Mann claim forms, sent by the assigned claim representative
- Government-issued ID for the beneficiary
- Certification of Trust and the trustee's ID, if a trust is the beneficiary
- Proof of guardianship or custodianship, if a beneficiary is a minorA minor cannot receive the benefit directly.
- Medical records or a physician's statement, if the policy is within its two-year contestability period
- Police or accident report, if the death was accidentalAlso relevant to an accidental death benefit rider.
- Funeral home name, address, city, state, ZIP and phoneA required block on the Notice of Death Claim intake form.
- The payout option elected at issue, for a PRP Single Premium Immediate AnnuityIt determines whether a death benefit exists at all.
Claims Contact
Website: Online portal →
Forms Horace Mann issues2
- Notice of Death Claim
Completed by the person reporting the death. Completed online.1
- Horace Mann claim paperwork, issued by the assigned claim representative
Completed by each beneficiary. Sent by the institution on request.1
What happens to each kind of account2
- Annuity
On MY Guaranteed Solution II the death benefit is the entire account value, with no withdrawal charges and no market value adjustment. On the PRP Single Premium Deferred Fixed Annuity it is the account value.1
On the PRP Variable Annuity the death benefit is the greater of the account value or the net premium paid, less adjustments for withdrawals and any loan balance. On a PRP Single Premium Immediate Annuity it depends on the payout option chosen; under the life-only option payments cease at death.1
On the PRP Fixed Indexed Annuity II the death benefit is the account value, but an amount taken from an indexed account to pay it forfeits that one-year index period's indexed interest.2
- Auto, home or renters policy
Auto and home policies have no death benefit but still have to be continued or cancelled by the estate. Contact Horace Mann to keep the estate's property insured while it is settled, or to cancel for a pro-rated refund.1
Accounts handled elsewhere4
- Horace Mann Retirement Advantage
Retirement Advantage accounts3
Phone: 1-800-677-2363
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM ET
- Horace Mann disability and waiver-of-premium claims
Waiver of premium and disability claims, which do not go through the death-claim intake1
Phone: 1-800-356-9601
- National Teachers Associates
Supplemental cancer, heart, hospital and accident policies1, 4
Phone: 1-888-671-6771
Mailing address: P.O. Box 650855, Dallas, TX 75265-0855
- Madison National Life
Group benefits4
Mailing address: P.O. Box 2865, Clinton, IA 52733
What Horace Mann's agreement and guidance say2
- How proceeds are paid
A life insurance death benefit is typically paid as a lump sum once the completed paperwork and certified death certificate are in.1
On an annuity claim, each beneficiary generally completes their own paperwork and elects their own payout, so one beneficiary cannot hold up or decide for the others.1
- Contestability of a recent policy
A policy still inside its two-year contestability period triggers a medical-records review, which can delay the claim.1
Not in Horace Mann's published guidance3
- A claim form
- How long a claim takes
- A mailing address for claim documents
Sources4
- 1.Notice of Death Claim
- 2.Annuity product brochures
- 3.Retirement Advantage forms
- 4.Mailing Addresses
Horace Mann Claims can be reached by phone at 1-800-999-1030 for questions throughout the claims process.
Sources
Data sourced from Horace Mann primary sources (15 pages reviewed). How we research.
Horace Mann death claims support
Horace Mann Claims
Phone
Toll-free
Life, Retirement, Annuity & Group service
Retirement Advantage accounts
Waiver of premium / disability claims (not death claims)
Supplemental claims (National Teachers Associates)
Hours
Mailing address
Website
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