What to do when a Banner Life account holder dies
Report the death to Banner Life Claims Department at 1-800-638-8428 ext. 6974
Banner Life has changed ownershipAcquired, effective February 2026
Legal & General Group, plc sold its US term life and pension risk transfer businesses to the Meiji Yasuda Group. The transaction closed February 2, 2026 after all regulatory approvals, valued at approximately $2.3 billion, and Banner Life and its subsidiaries are now owned by Meiji Yasuda North America Holdings Inc. On March 31, 2026 the companies rebranded as the "Banner Life family of companies", retiring the Legal & General America umbrella brand. Banner Life Insurance Company and William Penn Life Insurance Company of New York continue operating under those names with unchanged policies, forms, contacts and claims processes; lgamerica.com 301-redirects to bannerlife.com and forms.lgamerica.com still serves every policy-service form.
A death claim on a Banner Life policy is filed through Banner Life Claims Department (1-800-638-8428 ext. 6974). 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
Here is the step-by-step death claim process at Banner Life:
Filing a claim
- Name and address of the deceased, the policy number, and the date and cause of death
- Beneficiary name and address, and the name and address of the person the claim forms should be sent to
- The country where the death occurred, if outside the United States
- The preferred contact method; the online form asks for email, phone, fax or mail
- File online at the claim center
- Call Banner Life life-insurance claims at 800-638-8428, ext. 6974 (Mon-Fri 8:00 AM-5:00 PM ET), or email Banner-Claims@bannerlife.com
- Call William Penn (New York) claims at 800-346-4773, ext. 3379, or email Penn-Claims@wpenn.com
- For an annuity or pension-risk-transfer benefit rather than a life policy, call Retirement at 800-664-6129
- Your own contact details (About You) and the beneficiary's details (About the Beneficiary)
- The insured's details, including date of birth, Social Security number, date of death and cause of death
- Name and address of the deceased, policy number, date of death, and cause of death
- Beneficiary name and address, and where to send the claim forms
- The country of death, if outside the United States
- Call 800-638-8428, ext. 6974 (William Penn: 800-346-4773, ext. 3379)
- Email Banner-Claims@bannerlife.com (William Penn: Penn-Claims@wpenn.com)
- Or file at the claim center
- One Proof of Death Claimant's Statement per beneficiary, each with an original signature
- One original certified death certificate with final cause and manner of death (a photocopy is accepted only if proceeds are $50,000 or less)
- The original policy if available, or a note on the Statement that it cannot be located
- A copy of the trust document if the beneficiary is a trust
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration if the beneficiary is the insured's estate
- Guardianship or UTMA custodian documentation if the beneficiary is a minor; corporate authority documents if the beneficiary is a corporation
Required Documents
- Proof of Death Claimant's Statement, one per beneficiaryEach bears the claimant's original signature. The Claims Department issues it for each claim.
- Certified death certificate, for claims over $50,000One original certified copy with the final cause and manner of death covers every claimant and policy on the insured. It is not returned, and a cause shown as "Pending" is not accepted.
- Copy of the final death certificate, for claims of $50,000 or lessA photocopy is accepted.
- Original policy, if it can be foundIf it is not accessible, say so on the Claimant's Statement.
- Copy of the trust document, if a trust is the beneficiary
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration, if the insured's estate is the beneficiary
- UTMA custodian or court-appointed guardian documentation, if a minor is the beneficiary
- Corporate authority or assignment documentation, if a corporation or an assignee is the beneficiary
- Additional documentation, if the death resulted from violence or occurred outside the United States or Canada
Claims Contact
Website: Online portal →
Forms Banner Life issues2
- Proof of Death Claimant's Statement
Completed by each beneficiary. Sent by the institution on request.1
- Ownership Change Form (LP154)
Available to download.2
What happens to each kind of account1
- Life insurance policy
If the policy owner rather than the insured dies, there is no death claim. Ownership moves to the successor owner on the Ownership Change Form (LP154), which requires a copy of the death certificate and a Letter of Testamentary or a Letter of Appointment.2
Accounts handled elsewhere2
- William Penn Life Insurance Company of New York
Claims on New York policies (Claims Department ext. 3379)1, 3
Phone: 1-800-346-4773
Email: Penn-Claims@wpenn.com
Mailing address: 3275 Bennett Creek Avenue, Frederick, MD 21704
- Banner Life Retirement
Annuity and pension-risk-transfer benefits1
Phone: 1-800-664-6129
Help Banner Life offers survivors1
- A guide to healing
Banner Life's bereavement guide lists the dedicated claims mailboxes and carries a contact checklist for the wider estate.3
What Banner Life's agreement and guidance say2
- How proceeds are paid
The distribution check is mailed directly to the beneficiary. It goes to the agent or agency only on the beneficiary's written request.1
- Contestability of a recent policy
A death within two years of the policy issue date falls in the contestable period and triggers a records investigation with no prescribed time limit. Reinstatements and face-amount increases are separately contestable for two years from their own effective dates.1
Two-year contestability and suicide provisions apply, with a one-year suicide provision in Colorado, Missouri and North Dakota.1
Sources3
An approved claim is paid within one business day.
Banner Life Claims Department can be reached by phone at 1-800-638-8428 ext. 6974, email at Banner-Claims@bannerlife.com, and fax at 1-301-294-6960 for questions throughout the claims process.
Sources
Data sourced from Banner Life primary sources (25 pages reviewed). How we research.
Banner Life death claims support
Banner Life Claims Department
William Penn Claims (New York)
Retirement / annuity claims
Fax
Hours
Mailing address
Website
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