What to do when a Lincoln Financial account holder dies
Contact Lincoln Financial's Life Insurance Customer Service — 7-step process, 6 required documents, and 30-60 days from filing to payout, depending on documentation completeness and claim review. payout typically within 30 days of claim approval as required by state law. claims within the two-year contestability period may require additional review.
Life Insurance Customer Service
Phone1-800-487-1485
Toll-Free1-800-487-1485
Fax1-800-819-1987
Mailing Address
Lincoln Financial Group, PO Box 21008, Greensboro, NC 27420-1008
Annuity Customer Service
Life Insurance Customer Service
Phone1-800-487-1485
Fax1-800-819-1987
Mailing Address
Lincoln Financial Group, PO Box 21008, Greensboro, NC 27420-1008. Individual life insurance death claims: Claim Dept. - 5310, P.O. Box 21008, Greensboro, NC 27420-1008
Annuity Customer Service
WebsiteLearn more→
Individual Life Insurance Claims (Claim Dept. - 5310)
Phone1-800-487-1485
Fax336-814-0021
Mailing Address
Claim Dept. - 5310, P.O. Box 21008, Greensboro, NC 27420-1008 (Overnight: Lincoln Financial Group, Claim Dept. - 5310, 100 N. Greene St., Greensboro, NC 27401)
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified May 2026
When an insured person dies, the beneficiary or executor should contact Lincoln Financial's Life Insurance Customer Service at 1-800-487-1485 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.
Lincoln Financial 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
The death claim process at Lincoln Financial works as follows:
Filing a claim
1
Locate the Lincoln Financial policy documents and note the policy or contract number
2
Obtain multiple certified copies of the death certificate from the local vital records office
3
Submit a death notification through one of these channels:
- Online through Lincoln Financial's claims portal at lincolnfinancial.com
- Call 800-487-1485 and select option 4 for life insurance and long-term care claims
4
Lincoln Financial will send the i-Claim package within five business days of death notification
5
Complete and submit all required documentation:
- Claimant's Statement and all required claim forms
- Certified death certificate (must be translated into English if in a foreign language)
- Legal documentation if the beneficiary's name has changed (marriage certificate, divorce decree, court order)
- Additional documentation if the policy is within the two-year contestability period
6
Select a settlement option:
- SecureLine account (interest-bearing with checkbook access)
- Lump sum payment
- Period certain annuity (fixed payments over a set number of years)
- Life income annuity (payments for the beneficiary's lifetime)
7
Set up Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) for faster payment
Required Documents
- Completed Claimant's Statement and claim forms (sent in i-Claim package)
- Certified death certificate (translated into English if applicable)
- Government-issued ID for the beneficiary
- Policy or contract number and deceased's information
- Legal documents for name changes (marriage certificate, divorce decree, court order)
- Trust documents and trustee ID with Certification of Trustee Powers (if trust is the beneficiary)
Claims Contact
Online death notification through the claims portal is the fastest way to initiate a claim. Lincoln Financial uses the i-Claim process, sending a claim package within five business days of notification. Individual life insurance death claims contact: phone 800-487-1485, email LifeClaimsCare2@LFG.com, fax 336-814-0021, mail Claim Dept. - 5310, P.O. Box 21008, Greensboro, NC 27420-1008. Settlement options include the SecureLine interest-bearing account (with checkbook access, minimum $250 per check, interest compounded daily), a lump sum payment, a period certain annuity (fixed payments over a set number of years, available for death benefits of $10,000 or more), and a life income annuity (payments for the beneficiary's lifetime, available for death benefits of $25,000 or more). Interest on settlement options is the greater of the rate stated in the policy or Lincoln's declared rate. Payment frequency options include monthly, quarterly, semiannual, or annual, via check or Electronic Funds Transfer. For annuity death claims, call 800-487-1485 option 4 or email IndividualClaims@lfg.com. Annuity death claims mailing address: Lincoln Financial Group, P.O. Box 7880, Fort Wayne, IN 46801-7880. When a trust is the annuity beneficiary, the Claimant's Statement and Certification of Trustee Powers form (AN07086) must be completed by the trustee(s); only a lump sum, 5-year deferral, or continuation of i4LIFE on a nonqualified contract are available to trust beneficiaries.
How long the process takes at Lincoln Financial: 30-60 days from filing to payout, depending on documentation completeness and claim review. Payout typically within 30 days of claim approval as required by state law. Claims within the two-year contestability period may require additional review. The most common reason for delays is missing or incomplete documentation, so submitting everything upfront is the best way to keep things moving.
Lincoln Financial requires several documents to process a claim, including Completed Claimant's Statement and claim forms (sent in i-Claim package), Certified death certificate (translated into English if applicable), and Government-issued ID for the beneficiary, 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
An ILIT is a legal arrangement where a trust owns a life insurance policy, removing the death benefit from the grantor's taxable estate for estate tax purposes. You can transfer ownership of a Lincoln Financial life insurance policy to an ILIT using the Ownership Change for Life Policy form (CS06891) along with the Certification of Trustee Powers form (CL11702), which must be signed by all trustees. Note that transferring an existing policy to an ILIT triggers a three-year lookback rule for estate tax purposes. Lincoln Financial does not establish ILITs; consult an estate attorney to create one.
Submit a death notification online through Lincoln Financial's claims portal at lincolnfinancial.com, or call 800-487-1485 and select option 4 for life insurance and long-term care claims. Lincoln Financial will send an i-Claim package within five business days. Complete the Claimant's Statement and all claim forms, and submit them with a certified death certificate. You can also contact your Lincoln Financial advisor to initiate the process. For annuity death claims, call 800-454-6265 (option 3) or email IndividualClaims@lfg.com and mail documentation to Lincoln Financial Group, P.O. Box 7880, Fort Wayne, IN 46801-7880.
Lincoln Financial offers several settlement options: a SecureLine account (an interest-bearing account with personalized checkbook access, minimum $250 per check, interest compounded daily), a lump sum payment, a period certain annuity (fixed payments over a set number of years, available for benefits of $10,000 or more), and a life income annuity (payments for the beneficiary's lifetime, available for benefits of $25,000 or more). Payment frequency can be monthly, quarterly, semiannual, or annual, via check or Electronic Funds Transfer.
Lincoln Financial offers two MoneyGuard products: MoneyGuard Fixed Advantage (universal life with a long-term care rider providing guaranteed benefits) and MoneyGuard Market Advantage (variable universal life with a long-term care rider offering investment growth potential). Both provide a death benefit and coverage for qualified long-term care expenses. If long-term care is never needed, the full death benefit passes to your named beneficiaries. A trust can be named as the beneficiary, and either policy can be transferred to an ILIT for estate tax planning purposes using the Ownership Change form (CS06891).
Lincoln Financial's Individual Life Insurance Claims (Claim Dept. - 5310) can be reached by phone at 1-800-487-1485, email at LifeClaimsCare2@LFG.com, and fax at 336-814-0021 for questions throughout the claims process.
When the deceased had multiple Lincoln Financial policies, some may need separate claims while others can be handled together. The Life Insurance Customer Service can clarify what's needed for each account type.
Life Insurance Customer Service
Phone1-800-487-1485
Toll-Free1-800-487-1485
Fax1-800-819-1987
Mailing Address
Lincoln Financial Group, PO Box 21008, Greensboro, NC 27420-1008
Annuity Customer Service
Life Insurance Customer Service
Phone1-800-487-1485
Fax1-800-819-1987
Mailing Address
Lincoln Financial Group, PO Box 21008, Greensboro, NC 27420-1008. Individual life insurance death claims: Claim Dept. - 5310, P.O. Box 21008, Greensboro, NC 27420-1008
Annuity Customer Service
WebsiteLearn more→
Individual Life Insurance Claims (Claim Dept. - 5310)
Phone1-800-487-1485
Fax336-814-0021
Mailing Address
Claim Dept. - 5310, P.O. Box 21008, Greensboro, NC 27420-1008 (Overnight: Lincoln Financial Group, Claim Dept. - 5310, 100 N. Greene St., Greensboro, NC 27401)
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified May 2026
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your Lincoln Financial accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
