Estate planning at New York Life
How to protect 19 New York Life accounts — manage beneficiaries online, fund a trust in-branch, and file death claims
New York Life Customer Service Center (Cleveland Service Center)
New York Life Insurance Company, Cleveland Service Center, P.O. Box 6916, Cleveland, OH 44101
New York Life Customer Service Center (Cleveland Service Center)
New York Life Insurance Company, Cleveland Service Center, P.O. Box 6916, Cleveland, OH 44101
New York Life Claims & Benefits (individual life insurance)
New York Life, Claims & Benefits, PO Box 130539, Dallas, TX 75313-0539 (overnight: New York Life, Claims & Benefits, 5005 Lyndon B Johnson Fwy, Suite 1800, Dallas, TX 75244-6199)
New York Life offers 19 insurance products that play a central role in estate planning. Because policy proceeds pass directly to named beneficiaries—bypassing probate entirely—keeping designations current is one of the highest-impact steps policyholders can take.
New York Life lets account holders update beneficiary designations online, in branch, by mail, and by phone, typically taking 10-15 minutes online; longer by mail because every owner must sign. Trust funding is also available, allowing families to name a trust as the policy beneficiary or establish an irrevocable life insurance trust (ILIT).
There are two sides to estate planning at New York Life: setting things up while you're alive, and the process survivors follow after a death.
Preparing your estate
Beneficiaries and trust funding
How to manage beneficiaries online, fund a trust in-branch, and review 19 account types at New York Life.
View details →When someone dies
Death claim process
8-step process, 11 required documents, and contact information for survivors.
View details →
Sources
Data sourced from New York Life primary sources (23 pages reviewed). How we research.
New York Life Customer Service Center (Cleveland Service Center)
New York Life Insurance Company, Cleveland Service Center, P.O. Box 6916, Cleveland, OH 44101
New York Life Customer Service Center (Cleveland Service Center)
New York Life Insurance Company, Cleveland Service Center, P.O. Box 6916, Cleveland, OH 44101
New York Life Claims & Benefits (individual life insurance)
New York Life, Claims & Benefits, PO Box 130539, Dallas, TX 75313-0539 (overnight: New York Life, Claims & Benefits, 5005 Lyndon B Johnson Fwy, Suite 1800, Dallas, TX 75244-6199)
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your New York Life accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
