What to do when a New York Life account holder dies
Contact New York Life — 8-step process, 6 required documents, and typically 7-10 business days after receiving all required documents. proceeds are credited with interest from the date of death if payment is delayed beyond 31 days.
Phone1-800-225-5695
Mailing Address
New York Life, P.O. Box 6916, Cleveland, OH 44101
WebsiteLearn more→
Phone1-800-225-5695
Mailing Address
New York Life, P.O. Box 6916, Cleveland, OH 44101
WebsiteLearn more→
Claims & Benefits
Phone1-800-225-5695
Fax1-800-278-4117
Mailing Address
New York Life, Claims & Benefits, PO Box 130539, Dallas, TX 75313-0539
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Apr 2026
When an insured person dies, the beneficiary or executor should contact New York Life's Claims & Benefits at 1-800-225-5695 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.
New York Life 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 New York Life works as follows:
Filing a claim
1
Gather required documentation:
- Locate the New York Life policy documents and note the policy number if available
- Obtain certified copies of the death certificate from the local vital records office
2
Report the death to New York Life:
- For life insurance: report online at newyorklife.com/claims/start-a-claim by providing the deceased's name, identifying details (SSN, date of birth, or policy number), date and cause of death
- Or call 1-800-225-5695 and say "Claims" to be connected to the Claims Department (Monday-Friday, 8am-7pm ET)
- For NYLIAC annuities: use the online Beneficiary Portal at newyorklifeannuities.com/selfservice/beneclaim or call 800-762-6212 (Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5:30pm ET)
3
Complete the appropriate claim form:
- For life insurance claims: download and complete the Life Insurance Beneficiary Claim Form from newyorklife.com/claims
- For NYLIAC annuity claims: download the Death Benefit Claim Kit from nylannuities.com
4
Submit the life insurance claim:
- Mail completed form with a certified death certificate to: New York Life, Claims & Benefits, PO Box 130539, Dallas, TX 75313-0539
- Or overnight mail to: New York Life, Claims & Benefits, 5005 Lyndon B Johnson Fwy, Suite 1800, Dallas, TX 75244-6199
5
Submit the NYLIAC annuity claim:
- Mail to: NYL Annuities - TPD, Mail Code 7390, PO Box 7247, Philadelphia, PA 19170-7390
- Or overnight mail to: NYL Annuities - TPD, 400 White Clay Center Drive, Attn: LOCKBOX #7390, Newark, DE 19711
- Or fax to: 1-866-695-8757
6
If additional documents are needed, New York Life will contact the beneficiary directly
7
Beneficiaries who have received a letter from New York Life with a claim number can register for online access to track their claim at mynyl.newyorklife.com
8
Select your payout option:
- Lump sum check
- Installment payments
- Retained asset account
- Annuity settlement
- Set up direct deposit for faster payment processing
Required Documents
- Completed Life Insurance Beneficiary Claim Form or NYLIAC Death Benefit Claim Kit (product-specific)
- Certified death certificate (original or certified copy)
- Government-issued photo ID for the beneficiary
- Policy number and deceased's identifying information (name, SSN, or date of birth)
- Trust documents and trustee identification (if a trust is the beneficiary)
- Additional documentation as requested by New York Life (e.g., physician's statement for contestability period claims)
Life insurance claims: mail to New York Life, Claims & Benefits, PO Box 130539, Dallas, TX 75313-0539; overnight to 5005 Lyndon B Johnson Fwy, Suite 1800, Dallas, TX 75244-6199. NYLIAC annuity claims: mail to NYL Annuities - TPD, Mail Code 7390, PO Box 7247, Philadelphia, PA 19170-7390; overnight to 400 White Clay Center Drive, Attn: LOCKBOX #7390, Newark, DE 19711; fax 1-866-695-8757. NYLIAC annuity claims phone: 800-762-6212 (Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5:30pm ET). Beneficiaries can register at mynyl.newyorklife.com to securely access and track their life insurance claim online. NYLIAC annuity beneficiaries can use the online portal at newyorklifeannuities.com/selfservice/beneclaim. New York Life provides grief support through the Empathy app (free, third-party service) and assigned Care Managers for emotional and practical support. Group Benefits claims use a separate process and email: GBSClaimSolutions@newyorklife.com. For annuity claims requesting a Settlement Account, payments must begin within one year of the date of death.
Processing timelines at New York Life: Typically 7-10 business days after receiving all required documents. Proceeds are credited with interest from the date of death if payment is delayed beyond 31 days. Incomplete documentation is the most common cause of delays—submitting all required documents with the initial claim helps avoid additional processing time.
New York Life requires several documents to process a claim, including Completed Life Insurance Beneficiary Claim Form or NYLIAC Death Benefit Claim Kit (product-specific), Certified death certificate (original or certified copy), and Government-issued photo 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 new policies, the ILIT should be established first, with the trustee applying for the policy so the trust is the original owner. Existing policies can be transferred to an ILIT using the Transfer of Ownership form (Form 21132) and Statement of Trust form (Form 20885), but a three-year lookback rule applies: if the grantor dies within three years of the transfer, the death benefit is included in the taxable estate. Premium payments to the ILIT may qualify for the annual gift tax exclusion via Crummey notices. New York Life does not establish ILITs; work with an estate attorney to create one.
You can report a death online at newyorklife.com/claims/start-a-claim or call 1-800-225-5695 and say "Claims." You will need the deceased's name, an identifying detail (Social Security number, date of birth, or policy number), the date and cause of death, and a certified death certificate. For life insurance claims, download and complete the Life Insurance Beneficiary Claim Form. For annuity claims, use the Annuity Policy Beneficiary Claim Form. Mail completed forms to New York Life, Claims & Benefits, PO Box 130539, Dallas, TX 75313-0539, or send overnight to 5005 Lyndon B Johnson Fwy, Suite 1800, Dallas, TX 75244-6199.
New York Life offers several settlement options: a lump-sum payment (the full death benefit in one check), installment payments over a set period, a retained asset account (an interest-bearing account with check-writing access), or an annuity settlement (regular income payments). The specific options available depend on the terms of the original policy. If no selection is made, proceeds are distributed as a lump-sum check. Proceeds are credited with interest from the date of death if payment is delayed beyond 31 days.
New York Life's Claims & Benefits can be reached by phone at 1-800-225-5695, email at GBSClaimSolutions@newyorklife.com, and fax at 1-800-278-4117 for questions throughout the claims process.
When the deceased had multiple New York Life policies, some may need separate claims while others can be handled together. The Claims & Benefits can clarify what's needed for each account type.
Phone1-800-225-5695
Mailing Address
New York Life, P.O. Box 6916, Cleveland, OH 44101
WebsiteLearn more→
Phone1-800-225-5695
Mailing Address
New York Life, P.O. Box 6916, Cleveland, OH 44101
WebsiteLearn more→
Claims & Benefits
Phone1-800-225-5695
Fax1-800-278-4117
Mailing Address
New York Life, Claims & Benefits, PO Box 130539, Dallas, TX 75313-0539
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Apr 2026
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