What to do when a Pacific Life account holder dies
Contact Pacific Life — 6-step process, 8 required documents, and processing time varies by claim complexity. pacific life processes claims as promptly as possible upon receipt of all required documentation.
Life Insurance Customer Service
Phone1-800-347-7787
Mailing Address
Pacific Life Insurance Company, P.O. Box 2030, Omaha, NE 68103-2030
Annuity Contract Owners
Annuity (New York)
General Inquiries / Corporate
Pension Plans Retirement Annuities
WebsiteLearn more→
Life Insurance Customer Service
Phone1-800-347-7787
Mailing Address
Pacific Life Insurance Company, P.O. Box 2030, Omaha, NE 68103-2030
Annuity Contract Owners
Annuity (New York)
General Inquiries / Corporate
Pension Plans Retirement Annuities
WebsiteLearn more→
Life Insurance Claims
Phone1-800-347-7787
Fax1-866-398-0467
Mailing Address
Pacific Life Insurance Company, Life Insurance Division, P.O. Box 2030, Omaha, NE 68103-2030
Workforce Benefits Claims
Lynchburg Operations
Verified Apr 2026
A death claim on a Pacific Life policy is filed through the Life Insurance Claims (1-800-347-7787). Because insurance proceeds pass directly to named beneficiaries, this process is separate from probate. The required documentation and timeline vary by policy type.
The claim process begins with a phone call to 1-800-347-7787. Have the account holder's full name, account numbers, and a certified death certificate available when making initial contact.
Death claim process
To file a claim after an account holder's death, here is what Pacific Life requires:
Filing a claim
1
Report the death to the appropriate department:
- Contact your financial professional or call Pacific Life at (800) 347-7787 to report the death
- For workforce benefits claims: Call (855) 810-3301, Monday-Friday 5:00am-5:00pm PT, or file online at https://www.benefits.pacificlife.com
- For Lynchburg Operations policies (prefix "2L"): Call (844) 276-0193
2
Obtain and complete the claims package:
- Pacific Life will provide the Life Claims Beneficiary Claim Statements Package
- The claims package can also be downloaded from pacificlife.com
- Complete all beneficiary claim statement forms in the package
3
Gather required documentation:
- Obtain a certified death certificate from the local vital records office
- Beneficiary provides government-issued ID
- If the beneficiary is a trust: provide trust documents and trustee identification
- If the beneficiary is an estate: provide court documents naming the executor or administrator
- If the beneficiary is a minor: provide UTMA affidavit or guardianship documentation
4
Submit completed forms and documentation by mail to the Life Insurance Division
5
Choose a distribution option from the available payout methods
6
Pacific Life reviews and processes the claim
Required Documents
- Completed Life Claims Beneficiary Claim Statements Package
- Certified death certificate
- Government-issued ID for the beneficiary
- Policy number and deceased's information
- Trust documents and trustee ID (if trust is the beneficiary)
- Court documents naming executor or administrator (if estate is the beneficiary)
- UTMA affidavit or guardianship documentation (if beneficiary is a minor)
- Entity documentation (if entity is the beneficiary)
Pacific Life has two main claim phone lines: (800) 347-7787 for individual life insurance and (855) 810-3301 for workforce benefits (group life). For Lynchburg Operations policies (prefix "2L"), call (844) 276-0193 and mail to P.O. Box 2873, Omaha, NE 68103-2873. Overnight mail for all claims: 6750 Mercy Rd, 5th Floor, Omaha, NE 68106. The online claims portal at benefits.pacificlife.com uses an event-based approach to automatically generate all applicable claims from one submission, reducing duplicate form requirements across dental, vision, disability, life, and accident coverage.
How long the process takes at Pacific Life: Processing time varies by claim complexity. Pacific Life processes claims as promptly as possible upon receipt of all required documentation. The most common reason for delays is missing or incomplete documentation, so submitting everything upfront is the best way to keep things moving.
Documentation required by Pacific Life includes Completed Life Claims Beneficiary Claim Statements Package, Certified death certificate, and Government-issued ID for the beneficiary, along with additional paperwork that varies by account type. All death certificates and court documents must be certified copies.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. An ILIT can own Pacific Life individual life insurance policies, including VUL, IUL, UL, and term products. Survivorship products (Pacific Legacy Survivorship VUL, Pacific Horizon Survivorship IUL, Pacific Indexed Estate Preserver 3) are specifically designed for estate planning in an ILIT. Ownership can be established at policy inception or transferred later, subject to a three-year lookback rule under IRC Section 2035. Contact Pacific Life at (800) 347-7787 for ownership transfer forms. Pacific Life does not establish trusts; work with an estate attorney.
If no beneficiaries have been designated or clearly identified on a Pacific Life annuity contract, the death benefit proceeds may be paid to the contract owner's estate. This can result in probate and potential delays in distribution. Review and update beneficiary designations regularly, especially after major life events.
For life insurance: P.O. Box 2030, Omaha, NE 68103-2030. For non-New York annuity forms: P.O. Box 2378, Omaha, NE 68103-2378. For New York annuity forms: Pacific Life & Annuity Company, P.O. Box 2829, Omaha, NE 68103-2829. For Lynchburg Operations: P.O. Box 2873, Omaha, NE 68103-2873. For workforce benefits: P.O. Box 2310, Omaha, NE 68103. For pension plans: P.O. Box 25189, Lehigh Valley, PA 18002-5189. Overnight mail for all products: 6750 Mercy Rd, 5th Floor, Omaha, NE 68106. Annuity fax: (888) 837-8172 (general) or (800) 586-0096 (New York).
Pacific Life offers several life insurance products suitable for estate planning. Variable universal life (Pacific Select VUL 2, Pacific Select Harbor VUL, Pacific Protector VUL, Pacific Protector Plus VUL, Pacific Admiral VUL) and indexed universal life (Pacific Horizon IUL 2, Pacific Horizon ECV IUL, Pacific Trident IUL) provide permanent death benefit protection with cash value growth. Survivorship products (Pacific Legacy Survivorship VUL, Pacific Horizon Survivorship IUL, Pacific Indexed Estate Preserver 3) cover two lives and pay upon the second death, commonly used in ILITs for estate tax liquidity. Pacific Venture UL 2 and PL Promise GUL provide universal life options. Pacific Elite Term offers affordable term coverage convertible to permanent insurance.
Pacific Life's Life Insurance Claims can be reached by phone at 1-800-347-7787 and fax at 1-866-398-0467 for questions throughout the claims process.
Multiple Pacific Life policies may mean multiple claims. Some account types can be processed together, but others require their own documentation. Check with the Life Insurance Claims to confirm what applies.
Life Insurance Customer Service
Phone1-800-347-7787
Mailing Address
Pacific Life Insurance Company, P.O. Box 2030, Omaha, NE 68103-2030
Annuity Contract Owners
Annuity (New York)
General Inquiries / Corporate
Pension Plans Retirement Annuities
WebsiteLearn more→
Life Insurance Customer Service
Phone1-800-347-7787
Mailing Address
Pacific Life Insurance Company, P.O. Box 2030, Omaha, NE 68103-2030
Annuity Contract Owners
Annuity (New York)
General Inquiries / Corporate
Pension Plans Retirement Annuities
WebsiteLearn more→
Life Insurance Claims
Phone1-800-347-7787
Fax1-866-398-0467
Mailing Address
Pacific Life Insurance Company, Life Insurance Division, P.O. Box 2030, Omaha, NE 68103-2030
Workforce Benefits Claims
Lynchburg Operations
Verified Apr 2026
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