What to do when a Protective account holder dies
Contact Protective — 8-step process, 8 required documents, and claim packet sent within 2-5 business days of notification. benefit payment issued within 3-6 business days after claim approval. total processing generally about two to three weeks, though timelines vary by claim complexity and state regulations.
Phone1-800-866-9933
Mailing Address
Protective Life Insurance Company, P.O. Box 12687, Birmingham, AL 35202-6687
Variable Life Insurance
Annuity Services (Mon-Fri 7:30 AM-5 PM CT)
MONY/Equitable Customers
Immediate Benefit Account
WebsiteLearn more→
Phone1-800-866-9933
Mailing Address
Protective Life Insurance Company, P.O. Box 12687, Birmingham, AL 35202-6687
Variable Life Insurance
Annuity Services (Mon-Fri 7:30 AM-5 PM CT)
MONY/Equitable Customers
Immediate Benefit Account
WebsiteLearn more→
Life Insurance Claims
Phone1-800-424-1592
Fax205-268-6833
Mailing Address
Protective Life Insurance Company, Claims, P.O. Box 12486, Birmingham, AL 35202
Immediate Benefit Account
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified May 2026
When an insured person dies, the beneficiary or executor should contact Protective's Life Insurance Claims at 1-800-424-1592 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.
Protective 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
To file a claim after an account holder's death, here is what Protective requires:
Filing a claim
1
Gather required information and documents:
- Locate the Protective policy documents and note the policy or contract number
- Obtain certified copies of the death certificate from the local vital records office or funeral home (10-15 copies recommended)
2
Notify Protective of the death:
- Start a claim online at claims.protective.com (fastest method, especially with death certificate upload)
- Or call 1-800-424-1592 (Monday-Friday, 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM CT)
3
Provide the deceased's name, policy or Social Security number, birth date, death date, and cause of death
4
Protective verifies the beneficiaries on the policy and contacts them to initiate the claim process
5
A claim packet is sent to beneficiaries within 2-5 business days of notification
6
Complete and return the claim packet:
- Submit a certified copy of the death certificate
- If original policy cannot be located, note this in Section D of the claim form
- If death occurred outside the United States, provide official foreign death certificate, completed questionnaire, and local physician's death statement
7
Select payout method: lump sum (ACH or check), Immediate Benefit Account (for benefits over $25,000 in eligible states), or a split between both
8
Benefit payment issued within 3-6 business days after approval
Required Documents
- Certified copy of death certificate
- Beneficiary identification documents (government-issued ID)
- Completed claim packet (state-specific forms provided by Protective)
- Original policy or contract (if available; note in Section D of claim form if unavailable)
- Substitute W-9 form (if included in claim packet)
- Trust documents and trustee ID (if trust is the beneficiary)
- IRS Form 712 (if filing estate or gift tax returns; provides policy values as of death date)
- Foreign death certificate, questionnaire, and physician statement (if death occurred outside the US)
Claims Contact
Online filing at claims.protective.com is the fastest method; uploading a death certificate online expedites the process. Check claim status at claims.protective.com/#/claim-status. For claims under $500,000, completed claim paperwork can be emailed to claims@protective.com or faxed to 205-268-6833. For claims of $500,000 or more, mail paperwork to the claims P.O. Box. The claims process is the same regardless of whether the policy was originally issued by Protective, MONY, Athene, Equitable, Lincoln National, or Zurich. Claims within the two-year contestability period undergo routine investigation to verify underwriting information. For non-probated estates, call 1-800-424-1592 to discuss affidavit completion options. Claims appeals should reference the specific claim number and be submitted in writing. For Immediate Benefit Account inquiries after payout, contact 1-866-412-2071 or visit eaccountservices.com/Protective. Interest on proceeds is paid at the rate required by the contract or state law, whichever is greater.
How long the process takes at Protective: Claim packet sent within 2-5 business days of notification. Benefit payment issued within 3-6 business days after claim approval. Total processing generally about two to three weeks, though timelines vary by claim complexity and state regulations. 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 Protective includes Certified copy of death certificate, Beneficiary identification documents (government-issued ID), and Completed claim packet (state-specific forms provided by Protective), along with additional paperwork that varies by account type. All death certificates and court documents must be certified copies.
Frequently asked questions
An ILIT is a legal entity that owns a life insurance policy, removing the death benefit from the grantor's taxable estate. The trust has its own tax ID number and is managed by a trustee for designated beneficiaries. When setting up an ILIT, the grantor can transfer an existing policy to the trust or the trust can acquire a new policy. The insured must live at least three years after transferring an existing policy for the estate tax exclusion to apply (three-year lookback rule). Permanent policies (whole life, universal life, survivorship) are most commonly placed in ILITs. Protective does not establish ILITs; you must work with an estate planning attorney.
The fastest method is to file online at claims.protective.com, especially if you can upload a death certificate. You can also call 1-800-424-1592 (Monday-Friday, 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM CT). You will need the deceased's name, policy or Social Security number, birth date, death date, and cause of death. Protective verifies the beneficiaries on the policy and sends a claim packet within 2-5 business days. The process is the same whether the policy was originally issued by Protective, MONY, Athene, Equitable, Lincoln National, or Zurich.
Protective offers three primary payout options: a lump sum payment (the full death benefit via ACH transfer or check), an Immediate Benefit Account (an interest-bearing draft account with check-writing and digital payment access, available for benefits exceeding $25,000 in eligible states), or a split between a partial lump sum and an Immediate Benefit Account. Interest is paid at the rate required by the contract or state law, whichever is greater. For Immediate Benefit Account inquiries after payout, contact 1-866-412-2071 or visit eaccountservices.com/Protective.
Yes. Protective annuity contracts allow the owner to name primary and contingent beneficiaries who receive the remaining contract value or a death benefit upon the owner's death. A trust can be named as the beneficiary of a Protective annuity. To change the beneficiary on an annuity, use the Beneficiary Change Annuity Service Form (Form RET-2403), available at lad3.protective.com, and mail it to Protective Life Insurance Company, P.O. Box 1928, Birmingham, AL 35282-8238. A trust can also own an annuity contract outright, though tax treatment of trust-owned annuities differs from individually owned contracts; consult a tax advisor. For annuity service, call 1-800-456-6330 (Monday-Friday, 7:30 AM - 5:00 PM CT) or email annuityservice@protective.com.
Protective survivorship life insurance covers two people under a single policy and pays the death benefit only after both insureds have died. This product is commonly used by married couples to offset federal estate taxes that become due at the death of the surviving spouse, since no estate tax is owed on assets transferred to a surviving spouse under the unlimited marital deduction. After the second death, the death benefit passes to the named beneficiaries or, if placed in an ILIT, to the trust. Survivorship policies are frequently placed in an Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust (ILIT) to remove the death benefit from both estates. Protective offers survivorship coverage in whole life and universal life variants. Call 1-800-866-9933 or visit protective.com/life-insurance for details.
Protective's Life Insurance Claims can be reached by phone at 1-800-424-1592, email at claims@protective.com, and fax at 205-268-6833 for questions throughout the claims process.
When the deceased had multiple Protective policies, some may need separate claims while others can be handled together. The Life Insurance Claims can clarify what's needed for each account type.
Sources
Data sourced from Protective primary sources (24 pages reviewed). How we research.
Phone1-800-866-9933
Mailing Address
Protective Life Insurance Company, P.O. Box 12687, Birmingham, AL 35202-6687
Variable Life Insurance
Annuity Services (Mon-Fri 7:30 AM-5 PM CT)
MONY/Equitable Customers
Immediate Benefit Account
WebsiteLearn more→
Phone1-800-866-9933
Mailing Address
Protective Life Insurance Company, P.O. Box 12687, Birmingham, AL 35202-6687
Variable Life Insurance
Annuity Services (Mon-Fri 7:30 AM-5 PM CT)
MONY/Equitable Customers
Immediate Benefit Account
WebsiteLearn more→
Life Insurance Claims
Phone1-800-424-1592
Fax205-268-6833
Mailing Address
Protective Life Insurance Company, Claims, P.O. Box 12486, Birmingham, AL 35202
Immediate Benefit Account
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified May 2026
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your Protective accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
