What to do when a Prudential account holder dies
Contact Prudential — 6-step process, 6 required documents, and review within 5 business days of receiving complete documentation. response within 10 business days if additional information is needed. payment issued upon claim approval. direct deposit via alliance account is the fastest payout method.
Phone1-800-778-2255
Mailing Address
Prudential Customer Service Office, P.O. Box 7390, Philadelphia, PA 19176-7390
WebsiteLearn more→
Phone1-800-778-2255
Mailing Address
Prudential Customer Service Office, P.O. Box 7390, Philadelphia, PA 19176-7390
WebsiteLearn more→
Beneficiary Services / Claims Center
Phone1-800-524-0542
Toll-Free1-855-277-8061
Fax(800) 307-0009
Mailing Address
The Prudential Insurance Company of America, PO Box 70182, Philadelphia, PA 19176
Claim Status Inquiries
Annuities Service Center
Group Life Claims (after contacting employer)
International
Verified Apr 2026
A death claim on a Prudential policy is filed through the Beneficiary Services / Claims Center (1-800-524-0542). Because insurance proceeds pass directly to named beneficiaries, this process is separate from probate. The required documentation and timeline vary by policy type.
Gather the account holder's full name, date of birth, and any known account or policy numbers before contacting Prudential. A certified death certificate is the primary document required to start any claim.
Death claim process
Follow these steps to file a death claim with Prudential:
Filing a claim
1
Locate the Prudential policy documents and note the policy number
2
Obtain certified copies of the death certificate from the local vital records office
3
File the claim through one of these channels:
- Online at prudential.com/claims (takes 5-7 minutes; fastest method)
- Call Prudential at 1-800-524-0542 or 1-855-277-8061 (Monday-Friday, 8am-8pm ET)
- For annuity death claims, call (888) PRU-2888 / 1-888-778-2888 (Annuities Service Center)
4
Provide the deceased's full name, date of birth, Social Security number, date of death, and policy number
5
Submit required documentation:
- Complete the applicable claim form (individual beneficiary kit or trust/entity beneficiary kit)
- Certified death certificate
- Government-issued ID for the beneficiary
- If a trust is the beneficiary, provide trust documents and trustee identification
6
Claim review and payment:
- Prudential reviews within 5 business days of receiving all documents
- If additional information is needed, Prudential responds within 10 business days
- Upon approval, choose your payment method: Alliance Account (retained asset account for benefits of $5,000+), lump-sum check, fixed-period installments, life income annuity, fixed-amount payments, or interest-income option
Required Documents
- Completed claim form (individual beneficiary kit or trust/entity beneficiary kit)
- Certified death certificate (original, not a photocopy)
- Government-issued photo ID for the beneficiary
- Policy number and deceased's personal information (name, date of birth, SSN)
- Trust documents and trustee ID (if a trust is the beneficiary)
- Additional documentation as outlined in the claim kit
Online filing at prudential.com/claims is the fastest method (5-7 minutes). For individual life insurance claims, call 1-800-524-0542 or the claims center at 1-855-277-8061 (Monday-Friday, 8am-8pm ET). For annuity death claims, call the Annuities Service Center at (888) PRU-2888. For group life insurance claims, contact the employer who sponsored the plan; group claims are mailed to Group Life Claim Division, PO Box 1215, Newark, NJ 07101-1215. Alliance Account is the standard settlement option for death benefits of $5,000 or more; it is an interest-bearing retained asset account with check-writing access. Alternative payout options include lump-sum check, fixed-period payments (1-25 years), life income annuity, fixed-amount installments, and interest-income option. From outside the US, call 215-784-2823.
Expected timelines at Prudential: Review within 5 business days of receiving complete documentation. Response within 10 business days if additional information is needed. Payment issued upon claim approval. Direct deposit via Alliance Account is the fastest payout method. Delays are almost always caused by incomplete paperwork—gathering all required documents before filing the initial claim helps avoid back-and-forth.
Documentation required by Prudential includes Completed claim form (individual beneficiary kit or trust/entity beneficiary kit), Certified death certificate (original, not a photocopy), and Government-issued photo 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
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 federal estate tax purposes. With Prudential, the ILIT must be the actual owner of the policy as shown on the insurance contract -- it is not sufficient to simply name the trust as beneficiary. Use the ownership change section of form COMB 98992 to transfer ownership. If an existing Prudential policy is transferred to an ILIT, a three-year lookback rule applies: if the insured dies within three years of the transfer, the proceeds are included in the taxable estate. Policies purchased by the ILIT from inception avoid this rule. Prudential does not establish ILITs; work with an estate attorney to create one.
The fastest method is to file online at prudential.com/claims, which takes approximately 5-7 minutes. You can also call Prudential at 1-800-524-0542 or the claims center at 1-855-277-8061 (Monday-Friday, 8am-8pm ET). You will need the deceased's full name, date of birth, Social Security number, date of death, and the policy number. Prudential will send a claim kit (individual or trust/entity version) with instructions and required forms. Submit the completed claim form along with a certified death certificate and government-issued photo ID for the beneficiary. For claim status inquiries, call 1-800-496-1035.
Prudential offers several payout options. The standard settlement for death benefits of $5,000 or more is the Alliance Account, an interest-bearing retained asset account with check-writing access where you can withdraw all or part of the proceeds at any time. Alternative options include a lump-sum check (mailed via USPS within 5 business days of approval), fixed-period payments (monthly, quarterly, semiannual, or annual payments over 1-25 years), life income annuity (monthly payments for the beneficiary's lifetime), fixed-amount installments (a stated amount paid at regular intervals), and interest income (proceeds remain with Prudential earning interest, with interest paid at chosen intervals).
PruLife SVUL Protector is a survivorship (second-to-die) variable universal life insurance policy that covers two insureds -- typically spouses -- and pays the death benefit only after both have died. Because married couples generally do not owe federal estate tax until the death of the surviving spouse (due to the unlimited marital deduction), survivorship life insurance is often used to fund estate tax liability at the second death. The policy is frequently owned by an Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust (ILIT) so the death benefit is not included in either spouse's taxable estate. Ownership can be transferred to an ILIT using the ownership change section of form COMB 98992. Consult an estate attorney before structuring an ILIT.
Prudential's Beneficiary Services / Claims Center can be reached by phone at 1-855-277-8061 and fax at (800) 307-0009 for questions throughout the claims process.
Multiple Prudential policies may mean multiple claims. Some account types can be processed together, but others require their own documentation. Check with the Beneficiary Services / Claims Center to confirm what applies.
Phone1-800-778-2255
Mailing Address
Prudential Customer Service Office, P.O. Box 7390, Philadelphia, PA 19176-7390
WebsiteLearn more→
Phone1-800-778-2255
Mailing Address
Prudential Customer Service Office, P.O. Box 7390, Philadelphia, PA 19176-7390
WebsiteLearn more→
Beneficiary Services / Claims Center
Phone1-800-524-0542
Toll-Free1-855-277-8061
Fax(800) 307-0009
Mailing Address
The Prudential Insurance Company of America, PO Box 70182, Philadelphia, PA 19176
Claim Status Inquiries
Annuities Service Center
Group Life Claims (after contacting employer)
International
Verified Apr 2026
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