What to do when a Talcott Resolution account holder dies
Contact Talcott Resolution — 3-step process, 6 required documents, and varies by claim type and documentation completeness
Talcott Resolution
Subsidiary of Talcott Financial Group, Ltd. (partnered with Sixth Street; acquired 2021)
talcott.com→
Customer Service
Talcott Resolution, P.O. Box 14293, Lexington, KY 40512
Customer Service
Talcott Resolution, P.O. Box 14293, Lexington, KY 40512
Claims (routed by product -- no single claims line)
Legacy annuity (purchased before 2024): Talcott Resolution - Annuity Service Operations, P.O. Box 14293, Lexington, KY 40512. EverGuard/EverStead: Talcott Financial Group - Retail Service Operations, P.O. Box 14027, Lexington, KY 40512. Express/overnight for both: 6716 Grade Ln, Building 9, Suite 910, Louisville, KY 40213. Structured settlements and pensions: One American Row, Hartford, CT 06103
A death claim on a Talcott Resolution policy is filed through the Claims (routed by product -- no single claims line) (1-800-243-5433). Because insurance proceeds pass directly to named beneficiaries, this process is separate from probate. The required documentation and timeline vary by policy type.
Death claims at Talcott Resolution can be started through an online portal, which streamlines the initial notification and document upload. Phone and mail options are also available.
Death claim process
To file a claim after an account holder's death, here is what Talcott Resolution requires:
Filing a claim
- For life insurance claims: call 1-800-243-5433 (traditional) or 1-800-231-5453 (variable life)
- For annuity claims: call 1-800-862-6668
- Provide the policy/contract number, insured name, Social Security number, date of birth, and date of death
- Talcott Resolution will assign a claims representative and mail claim forms to the beneficiary
- Complete the claimant statement form with beneficiary information
- Gather required documentation including a certified death certificate
- Return the completed claimant statement form with all required documents
- For trust beneficiaries: include trust certification and trust documents
- Mail to the address provided on the claim forms
- Talcott Resolution reviews documentation and processes the claim
Required Documents
- Certified death certificate
- Completed claimant statement form
- Government-issued ID for claimant/beneficiary
- Policy/contract number
- Trust certification (if trust is beneficiary)
- Trust title page and signature page (if trust is beneficiary)
What to know at this institution
ROUTING IS THE HARD PART OF A TALCOTT CLAIM -- there is no single claims number, and the right one depends on the product and, for annuities, the purchase date. LIFE INSURANCE: 1-800-243-5433 (traditional) or 1-800-231-5453 (variable), Mon-Fri 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. ET. These policies are SERVICED BY PRUDENTIAL through https://www.policyowner-services.com/ even though they were issued by the Talcott entities (or by Union Security Insurance Company or John Alden Life Insurance Company), so expect Prudential branding on the claim paperwork -- that is not a sign you have the wrong company. ANNUITY PURCHASED BEFORE 2024 (Hartford legacy, Talcott Resolution, or Union Securities): 1-800-862-6668 inforce, 1-877-372-2935 if already annuitized; mail to Talcott Resolution - Annuity Service Operations, P.O. Box 14293, Lexington, KY 40512. EVERGUARD / EVERSTEAD (2026 products): Talcott Retail Service Center 1-855-342-5834 (1-855-DIAL-TFG), Mon-Fri 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET; DIFFERENT mailing address -- Talcott Financial Group - Retail Service Operations, P.O. Box 14027, Lexington, KY 40512. Express/overnight for both annuity groups: 6716 Grade Ln, Building 9, Suite 910, Louisville, KY 40213. Fax 860-380-3280. STRUCTURED SETTLEMENTS AND PENSIONS: 1-800-678-2282, One American Row, Hartford, CT 06103. PATHWAYS contracts: 1-844-863-4055. GUARDIAN contracts: use the Guardian links on https://talcott.com/contact/. GROUP BENEFITS: serviced by The Hartford. ABBEY LIFE (Canada): abbeylife@talcottresolution.com. Claim forms are behind the login-gated forms portal (forms.talcottresolution.com, which redirects to forms.cognisurance.com); no death claim form is published as a public PDF, so a beneficiary generally has to call the product line to have forms issued. A named beneficiary takes the death benefit outside probate; where no beneficiary survives, the contract's default provision typically pays the estate, which does require probate.
Prepare your letter of instruction to Talcott Resolution
Talcott Resolution asks for a letter of instruction alongside its claim form. We prepare a transmittal cover letter and the enclosure checklist Talcott Resolution requires.
Build your letter of instructionExpected timelines at Talcott Resolution: Varies by claim type and documentation completeness. 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 Talcott Resolution includes Certified death certificate, Completed claimant statement form, and Government-issued ID for claimant/beneficiary, along with additional paperwork that varies by account type. All death certificates and court documents must be certified copies.
Frequently asked questions
Because Talcott does not service its own life policies. Talcott's contact page states that life insurance is "Serviced by Prudential and issued by Talcott Resolution Life and Annuity Insurance Company, Talcott Resolution Life Insurance Company, Union Security Insurance Company, and John Alden Life Insurance Company." So a beneficiary filing a life claim works through Prudential's Policy Services site (policyowner-services.com) and the life lines, 1-800-243-5433 for traditional life or 1-800-231-5453 for variable life -- Prudential branding on the claim packet is expected and does not mean you have reached the wrong company. Group benefit and Group Retiree Health coverage is different again: it is issued by Talcott Resolution Life Insurance Company but serviced by The Hartford. Only the annuity blocks are serviced by Talcott itself.
There is no single Talcott claims line -- the number depends on the product, and for annuities also on when the contract was bought. Life insurance: 1-800-243-5433 (traditional) or 1-800-231-5453 (variable). Annuity purchased BEFORE 2024, which covers the Hartford legacy and Union Securities contracts: 1-800-862-6668, or 1-877-372-2935 if the contract was already annuitized. EverGuard or EverStead contract from 2026: the Talcott Retail Service Center at 1-855-342-5834, which is a separate operation with its own P.O. Box (14027 rather than 14293, both Lexington, KY 40512). Structured settlements and pensions: 1-800-678-2282. Pathways: 1-844-863-4055. Abbey Life: abbeylife@talcottresolution.com. Claim forms are not published as public PDFs -- the forms site is login-gated -- so a beneficiary normally has to call the correct line to have the forms issued.
No -- name the trust as beneficiary instead. Transferring ownership of a deferred annuity to a trust can cost the contract its tax deferral: IRC Section 72(u) treats an annuity held by a non-natural person as if it had been distributed, which can trigger tax on the gain in the year of transfer. Naming the trust as primary beneficiary gets the same estate-planning result -- the death benefit passes to the trust outside probate -- without that risk. Note the related Talcott rule that surprises people: when a non-natural entity such as a trust already OWNS an annuity, that same entity is required to be the beneficiary. Confirm the tax consequences with your own advisor, and call 1-800-862-6668 for legacy contracts or 1-855-342-5834 for EverGuard and EverStead.
Yes. Unlike the annuities, the life policies (variable universal life, universal life, whole life, and term life) can be assigned to an Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust, which is the standard way to keep the death benefit out of your taxable estate. Request the ownership transfer/assignment form through the life servicing line -- 1-800-243-5433 for traditional or 1-800-231-5453 for variable. You will need trust certification, the trust title and signature pages, trustee identification, and the trust EIN. The new owner signature must show trustee capacity, for example "Jane Doe, Trustee of the Doe Family Trust dated 04/12/2021." Group coverage cannot be assigned this way, because the certificate holder does not own the underlying contract.
Talcott Resolution's Claims (routed by product -- no single claims line) can be reached by phone at 1-800-243-5433, email at info@talcott.com, and fax at 860-380-3280 for questions throughout the claims process.
Multiple Talcott Resolution policies may mean multiple claims. Some account types can be processed together, but others require their own documentation. Check with the Claims (routed by product -- no single claims line) to confirm what applies.
Sources
- talcott.com
- annuities.cognisurance.com
- annuities.talcottresolution.com
- client.talcott.com
- forms.cognisurance.com
- forms.talcottresolution.com
- policyowner-services.com
Data sourced from Talcott Resolution primary sources (16 pages reviewed). How we research.
Talcott Resolution
Subsidiary of Talcott Financial Group, Ltd. (partnered with Sixth Street; acquired 2021)
talcott.com→Customer Service
Talcott Resolution, P.O. Box 14293, Lexington, KY 40512
Customer Service
Talcott Resolution, P.O. Box 14293, Lexington, KY 40512
Claims (routed by product -- no single claims line)
Legacy annuity (purchased before 2024): Talcott Resolution - Annuity Service Operations, P.O. Box 14293, Lexington, KY 40512. EverGuard/EverStead: Talcott Financial Group - Retail Service Operations, P.O. Box 14027, Lexington, KY 40512. Express/overnight for both: 6716 Grade Ln, Building 9, Suite 910, Louisville, KY 40213. Structured settlements and pensions: One American Row, Hartford, CT 06103
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your Talcott Resolution accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
Is this your situation?
Get a complete guide for your specific circumstances.
More tools for handling this estate
Calculators and checklists for executors and trustees.
How Much Does Probate Cost?
Estimate attorney fees, executor fees, court costs, and timeline for probating an estate in your state. See if the estate qualifies for simplified probate procedures.
How Much Can an Executor Charge?
Calculate how much an executor (personal representative) can charge for administering an estate. See if your state has statutory fees or uses reasonable compensation.
Who Inherits Without a Will?
Find out who inherits your estate and how much they get if you die without a will. Based on your state's intestate succession laws.
What's Fair Trustee Compensation?
Find out what's fair compensation for serving as trustee. Compare family, professional, and corporate trustee rates based on your situation.
How Much Are Estate & Inheritance Taxes?
Calculate federal estate tax, state estate tax (12 states + DC), and inheritance tax (5 states) for an estate or trust.
How Many Death Certificates Do I Need?
Calculate how many certified death certificates you need based on the assets and accounts you need to close. See state-specific ordering information.
