What to do when a Unum account holder dies
Contact Unum — 4-step process, 7 required documents, and unum is committed to making a life-claim determination within 5 business days of receiving complete information. more than 80% of claims are paid within 5 business days. written notice and proof of claim must be sent within 90 days of the date of death; if not possible, up to 1 year is allowed.
Customer Service
Phone1-866-679-3054
Emailaskunum@unum.com
Fax1-800-447-2498
Mailing Address
Unum, P.O. Box 100158, Columbia, SC 29202
Term Life/AD&D and Whole Life Claims
Accident, Critical Illness, Hospital Claims
Leave and Disability Claims
Dental and Vision
WebsiteLearn more→
Customer Service
Phone1-866-679-3054
Emailaskunum@unum.com
Fax1-800-447-2498
Mailing Address
Unum, P.O. Box 100158, Columbia, SC 29202
Term Life/AD&D and Whole Life Claims
Accident, Critical Illness, Hospital Claims
Leave and Disability Claims
Dental and Vision
WebsiteLearn more→
Claims
Phone1-800-445-0402
Toll-Free1-800-445-0402
Fax1-800-447-2498
Mailing Address
Unum Life Insurance Company of America, P.O. Box 100158, Columbia, SC 29202
Verified Apr 2026
When an insured person dies, the beneficiary or executor should contact Unum's Claims at 1-800-445-0402 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.
Before contacting Unum, have the account holder's full name, date of birth, and any available account numbers ready. A certified death certificate is required to initiate the claim.
Death claim process
The death claim process at Unum works as follows:
Filing a claim
1
Gather documents and notify Unum
- Locate the Unum policy documents and note the policy number and coverage type
- Obtain certified copies of the death certificate from the local vital records office
- For group life insurance: notify the employer HR department, who will report the death to Unum and provide coverage information
- For individual or portable policies: the beneficiary calls 800-445-0402 or files online
2
File the death claim
- File the claim online through MyUnum for Members at services.unum.com (fastest method, takes less than 20 minutes)
- Or download the Group Life and/or Accidental Death Claim form (Form CL-1091) from forms.unum.com
- Complete the claim form with policy information, deceased details, and date of death
3
Submit supporting documentation
- Submit a certified copy of the death certificate with the claim
- If a trust is the beneficiary, provide trust documents and trustee identification
4
Receive and track payment
- Set up direct deposit for faster payment (up to one week quicker than paper checks)
- Track claim status online at unum.com/claims or through the MyUnum mobile app
Required Documents
- Completed Group Life and/or Accidental Death Claim form (Form CL-1091)
- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Government-issued ID for the beneficiary
- Policy number and deceased information
- Enrollment documents (if available)
- Trust documents and trustee ID (if trust is the beneficiary)
- Police report or accident documentation (if death was accidental, for AD&D claims)
Online filing through MyUnum for Members is the fastest method and takes less than 20 minutes. The system automatically saves progress if you cannot complete it in one session. Direct deposit enables faster payment, up to one week quicker than paper checks. For claims of $10,000 or more, Unum provides a Unum Security Account (retained asset account), an interest-bearing account fully guaranteed by Unum. Beneficiaries receive a personalized book of drafts and can write drafts for a minimum of $250 up to the full account balance at any time, with no limit on the number of drafts and no fees. The account is not FDIC insured but is protected by state Guaranty Associations. For claims under $10,000, payment is made as a lump sum. If the claim form is not received within 15 days of requesting it, written proof of claim may be submitted without the official form. Unum claims professionals have received bereavement training. For accident, critical illness, or hospital claims, call 800-635-5597 instead.
Processing timelines at Unum: Unum is committed to making a life-claim determination within 5 business days of receiving complete information. More than 80% of claims are paid within 5 business days. Written notice and proof of claim must be sent within 90 days of the date of death; if not possible, up to 1 year is allowed. Incomplete documentation is the most common cause of delays—submitting all required documents with the initial claim helps avoid additional processing time.
Unum requires several documents to process a claim, including Completed Group Life and/or Accidental Death Claim form (Form CL-1091), Certified copy of the death certificate, and Government-issued 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 taxable estate for federal estate tax purposes. Unum allows policy assignment of its individually owned Whole Life Insurance to another party (such as a trust) in writing, subject to Unum approval, with a signed or certified copy registered at Unum home office. Group term life and voluntary term life are employer-owned group policies and cannot be assigned to an ILIT; however, a trust can be named as beneficiary on those policies. Unum does not set up ILITs; you must work with an estate attorney to establish one. Policies transferred to an ILIT are subject to a three-year lookback rule for estate tax purposes.
For employer-sponsored group life insurance, the employer typically notifies Unum and provides coverage information. Beneficiaries can also file online through MyUnum for Members at services.unum.com (the fastest method, taking less than 20 minutes), download the Group Life and/or Accidental Death Claim form (Form CL-1091) from forms.unum.com, or call 800-445-0402. You will need the policy number, a certified copy of the death certificate, and a completed claim form. Written notice must be sent within 90 days of the date of death. You can track claim status online or through the MyUnum mobile app.
For claims under $10,000, Unum pays the full amount as a lump sum. For claims of $10,000 or more, Unum provides a Unum Security Account (retained asset account), an interest-bearing account fully guaranteed by Unum. Beneficiaries receive a personalized book of drafts and can write drafts for a minimum of $250 up to the full account balance at any time, with no limit on the number of drafts and no fees. The account is not FDIC insured but is protected by state Guaranty Associations. Interest earned may be taxable. Direct deposit enables faster payment, up to one week quicker than paper checks.
Unum's Claims can be reached by phone at 1-800-445-0402 and fax at 1-800-447-2498 for questions throughout the claims process.
When the deceased had multiple Unum policies, some may need separate claims while others can be handled together. The Claims can clarify what's needed for each account type.
Customer Service
Phone1-866-679-3054
Emailaskunum@unum.com
Fax1-800-447-2498
Mailing Address
Unum, P.O. Box 100158, Columbia, SC 29202
Term Life/AD&D and Whole Life Claims
Accident, Critical Illness, Hospital Claims
Leave and Disability Claims
Dental and Vision
WebsiteLearn more→
Customer Service
Phone1-866-679-3054
Emailaskunum@unum.com
Fax1-800-447-2498
Mailing Address
Unum, P.O. Box 100158, Columbia, SC 29202
Term Life/AD&D and Whole Life Claims
Accident, Critical Illness, Hospital Claims
Leave and Disability Claims
Dental and Vision
WebsiteLearn more→
Claims
Phone1-800-445-0402
Toll-Free1-800-445-0402
Fax1-800-447-2498
Mailing Address
Unum Life Insurance Company of America, P.O. Box 100158, Columbia, SC 29202
Verified Apr 2026
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