How to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at Unum
Covers 10 insurance accounts — beneficiaries can be managed online
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
Estate planning with Unum policies centers on beneficiary designations—the single most important step for ensuring life insurance proceeds and annuity benefits reach the intended recipients without probate involvement. Unlike bank or brokerage accounts, insurance products are not retitled into trusts; instead, trusts are named as beneficiaries when estate tax planning or controlled distributions are needed.
Unum has 10 product types, and the estate transfer rules differ across them. Some support beneficiary designations, some can be retitled into a trust, and others will require probate if nothing is set up. Each is covered below.
Group Term Life InsuranceVoluntary Term Life InsuranceWhole Life InsuranceAccidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D)Accident InsuranceCritical Illness InsuranceHospital Indemnity InsuranceDisability Income InsuranceDental InsuranceVision Insurance
1
Access the MyUnum portal
- Log in to your MyUnum for Members portal at services.unum.com
- Navigate to your life insurance or AD&D policy
- Select the option to update beneficiary designations
2
Enter beneficiary details
- Add primary beneficiaries with full legal names, dates of birth, relationships, and percentage allocations totaling 100%
- Optionally add contingent beneficiaries with their own percentage allocations totaling 100%
- For trusts: enter the trust name, date established, and trustee information
3
Confirm and submit
- Review and confirm your beneficiary designations
Required Documents
- Trust name, date established, and tax ID (EIN or SSN)
Special Requirements
- Trusts can be named as beneficiaries on life insurance and AD&D policies
- Primary and contingent beneficiaries can be designated
- If multiple beneficiaries are named without specified shares, they share equally
- If no beneficiary is designated or all named beneficiaries predecease the insured, proceeds pass to the estate or surviving family members in order: spouse, children, parents, siblings
- Beneficiary designations override instructions in a will
- For group policies, changes are filed through a form approved by Unum with the employer
- Electronic signature submission available through Unum eSign portal
- For portability coverage, use the Portability Beneficiary Designation Form (AE-1243)
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
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your Unum accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
