What to do when a Western & Southern account holder dies
Report the death to Western & Southern's Claims Department at 1-800-926-1315
Filing a death claim on a Western & Southern policy begins with notifying the Claims Department at 1-800-926-1315. Life insurance claims are separate from probate—proceeds transfer directly to named beneficiaries regardless of whether the estate goes through court. The timeline and documentation requirements depend on the policy type and cause of death.
Death claim process
The death claim process at Western & Southern works as follows:
Filing a claim
- Online, give the insured's full name, date of birth and date of death, each beneficiary's name, date of birth, Social Security number and phone number, and the policy number
- Anyone can start a claim: a loved one, a beneficiary, a family friend or a funeral home
- When calling, the policy number is not necessary; active policies can be located with a name and date of birth or Social Security number
- An eligible claim may be processed as an Express Claim, with fewer required documents and payment as a single lump sum check
- A printable Death Benefit Claim - Life form (DO-1592-L-2502) is on the File a Claim page
- Email: claimform@westernsouthern.com
- Fax: 513-362-2358
- Mail: Western & Southern Life Insurance Company Claims Department, P.O. Box 1399, Cincinnati, OH 45273-9425
Required Documents
- Death Benefit Claim - Life form (DO-1592-L-2502), unless the claim is made online
- Death certificateA certified death certificate is required for claims over $50,000. A photocopy or electronic copy is accepted for other claims.
- Foreign Death Questionnaire, if the insured died in a foreign country
- Copy of current letters of conservatorship or guardianship of the estate of the minor, if a beneficiary is a minor
- Documentation of authority to sign, for a representative of a legal entity beneficiary (estate, trust, corporation, partnership or LLC)
- Letters of Administration from the probate court, if there is no surviving beneficiary and no formal estateA copy of the Last Will and Testament is not accepted.
Claims Contact
Website: Online portal →
Forms Western & Southern issues1
- Death Benefit Claim - Life (DO-1592-L-2502)
Available to download.1
What happens to each kind of account2
Accounts handled elsewhere3
- Columbus Life
Claims on Columbus Life policies4
Phone: 1-800-677-9595
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:45 PM ET
- Gerber Life
Claims on Gerber Life policies5
Phone: 1-800-628-0560
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-7:00 PM ET
Mailing address: Gerber Life Insurance Company Life Claims Processing Unit, 445 State Street, Fremont, MI 49412
- Lafayette Life
Claims on Lafayette Life policies, through its online claim form or the financial representative assigned to the policy6
Phone: 1-800-243-6631
What Western & Southern's agreement and guidance say1
- How proceeds are paid
Life insurance proceeds can be paid as a lump sum check, a lump sum to a W&S Life Account, Interest Income, Interest Accumulation, Installment Income, Life Income With a Period Certain, or Life Income No Refund. If no option is elected, payment is a lump sum check.3
The W&S Life Account takes $10,000 or more per beneficiary, is administered by The Northern Trust Company, and paid 0.10% interest at the time of printing. Installment Income runs for a fixed period of 5-30 years or a fixed amount, and Life Income With a Period Certain for 10, 15 or 20 years.3
Payment may go to a funeral home or other third party if a beneficiary has made an assignment. Assignments cannot be honored if the beneficiary is a trust or an estate.2
Once all required documentation is received, claims are typically reviewed within 5 business days.
Western & Southern's Claims Department can be reached by phone at 1-800-926-1315, email at claimform@westernsouthern.com, and fax at 1-513-362-2358 for questions throughout the claims process.
Sources
Data sourced from Western & Southern primary sources (37 pages reviewed). How we research.
Western & Southern death claims support
Claims Department (Western & Southern Life Insurance Company)
Phone
Columbus Life claims
Gerber Life life claims
Fax
Mailing address
Website
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