How to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at Zurich
Covers 7 insurance accounts — beneficiaries can be updated by phone
Zurich American Life Insurance Company Customer Service
Phone1-888-634-6780
Mailing Address
7045 College Boulevard, 8th Floor, Overland Park, KS 66211
Variable Annuity & Variable Life Contracts
Fixed Annuity Contracts
Scudder Destinations Variable Annuity
Life Insurance (Alternate)
Zurich Life Insurance Solutions
WebsiteLearn more→
Policy Owner Services
Phone1-888-634-6780
Mailing Address
Zurich American Life Insurance Company, 7045 College Boulevard, 8th Floor, Overland Park, KS 66211
WebsiteLearn more→
Claims Department
Phone1-888-634-6780
Fax1-888-796-7547
Mailing Address
Zurich American Life Insurance Company, 7045 College Boulevard, 8th Floor, Overland Park, KS 66211
Variable Annuity & Variable Life Claims
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Jul 2026
For Zurich policyholders, estate planning comes down to one critical step: making sure the right beneficiaries are named on every policy. Insurance proceeds bypass probate entirely and go directly to whoever is listed—regardless of what a will says. When estate tax planning or controlled distributions are a factor, a trust can be named as beneficiary instead.
Zurich offers 7 policies, each with its own transfer rules. The sections below cover how to set up beneficiaries, fund a trust, and which products support each approach.
Zurich Term Life InsuranceZurich Whole Life InsuranceZurich Universal Life InsuranceZurich Indexed Universal Life InsuranceZurich Variable AnnuityZurich Fixed AnnuityZurich Guaranteed Retirement Income Benefit (GRIB) Annuity
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Contact Zurich customer service
- Call 1-888-634-6780 for life insurance contracts (Monday-Friday 7:30am-5:00pm CST)
- Call 1-800-457-9047 for variable annuity and variable life contracts
- Call 1-800-621-5001 for fixed annuity contracts
- Request assistance with a beneficiary change
- A representative can guide you through the process and send required forms
Required Documents
- Trust name, date established, and tax ID (EIN or SSN)
Special Requirements
- The new beneficiary designation cancels all previous designations -- all beneficiaries must be re-designated even if only changing one
- The change is effective on the date signed once received and recorded at the home office
- If naming a trust as beneficiary, provide the full trust name, date established, and first and last pages of the trust document
- For ownership changes to a trust, complete the Trustee Certification form (ZA-1068) and include a copy of the trust document
- The right to change the beneficiary is reserved by the owner(s) unless otherwise indicated
- The designation is subject to the rights of any existing assignment
Sources
Data sourced from Zurich primary sources (13 pages reviewed). How we research.
Download these Zurich instructions
Download instructions for the whole estateA printable PDF with the steps, required documents, and contact details — verified against Zurich primary sources. Bring it to the branch or keep it beside the phone.
Zurich American Life Insurance Company Customer Service
Phone1-888-634-6780
Mailing Address
7045 College Boulevard, 8th Floor, Overland Park, KS 66211
Variable Annuity & Variable Life Contracts
Fixed Annuity Contracts
Scudder Destinations Variable Annuity
Life Insurance (Alternate)
Zurich Life Insurance Solutions
WebsiteLearn more→
Policy Owner Services
Phone1-888-634-6780
Mailing Address
Zurich American Life Insurance Company, 7045 College Boulevard, 8th Floor, Overland Park, KS 66211
WebsiteLearn more→
Claims Department
Phone1-888-634-6780
Fax1-888-796-7547
Mailing Address
Zurich American Life Insurance Company, 7045 College Boulevard, 8th Floor, Overland Park, KS 66211
Variable Annuity & Variable Life Claims
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Jul 2026
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your Zurich accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
