© 2026 SimplyTrust Software Inc.
Prepare the letter of instruction Aetna requests during estate or death-claim processing — addressed to its verified claims department with the required enclosures. PDF.
Step 1 of 3
The insured person whose group life or accidental death benefit is being claimed.
If the deceased was the covered employee, enter Self. Otherwise enter the relationship (for example, Spouse or Child).
FREE & PRIVATE: This form is free—no account or credit card required. Your document contents and generated PDF never leave your browser—SimplyTrust does not transmit or store them. Contact details you provide (name, email, phone, state) are transmitted only to send the updates you agree to receive at download. You are responsible for saving your completed document.
SELF-HELP SERVICE: SimplyTrust provides a self-help document preparation service. We are not a law firm and cannot provide legal advice, select forms for you, or tell you how to complete forms. Our role is limited to providing a platform where you input your own information into document templates.
NOT LEGAL ADVICE:This document was created entirely based on your selections. SimplyTrust does not review, analyze, or verify your entries, nor do we verify your identity, capacity, or authority to act. You are solely responsible for determining whether this document meets your needs and for completing all required execution formalities (signatures, witnesses, notarization, or recording) in accordance with your state's laws. For any legal questions, consult a licensed attorney in your state.
Send it to Aetna's estate/claims department: Aetna Voluntary Plans, Attn: Claim Department, PO Box 14079, Lexington, KY 40512-4079. You can reach the department at 1-888-772-9682.
Aetna lists these among its required documents: Completed Aetna Proof of Death claim form (GC-1373-4), signed by the employer/authorized employer representative; Copy of the certified death certificate (with cause and manner of death); Most current beneficiary designation form, card, or electronic screen-print; Enrollment information (if applicable). The prepared letter includes an enclosure checklist drawn from Aetna's recorded requirements.
Group life insurance death claims are typically processed within 30 to 60 days of receiving complete documentation. Delays may occur if documentation is incomplete, the policy is within the two-year contestability period, or the circumstances of death require further investigation. AD&D claims may require additional investigation time.
Aetna provides its own letter-of-instruction form. We complete that official form with your information; you print, sign, and send it.
It depends on the capacity you are acting in. An executor or administrator encloses Letters Testamentary (when there is a will) or Letters of Administration (when there is not); a successor trustee encloses a certificate of trust; a successor under a small estate encloses that state’s small estate affidavit. The prepared letter lists the proof-of-authority document for your role alongside the institution’s required documents.
A letter of instruction is the written request an institution asks for when settling a deceased customer’s account. It identifies the decedent and the account, states the capacity you are acting in, and tells the institution what to do with the account.
