How Long Does It Take to Receive Death Benefits?
If you are the beneficiary of a life insurance policy, no definite time frame exists for when you will receive your benefits. The payout period depends on the insurance company and the policy. If your policy is relatively new, you can expect your insurer to investigate to verify that the policy was issued without anyone giving false information and to rule out foul play. This investigation will delay the issuance of death benefits. You can help expedite the process by supplying all the paperwork needed to process the claim.
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Review Your Insurance Policy
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Review your policy and understand your life insurance benefit coverage. Check the policy to see if the deceased was covered for both life and accidental-death benefits. You may not put in a claim for a benefit to which you are not entitled. If your loved one died in an accident and did not have accidental-death insurance, the insurance company would be within its rights not to pay an accidental-death claim.
Submit Your Claim
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Submit a notice of the claim and a death certificate to the insurance company. You will need to follow your insurance company's process to file a claim and then provide the death certificate. You can obtain a copy of the death certificate from the funeral home or the county coroner's office.
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Complete All Forms
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Fill out all forms needed for your insurer to process the claim. Call periodically and see where it is in the process. If paperwork is missing, this will delay your claim. Follow through each week to see if the company requires anything from you to process your claim. Check with your state insurance commissioner for how long it should take to receive your death claim. Most state laws mandate a maximum of 30 days.
Contact the Social Security Administration
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Call your local Social Security office for additional assistance. You may be eligible to receive a one-time payment of $255. Payment is usually made to a spouse or child. In addition, you may be entitled to survivor benefits for the spouse or children of the deceased. Take your death certificate, marriage certificate, the birth certificates of eligible children under age 18 and the deceased most recent W-2 forms to the Social Security office immediately after the death.
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