Claiming benefits after a death means finding every life insurance policy and applying for the survivor benefits the family is owed from Social Security, the VA, pensions, and employers, all of which must be actively claimed rather than paid automatically. Significant sums go unclaimed every year because families do not know a policy or benefit exists. This guide explains how to find policies and claim each benefit.
A note before you start: most claims require a certified death certificate, so have several copies ready.
Step 1: Find all life insurance policies
Policies are often scattered and forgotten. Search for them by checking:
- Personal files, safes, and the estate documents for policy paperwork.
- Bank and credit card statements for premium payments.
- The employer and any past employers for group and supplemental coverage.
- Mortgage and loan documents, which sometimes include credit life insurance.
- Mail and email for insurer statements and notices.
- The NAIC Life Insurance Policy Locator, a free national search tool.
Check for more than one policy, since people commonly hold individual, employer, and association coverage at once.
Step 2: File each life insurance claim
For each policy, contact the insurer, request a claim form (often called a death benefit claim), and submit it with a certified death certificate. The named beneficiary receives the payout, usually free of federal income tax. If the named beneficiary has also died or none is named, the proceeds may go to the estate, so confirm the beneficiary on each policy.
Step 3: Apply for Social Security survivor benefits
Social Security provides survivor benefits to eligible family members and a one-time lump-sum death payment of 255 dollars to an eligible surviving spouse or child. Report the death to the Social Security Administration (the funeral home often does the initial report) and apply for survivor benefits, since they are not paid automatically. Eligible survivors can include a spouse, dependent children, and in some cases dependent parents.
Step 4: Claim VA benefits for veterans
If the person was a veteran, the VA may provide a burial allowance, a gravesite in a national cemetery, a headstone or marker, a burial flag, and survivor benefits such as Dependency and Indemnity Compensation for eligible spouses and dependents. Gather the discharge papers (DD-214) and apply through the VA.
Step 5: Claim pensions and retirement accounts
Contact any pension plan administrator about survivor or death benefits, which often provide ongoing payments to a surviving spouse. Retirement accounts such as 401(k)s and IRAs pass to their named beneficiaries, generally outside probate; contact each custodian to claim them, and consult a tax professional before taking distributions because inherited accounts have specific rules.
A benefits-claiming checklist
- Search thoroughly for every life insurance policy, including the NAIC locator.
- File each life insurance claim with a certified death certificate.
- Apply for Social Security survivor benefits and the lump-sum payment.
- Claim VA burial and survivor benefits for a veteran.
- Contact pension administrators and retirement account custodians.
- Track each claim and its deadlines.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find out if someone had life insurance? Check personal files, bank statements for premium payments, current and former employers, mortgage and loan documents, and mail and email. The free NAIC Life Insurance Policy Locator can also search for policies held with participating insurers.
How do I claim a life insurance payout? Contact the insurer, request a death benefit claim form, and submit it with a certified death certificate. The named beneficiary receives the payout, which is usually free of federal income tax.
What survivor benefits does Social Security pay? Social Security pays ongoing survivor benefits to eligible family members, such as a spouse and dependent children, plus a one-time lump-sum death payment of 255 dollars to an eligible spouse or child. These must be claimed by contacting the SSA.
What benefits are available for a deceased veteran’s family? The VA may provide a burial allowance, a national cemetery gravesite, a headstone or marker, a burial flag, and survivor benefits like Dependency and Indemnity Compensation for eligible families. Apply through the VA with the veteran’s discharge papers.
Let Otherside claim every benefit
Unclaimed policies and benefits are common and costly. Otherside provides a benefit-finder, claim tracker, document assembly, and deadline reminders so the family receives everything it is owed. See how Otherside helps.
Sources
- Social Security Administration: survivors benefits
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: burial and survivor benefits
- National Association of Insurance Commissioners: Life Policy Locator
This article is for general educational purposes and is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Benefits and rules vary by program. Otherside provides coordination; regulated services are delivered by licensed third-party providers.
