Claims & Beneficiaries
Naming beneficiaries, filing a claim, and finding a lost policy.
Naming Beneficiaries: Primary, Contingent and Per Stirpes
How primary and contingent beneficiaries work, what happens when a beneficiary dies first, why to ask your insurer about wording such as per stirpes, and how to keep your designations current.
Read · 6 min read →Claims & BeneficiariesLeaving Life Insurance to Children: Guardians, UTMA and Trusts
Why naming a young child directly can backfire, and how court guardianships, UTMA custodians and trusts differ when life insurance is meant for minors.
Read · 6 min read →Claims & BeneficiariesFiling a Life Insurance Claim: Steps, Documents and Payouts
A step-by-step guide for beneficiaries: what to gather, how to notify the insurer, which payout options to compare, how long payment can take, and where to get help.
Read · 6 min read →Claims & BeneficiariesFinding a Lost Life Insurance Policy: Free Search Tools
How to search for a deceased relative's life insurance: the paper trail, the free NAIC Life Insurance Policy Locator, state search services, unclaimed property, and fee scams.
Read · 5 min read →Claims & BeneficiariesDelayed or Denied Claims: Contestability and Your Options
Why life insurance claims get delayed or denied, how the contestable period and exclusions work, the appeal rules for employer plans, and how to complain to your state.
Read · 6 min read →Claims & BeneficiariesTaxes on Life Insurance Payouts: What the IRS Says
When a life insurance death benefit is tax-free, when interest and installments are taxable, the exceptions for sold policies, and how estate tax rules treat life insurance.
Read · 5 min read →