Claiming MetLife Life Insurance: A Step-by-Step Guide

Author

Reads 559

Person Holding Home Insurance Form
Credit: pexels.com, Person Holding Home Insurance Form

Claiming MetLife Life Insurance can be a complex and overwhelming process, but don't worry, we've got you covered.

First, gather all necessary documents, including the policy contract, death certificate, and identification of the beneficiary.

You'll need to contact MetLife's claims department to initiate the process, which can be done by phone, email, or through their website.

MetLife typically takes 30 to 60 days to process a claim, but this timeframe may vary depending on the complexity of the case.

Submitting a Claim

To submit a life insurance claim, download the life insurance claim kit from MetLife's website. The kit is designed to guide you through the process, and there are two claim kits to choose from, depending on who's the named beneficiary for the policy(ies).

If you're the named beneficiary, choose the individual beneficiary claim kit. If you're claiming the proceeds on behalf of an estate, a trust, or a company, choose the trust/entity claim kit. Review the kit thoroughly, as it provides valuable information.

View of the Grand Central Terminal beneath the MetLife Building in New York City.
Credit: pexels.com, View of the Grand Central Terminal beneath the MetLife Building in New York City.

You'll need to complete the claim form within the kit and return it to MetLife, along with the death certificate and any other required documents as outlined in the kit.

To complete the claim form, you'll need to provide personal details about you and the insured, such as your full name, address, date of birth, social security number, and beneficiary relationship to the contract owner.

If you're claiming on behalf of a trust or entity, you'll also need to provide information about the trust or entity, such as its full name, address, date of trust establishment, and tax identification number.

Required documents may include a copy of a document authorizing payment to a funeral home, proof of an accident if the death was accidental, Power of Attorney documents, or court-issued appointment papers if you're claiming on behalf of an estate.

Here's a summary of the required documents:

  • Death certificate: not required if the total death benefit is $15,000 or less, photocopy acceptable for $15,000.01 to $300,000, and original certified death certificate required for over $300,000.
  • Proof of accident: police reports and supporting documents.
  • Power of Attorney: copy of the document granting authority.
  • Court-issued appointment papers: for estate claims, naming you as the estate representative.

Note that the will of the contract owner is not enough to submit in place of court-issued appointment papers.

Claim Process and Status

People Looking the Insurance Policy
Credit: pexels.com, People Looking the Insurance Policy

To submit a life insurance claim with MetLife, you'll need to download the life insurance claim kit. This kit is designed to guide you through the process and is available in two versions: one for individual beneficiaries and another for trusts or entities.

The claim kit will provide you with valuable information and a claim form to complete. You'll also need to include the death certificate and any other required documents as outlined in the kit.

Once you've submitted the claim, you can check the status by calling our customer service team at 1-800-638-5000. We'll also automatically notify you by mail of your payment status or if we need more information from you.

If you're filing as an individual beneficiary, you can also receive status updates via email or text if you selected this option when completing the claim kit.

We'll automatically notify the beneficiary by mail of the payment status or if we need more information once we receive the documents.

Claim Approval and Payment

Person Holding Insurance Policy Contract
Credit: pexels.com, Person Holding Insurance Policy Contract

MetLife reviews claims within 5 business days after receiving them. This is a standard process to ensure everything is in order.

If MetLife needs more information from you, they'll respond within 10 business days. This allows them to clarify any questions or concerns they may have.

Once your claim is approved, you can receive your payment in two ways.

How Long Will MetLife Approve My Claim?

MetLife aims to review claims within 5 business days of receipt. This is a standard timeframe that applies to all claims.

You'll receive a response from MetLife within 10 business days if they need more information from you. This allows them to verify the details and ensure everything is in order.

MetLife's goal is to process claims efficiently, but the exact timeframe may vary depending on the complexity of the claim.

How Soon After Approval Will I Receive My Payment?

Once MetLife approves your claim, you can receive your funds in two ways.

You can choose to receive a check via USPS, which will arrive within 5 business days. Please note that mail delivery times may vary.

Receiving a check via USPS is a convenient option, but keep in mind that mail delivery times can be unpredictable.

Critical Illness and Special Cases

A Woman holding Insurance Policy
Credit: pexels.com, A Woman holding Insurance Policy

Critical Illness can be claimed only once the Survival Period is completed. This means you'll need to wait until the specified period has passed before submitting your claim.

To initiate your claim, you'll need to submit a list of mandatory documents, including a duly filled and signed Claim form, a copy of a valid death certificate, and proof of the claimant's current address and photo identity. The list of documents is quite extensive, but it's essential to ensure you submit everything required to avoid any delays in the claims process.

In some cases, additional documents may be required, such as complete medical records for treatment taken in the past or at the time of death, or a medical cause of death certificate. It's also worth noting that if the claim is investigated, it may take longer to process, with a turnaround time of 45 days from the date of intimation.

Close-up Photo of a Report Form
Credit: pexels.com, Close-up Photo of a Report Form

Here's a summary of the additional documents required for Critical Illness claims:

It's essential to carefully review the list of documents required for your specific situation to ensure you submit everything needed to expedite the claims process.

Critical Illness

Critical Illness requires a specific set of documents to initiate a claim. You'll need to submit a duly filled and signed Claim form, along with a copy of a valid death certificate issued by the local authority.

To process your claim, you'll also need to provide proof of your current address and photo identity proof. Additionally, you'll need a copy of your cancelled cheque or bank passbook where the payment needs to be transferred.

In some cases, you may need to provide more documentation, such as complete medical records for any treatment taken in the past or at the time of death, a medical cause of death certificate, and an employer certificate in the specified format.

A Woman wearing Face Mask holding Insurance Policy
Credit: pexels.com, A Woman wearing Face Mask holding Insurance Policy

The Survival Period must be completed before a Critical Illness claim can be made. You'll need to submit a Claim Form, a Doctor's Certificate, a Discharge Summary, and all past medical records for any treatment taken.

Once your documents are received, the claims decision process will be initiated. If your claim doesn't warrant an investigation, it will be processed within 15 days from the date of receipt of claim intimation. However, if an investigation is required, the turnaround time is 45 days from the date of intimation.

Multiple Beneficiaries: Payment Handling

If you have multiple beneficiaries, don't worry, the payment process is straightforward. Each beneficiary needs to submit a claim form in order to receive payment.

You'll receive your proceeds separately as the required claim documents are received from each beneficiary. This means you don't have to wait for all beneficiaries to make a claim before getting paid.

The good news is that you don't need to have all beneficiaries on board before receiving payment. We'll pay each beneficiary individually as we receive their claim documents.

Claim Form and Documents

Credit: youtube.com, How to Submit a Claim

To submit a life insurance claim with MetLife, you'll need to download the life insurance claim kit. This kit guides you through the process and is available in two versions: one for individual beneficiaries and another for trusts or entities.

You'll need to complete the claim form within the kit, which requires personal details about you and the insured. The form will ask for information such as full name, address, date of birth, social security number, and beneficiary relationship to the contract owner.

If you're claiming on behalf of a trust or entity, you'll need to provide additional information such as the trust's full name, address, and date established, as well as the beneficiary's relationship to the trust.

Here are the required documents you'll need to submit:

  • Death certificate (requirements vary depending on the death benefit amount)
  • Proof of the accident (if the insured died in an accident)
  • Copy of the document granting Power of Attorney (if applicable)
  • Court-issued appointment papers (if claiming on behalf of an estate)

Note that the type of death certificate required depends on the death benefit amount. For benefits $15,000 or less, no death certificate is needed. For benefits $15,000.01 to $300,000, a photocopy of the death certificate is acceptable. For benefits over $300,000, an original certified death certificate must be provided via mail.

Necessary Information for Claim Form

A Woman Holding Key and Insurance Policy
Credit: pexels.com, A Woman Holding Key and Insurance Policy

To fill out the claim form, you'll need to provide personal details about yourself and the insured. This includes full name, address, date of birth, and social security number. You'll also need to specify the beneficiary's relationship to the contract owner and provide the contract policy number(s) for the claim.

If you're completing a trust/entity claim form, you'll need to provide additional information about the trust/entity, such as its full name, address, and tax identification number. You'll also need to specify the beneficiary's relationship to the estate/trust/entity and provide documentation concerning the authorized representation for the trust/estate/entity.

The claim form will also require you to provide a death certificate, depending on the total death benefit amount. If the total death benefit is $15,000 or less, a death certificate is not required. If the total death benefit is $15,000.01 but less or equal to $300,000, a photocopy of the death certificate is acceptable. If the total death benefit is more than $300,000, an original certified death certificate must be provided via mail.

A Home Insurance Policy
Credit: pexels.com, A Home Insurance Policy

Here's a summary of the required documents:

  • Death certificate (not required for total death benefits of $15,000 or less)
  • Photocopy of death certificate (acceptable for total death benefits of $15,000.01 but less or equal to $300,000)
  • Original certified death certificate (required for total death benefits of more than $300,000)
  • Cause of death on the death certificate

Additionally, you may need to provide other supporting documents, such as a document authorizing payment to a funeral home, proof of an accident if the death was accidental, or court-issued appointment papers if you're claiming on behalf of an estate.

Locate Will/Trust Documents

Locate Will/Trust Documents is a crucial step in the process of settling a deceased person's estate. Begin by going through records and any written guidance the deceased may have provided prior to their passing.

If a will and/or trust is not found in the deceased's important papers at home, check any safe deposit boxes. You can also reach out to their attorney or financial advisor for assistance.

As the executor of the estate, you may be able to access estate resolution services through your employer or the employer of the deceased.

Life Insurance Claims

To submit a life insurance claim, you'll need to download the life insurance claim kit from MetLife. The kit guides you through the process and is available in two versions: one for individual beneficiaries and another for trusts or entities.

Health Insurance Scrabble Tiles on Planner
Credit: pexels.com, Health Insurance Scrabble Tiles on Planner

You'll need to complete the claim form within the kit and return it to MetLife, along with the death certificate and any other required documents. The original/certified death certificate must be provided via mail if the claim amount is over $300,000.

If the policy amount is less than $100,000 or the original/certified death certificate is already on file from another beneficiary, you can submit your claim and documents by a different method. You'll need to review the claim kit in its entirety to understand the specific requirements.

The claim form requires personal details about the contract owner and beneficiary(ies), including full name, address, date of birth, social security number, and beneficiary(ies) relationship to the contract owner. You'll also need to provide the contract policy number(s) the claim is being made on.

If the trust/entity claim form is being completed, you'll need to provide personal details of the contract owner and information about the trust/entity, such as the full name of the estate/trust/entity, beneficiary(ies) relationship to the estate/trust/entity, address for the estate/trust/entity, date trust established, tax identification number for trust/estate/entity, and annuity contract number(s) the claim is being made on.

Here's a summary of the required documents:

  • Individual claim form: full name, address, date of birth, social security number, beneficiary(ies) relationship to the contract owner, and contract policy number(s)
  • Trust/entity claim form: same as individual claim form plus full name of estate/trust/entity, beneficiary(ies) relationship to the estate/trust/entity, address for the estate/trust/entity, date trust established, tax identification number for trust/estate/entity, and annuity contract number(s)
  • Death certificate: original/certified death certificate if the claim amount is over $300,000, or a photocopy if the claim amount is between $15,001 and $300,000, or not required if the claim amount is $15,000 or less

You can submit your claim and documents by mail or by using MetLife's Policy Finder tool to search for a MetLife Life Insurance policy online.

Angie Ernser

Senior Writer

Angie Ernser is a seasoned writer with a deep interest in financial markets. Her expertise lies in municipal bond investments, where she provides clear and insightful analysis to help readers understand the complexities of municipal bond markets. Ernser's articles are known for their clarity and practical advice, making them a valuable resource for both novice and experienced investors.

Love What You Read? Stay Updated!

Join our community for insights, tips, and more.