Filing a Claim
How to Report a Death
If the time has come for you to report a death, we are very sorry for your loss.
Navy Mutual’s Claims and Beneficiary Services representatives are here to help you submit all necessary documentation and get your claim processed as smoothly as possible. We understand that initiating a claim after the loss of a loved one is not a phone call that you want to make, but one that you have to make.
You can report a death via one of the options below:
- Online: Click here to complete the form. If you choose to report a death online, a Navy Mutual representative will contact you as soon as possible.
- Phone: Call 800-628-6011 Our hours of operation are Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. EST.
Once you have reported a death to Navy Mutual, provided you are a beneficiary of the deceased’s policy, you will be provided with a claims form. These are unique to the policy and the beneficiary. While we only require one certified death certificate per policy, each beneficiary will need to contact us to obtain their own claims form.
We require an original death certificate; we cannot accept scanned or electronic copies. Other documents can be emailed to Claims@NavyMutual.org or faxed to 703-945-1441 or 703-945-1442. You can mail the death certificate to:
Navy Mutual
Henderson Hall
29 Carpenter Road
Arlington, VA 22204
The Claims Experience
When you contact Navy Mutual after the passing of your loved one, we will verify your identity to make sure that you are a beneficiary of the insured’s policy. This involves asking for your name, date of birth, and Social Security number. Additional steps may be required if you live outside of the U.S. or are not a citizen.
We will also make sure the policy is still active and that the policy owner has not lapsed on any payments and the term has not expired. If the policy is no longer active, we cannot pay out a death benefit. If the policy is in good standing, we may release 10% of the death benefit up to $10,000 for your immediate use after notification of the insured’s death.
Once we have received and processed all required documents, your claim should be processed and available to view electronically within seven to 10 business days. If the deceased had any documents stored in the Navy Mutual vault, we will return them to you or another designated individual.
If an estate is named as the beneficiary, we may require additional information. If the estate is probated, letters of administration naming the executor are required. If the estate is not probated, you can apply for a small estate affidavit (depending upon your state’s laws and regulations). You will also need a Taxpayer Identification Number.
If a trust is named as the beneficiary, we will need a copy of the trust – specifically, the entire trust, certificate of trust, summary page or declaration, and signature pages. You will also need a Taxpayer Identification Number. If the trust is no longer in effect, we will need the dissolution of the trust or a notarized statement from the executor 1) stating that the trust is not in effect and 2) directing payment of the benefit.
If at any point in the claim process you have questions, we are available at 800-628-6011.
Veterans Services
The Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs may provide benefits related to the death of a servicemember or veteran. Our VSO representatives can help you file these claims.
Frequently Asked Questions
You may have questions about our claims process, so we created a list of our most frequently asked questions for you to search through. If you need help, you can always call.