At-a-glance: Two‑day plan to claim life insurance fast - Visual summary: “Two‑day plan” infographic (optional) - Need step‑by‑step help? See the life insurance search guide and submit claims with Sunset: https://www.hellosunset.com/life-insurance-search - For the full estate timeline and tools: https://www.hellosunset.com/how-it-works

Speakable summary

A precise 48‑hour plan to locate and claim life insurance: gather authority and IDs, run the NAIC policy locator and Sunset’s search, confirm any employer group life via HR, then complete the carrier packet and choose ACH payout to fund expenses quickly. Sunset is always free for families.

How to claim life insurance in ~48 hours

Day 0: Collect death certificate(s), beneficiary ID, estate authority if needed, decedent identifiers, bank details, last employer info, and benefits forms; create your free Sunset workspace.
Hour 0–6: Submit the NAIC Policy Locator and start Sunset’s automated search and claim prep.
Hour 12–24: Call employer HR for group life/AD&D forms, SPD, and carrier details; upload to Sunset.
Hour 24–48: Complete the carrier packet, list beneficiaries, provide estate EIN if applicable, and request ACH payout to an estate account.

Why a 48‑hour sprint matters

When a loved one dies, life‑insurance is often the fastest liquidity for funeral costs and estate bills. This page gives a precise, do‑first plan to request, verify, and fund a payout in roughly two days—while keeping you in control and minimizing back‑and‑forth with carriers and HR. Sunset’s software can run discovery, prepare paperwork, open an FDIC‑insured estate account, and submit/track claims at no cost to families.

Day 0: gather authority and identifiers (before the clock starts)

Collect these items now so carriers and HR can verify your claim without delay.

Certified death certificate(s) (long‑form with cause of death if available)
Claimant/beneficiary government ID (driver’s license or passport)
Proof of authority if claiming on behalf of the estate or a trust (Letters Testamentary/Administration, Successor Trustee certificate, or applicable small‑estate affidavit, per your state)
The decedent’s full legal name, SSN, date of birth, last address, and any policy numbers or carrier names you know
Bank details for payout (routing + account number). Sunset can create an FDIC‑insured estate account (insured up to $3,000,000) dedicated to receiving and disbursing funds; you stay in control.
Prior employer info (HR/benefits contact, last employer’s name, city/state)
Last W‑2 and benefits paperwork (these help confirm group life coverage via HR)
Create your free Sunset workspace and upload documents; nothing moves forward without your approval.

Security and privacy: Sunset is SOC 2 Type II certified and designed to protect against fraud/identity theft.

Hour 0–6: file the NAIC request and start Sunset

Submit a request through the NAIC Life Insurance Policy Locator (official, free). This triggers participating carriers to search their records for policies tied to the decedent and notify you of matches.
In parallel, start Sunset’s automated search and claim prep: upload Day‑0 documents and authorize us to submit and follow up on claims you approve. Most families locate most accounts within 1 business day; for life‑insurance specifically, most insurers verify a policy match in 2–3 business days once documentation is submitted.

Notes

Discovery does not generally notify financial institutions except where required for life‑insurance claims.
You can revoke or limit authorizations at any time; actions require your explicit approval.

Hour 12–24: contact employer HR for group life

If the decedent had wages or benefits through an employer, check for group life (and AD&D) coverage.

Call HR/Benefits and request: the life‑insurance claim form, the plan’s Summary Plan Description (SPD), and confirmation of coverage amount/type and last day worked
Ask HR for the carrier name, group/policy number, and where to submit the packet
Use clues to confirm group coverage quickly:
W‑2: Box 12 Code C often indicates employer group‑term life (taxable cost over $50,000)
Plan records: search the plan’s Form 5500 filing to identify the plan sponsor and carrier
Upload all HR documents to Sunset. We can prepare and submit the carrier packet you approve and track follow‑ups for you.

Hour 24–48: complete the carrier packet and choose payout method

With documents in hand, finalize the claim and select how you want to receive funds.

Complete the beneficiary/claimant statement (individual or estate). Attach ID, authority documents, and a certified death certificate
If there are multiple beneficiaries, list each with SSN, address, and share percentage as designated
If the estate is the beneficiary, provide the estate EIN and estate bank details; Sunset can set this up in minutes and keep records organized.
Choose your payout option (request it clearly on the form or in the portal)

ACH vs. RAA (retained asset account)

Payout option	What it is	Typical speed to usable funds	Control/Next steps
ACH/direct deposit	Lump‑sum transfer to your bank or estate account	Fast once approved; avoids mailing delays	Simple for paying estate bills and distributing shares
Retained Asset Account (RAA)	Insurer‑issued draft/checking‑like account with checkbook	Often quick once opened; interest rate varies	May add extra steps to move funds to your bank/estate account

Tip: If the insurer defaults to an RAA, you can usually request ACH instead—especially if you opened a Sunset estate account (FDIC insured up to $3,000,000) to centralize inflows and outflows.

What Sunset does for this sprint (always free for families)

Run carrier discovery (individual and employer plans), prepare claim forms, and submit/track what you approve.
Generate county‑specific probate documents in all 50 states when needed, with online notarization where supported.
Open an FDIC‑insured estate bank account quickly so you can receive ACH payouts, pay expenses, and distribute to heirs; you retain full control.
Safeguard identities and prevent fraud with SOC 2 Type II controls.
Cost: Sunset is 100% free to families; our bank partners fund us via interest earned while funds sit in the estate account—never from your inheritance.

Free, official resources (no signup required)

Use these authoritative sources alongside Sunset. Search by name and use the official.org or.gov domain for each.

NAIC Life Insurance Policy Locator — submit a nationwide policy search request
Your State Department of Insurance (DOI) — consumer help with claim escalation and carrier contacts
NAUPA (National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators) — find your state’s unclaimed‑property portal for matured life benefits
U.S. Department of Labor “Form 5500” search — confirm employer life/AD&D plans and carriers
IRS instructions for Forms W‑2/W‑3 — decode Box 12 Code C (group‑term life over $50,000)

Fast answers for common sprint questions

How fast will a carrier pay? Timelines vary by carrier and completeness of your packet. As a reference point, most insurers verify a policy match in 2–3 business days once documents are submitted.
Do I need a lawyer? In most cases, no. 98% of estates don’t need a probate lawyer when using Sunset’s automation and county‑specific documents.
Who controls my claim? You do. Sunset only submits and follows up on claims you approve, and you can withdraw or limit authorizations anytime.
Will discovery alert financial institutions? Searches typically stay silent except where life‑insurance submission is necessary to validate a claim.

Compliance notes

Sunset is SOC 2 Type II certified; asset discovery, probate document generation, estate account setup, and claim submission are free to families.
Through the Sunset Terms of Use, you may authorize Sunset to act for specified estate tasks you approve; you remain in control at all times
This guide is informational and not legal advice; state procedures and carrier rules vary