How to Fill Out and Submit the MetLife Direct Deposit Form

To set up direct deposit with MetLife, download the Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) Authorization Form that matches your product from MetLife’s forms library at metlife.com/support-and-manage/forms-library/, fill in your bank details, attach a voided check, and return it by mail, fax, or through the MyBenefits portal. The MetLife direct deposit form is short, but a wrong digit in the routing or account number is the most common reason payments get delayed.¹

Pick the Right Version of the Form

MetLife publishes several product-specific versions, and they aren’t interchangeable. Grab the one that matches the benefit you’re being paid.

Disability and absence management. The “Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) Authorization Form” is listed under disability forms. Confirm with your employer that your group plan offers electronic payment for disability benefits before you file it.¹
Income annuities. A separate “Direct Deposit Enrollment Form” appears under annuity forms. For individual annuities purchased outside an employer plan, MetLife directs you to metlife.com/annuityforms for the correct version.¹
Life insurance and other products. Some employer-sponsored plans use their own branded versions distributed through HR or a benefits administrator.

If you already have an approved disability claim, you can also enroll in direct deposit through the MyBenefits portal at metlife.com/mybenefits without printing anything.²

What to Fill In

The form has two working sections plus a signature block. Layout varies slightly between versions, but the fields are the same.

Bank Account Information

Bank name and address. The full legal name and branch address of your financial institution.
Account title. The name on the bank account, which should match the name on your MetLife policy or claim.
Account type. Check either checking or savings. If you select the wrong type, the transfer bounces back.
Routing transit number. The nine-digit number identifying your bank. On a personal check it’s the first string of digits along the bottom-left edge; if you bank online, look under account details on your bank’s site or app. Some banks use different routing numbers for electronic transfers than for paper checks, so call your bank if you’re unsure.³
Account number. Your full account number, not the check number.

Signature and Authorization

Sign and date the form (MM/DD/YYYY), print your name, and add your group or division name and number for employer-sponsored plans. Some product versions also ask for a policy number, claim number, or Social Security number to link the payment to the correct file.⁴ Your claim number appears on any correspondence MetLife has already sent you. Double-check every digit in the routing and account fields before submitting.

The Voided Check Requirement

A voided check is mandatory. The form on MetLife’s administrative site states plainly: “This form cannot be processed without this check.”⁴ If you don’t have paper checks, attach a photocopy of a canceled check or ask your bank for a direct deposit verification letter listing the routing number, account number, and account holder name. A bank letter typically works as a substitute, but confirm with MetLife’s customer service line at 1-800-638-5433 if your form version doesn’t spell that out.

How and Where to Submit

You have three options. The correct address or fax number depends on which MetLife product you hold, so use the one printed on your specific form rather than reusing an address from another source.

By Mail

For disability claims, the address printed on MetLife’s forms library page is:

Metropolitan Life Insurance Company
Attn: MetLife Disability Claims
PO Box 14590
Lexington, KY 40511-4590¹

A different version of the form lists PO Box 14593, Lexington, KY 40512-4593 for group benefit EFT authorizations.⁴ Sending to the wrong processing center adds days.

By Fax

The disability EFT form lists fax number 1-800-230-9531.¹ The group benefit version uses (888) 505-7446.⁴ Keep the transmission confirmation page. That timestamped receipt is your only proof MetLife received the form if it gets lost on their end.

Through the MyBenefits Portal

Disability claimants with an approved claim can upload the form and sign up for direct deposit at metlife.com/mybenefits. The portal generates a confirmation when the upload completes.² Not all product lines support online submission, so if you hold an annuity or individual life policy, check your product’s instructions first.

How Long It Takes

Processing windows vary by product. For some MetLife products, direct deposit typically begins within 30 days of MetLife notifying your bank. During that window, you may still receive paper checks by mail. Once electronic deposits start, funds are generally available in your account within four to five business days of each payment date.⁵

MetLife’s dental EFT form quotes a shorter window of roughly 10 business days for elections to take effect.⁶

Don’t close your old bank account or stop checking your mailbox until you’ve confirmed at least one electronic deposit has cleared. The transition period is where payments most often go missing: paper checks have stopped but electronic transfers haven’t started.

Changing or Canceling Direct Deposit

To update your banking information, submit a new EFT Authorization Form with the revised account details. Same steps as the original setup: fill out the form, attach a voided check for the new account, and send it to the same address or fax number. Expect up to 30 days before payments switch over.

Keep the old account open until at least one payment posts to the new one. If MetLife sends a deposit to a closed account during the transition, the payment bounces back and reissuing it can take additional weeks.

To cancel direct deposit and go back to paper checks, submit a written request or a new authorization form indicating the change. MetLife will then mail checks to the address on your policy or claim file, so make sure that address is current before you cancel.

If a Payment Goes Wrong

For issues on MetLife’s side, such as a missing deposit, a payment sent to a closed account, or a duplicate, call MetLife at 1-800-638-5433. Disability claimants can also flag the issue through the MyBenefits portal. Keep records of every call, including the date, the representative’s name, and any reference number.

If the problem is an unauthorized transfer on your bank account, federal law caps your liability but only if you report quickly. Under Regulation E, reporting within two business days holds your liability to $50; waiting past that window but reporting within 60 days of your statement can raise it to $500.⁷ You can notify your bank in person, by phone, or in writing, and if something like hospitalization prevented you from reporting sooner, the bank must extend the deadline for a reasonable period.⁸

1
MetLife. Forms Library | Support and Manage
2
Franklin County, Ohio. Online Access to Your MetLife Disability Claim
3
PNC. What Is a Bank Routing Number (and Where Can You Find It)
4
MetLife Admin Manual. Authorization of EFT
5
RN Benefits. MetLife EFT Authorization
6
New York University. MetLife Dental Electronic Funds Transfer Authorization Form
7
eCFR. 12 CFR Part 1005 – Electronic Fund Transfers (Regulation E)
8
Consumer Compliance Outlook. Consumer Liability for Unauthorized Transactions Under the Electronic Fund Transfer Act and Regulation E