To collect a death benefit from National Guardian Life, you fill out the NGL life insurance claim form that matches the policy type, attach a certified death certificate, and send the package to NGL’s claims department in Madison, Wisconsin. You don’t download the form yourself. You first notify NGL of the death, either online at nglic.com/death-claim-notification or by calling 800-988-0826, and the claims department sends you the correct form for the policy — a standard life insurance death claim form, or a Preneed Claim Form if the policy was a pre-need funeral plan.
Notify NGL First
The notification step is just an alert. It tells NGL a claim is coming so staff can pull the policy and mail or fax you the right paperwork. The online notification form asks for your relationship to the deceased and basic identifying information. If you prefer to call, the customer service line at 800-988-0826 handles the same request during business hours.
If you don’t have the policy number, call with the deceased’s full name and Social Security number. The claims staff can look the policy up. People often find a policy only after a death, and NGL handles those inquiries regularly.
What the Claim Form Asks For
Before you sit down with the form, gather the following so you can complete it in one pass:
- Policy or certificate number, from the original policy, premium notices, or any letter from NGL.
- The deceased’s full legal name exactly as it appears on the policy. A mismatch triggers a verification delay.
- The deceased’s Social Security number, used for identity verification and IRS reporting.
- Date of birth and date of death.
- Cause of death, usually categorized as natural, accidental, suicide, or homicide.
- Full name, Social Security number or tax ID, mailing address, and phone number for each beneficiary named on the policy.
The form also includes a section where the beneficiary picks a settlement option, discussed below.
If the Policy Is a Pre-Need Funeral Plan
Pre-need claims work differently. NGL’s Preneed Claim Form is completed with the funeral director, and both the director and the person legally responsible for arranging the funeral must sign it. The form asks for the funeral cost and the funeral home’s name, address, and contact information. NGL reserves the right to request the original itemized statement of funeral goods and services before paying.
The funeral home can be paid by check or by electronic funds transfer, but EFT requires the director to complete NGL’s authorization form, Form #2636.
When the death benefit is larger than the funeral cost, the form asks where the excess should go. The choices are:
- Pay the excess to the funeral home, if the state’s regulations allow it.
- Pay the excess to the beneficiary, mailed to the funeral home for the director to hand over.
- Pay the excess directly to the beneficiary at their home address.
The signer certifies, under penalties of perjury, that the Social Security number provided is correct and that the signer is not subject to backup withholding. That is standard IRS compliance language on insurance claim forms.
Documents You Need to Attach
Every NGL death claim requires a certified copy of the death certificate. Order it from the vital records office in the county or state where the death occurred. Certified copies run roughly $15 to $25 each depending on jurisdiction, and a plain photocopy will not satisfy NGL. Order at least two so you have one for NGL and one for your own records; if you are filing with banks, other insurers, or Social Security, order more.
If the Beneficiary Is an Estate or Trust
When the policy names an estate or trust rather than a specific person, NGL needs proof that the person filing has legal authority to collect. An executor named in a will provides Letters Testamentary from the probate court. If there was no will, the court appoints an administrator who receives Letters of Administration. For smaller estates, many states allow a simplified small estate affidavit instead of full probate; the dollar thresholds vary by state, so check with the local probate court. Proceeds paid directly to a named individual beneficiary generally bypass probate, so these documents only matter when no living individual beneficiary is designated.
If the Death Occurred Outside the United States
A foreign death certificate alone is often not accepted by U.S. insurers. Ask the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate to prepare a Consular Report of Death of a U.S. Citizen Abroad (CRODA), which presents the facts of the death in a format recognized in the United States for estate and insurance purposes.1U.S. Department of State. Death Abroad Contact the embassy early, because gathering the underlying records abroad takes longer than most people expect.
Where to Send the Completed Form
Mail the completed claim form and all supporting documents to:
National Guardian Life Insurance Company
PO Box 1191
Madison, WI 53701-1191
You can also fax the package to 866-228-9450. If you mail it, use certified mail or another tracked service so you have proof of delivery. You are sending original or certified documents, and replacing a lost packet adds weeks.
Once NGL receives the submission, the claims department checks it against the policy terms. If anything is missing or inconsistent, NGL contacts you by mail or phone. Respond quickly, because a delayed response pushes the file back in the queue. There is no legal deadline to file, but the sooner you file, the sooner the benefit is paid.
Choosing How the Benefit Is Paid
Most beneficiaries take a lump sum, but the form lets you choose. Depending on the policy, options may include:
- A lump-sum check for the full benefit.
- An interest-bearing account held by NGL that you can draw from at any time.
- Fixed-period installments over a set number of years.
- A life income paid monthly, with the amount based on the benefit size and your age.
If you are unsure, take the lump sum. You can invest or structure the money yourself after you receive it. The base death benefit is generally not subject to federal income tax, but any interest NGL pays on the proceeds is taxable as ordinary income.2Internal Revenue Service. Life Insurance and Disability Insurance Proceeds That matters most if you pick an interest-bearing or installment option, because the interest portion of each payment is reported to the IRS.
What Can Slow Down or Reduce the Payout
If the insured died within the first two years of the policy, or within two years of reinstating a lapsed policy, NGL has the right to investigate the original application before paying. This contestability period lets the insurer review medical records and application answers for material misrepresentations, like a concealed health condition or misstated tobacco use. A significant misrepresentation can lead NGL to reduce or deny the benefit.
A separate rule is the suicide exclusion. Most life policies, including NGL’s, exclude the death benefit if the insured dies by suicide within the first two years of coverage, and the insurer typically returns the premiums paid instead.3Legal Information Institute. Suicide Clause After two years, suicide is covered like any other cause. A few states shorten the exclusion to one year, so the policy language controls.
Neither provision means a claim will be denied. Most claims pay out without issue. But if the policy is new, expect the review to take longer.
Minor and Predeceased Beneficiaries
NGL cannot write a check to a child. If the beneficiary is under 18, the proceeds are held until a court appoints a guardian of the minor’s estate or a custodian under the Uniform Transfers to Minors Act. The appointed adult receives and manages the funds until the child reaches the age of majority. The court process takes time and involves fees, so if a minor is the sole beneficiary, consult a probate attorney early so the guardianship paperwork can move alongside the claim.
If the primary beneficiary died before the insured, NGL pays the contingent beneficiary named in the policy. If no contingent was ever named, the benefit typically falls into the insured’s estate and goes through probate.
Ask for Form 712 if the Estate Is Large
For larger estates, the executor may need NGL to complete IRS Form 712, Life Insurance Statement. The form documents the policy’s value, including accumulated dividends and premium information, and is filed with the federal estate tax return, Form 706.4Internal Revenue Service. About Form 712, Life Insurance Statement NGL fills out Form 712, not you, but you have to request it. If the estate is large enough to trigger federal estate tax, ask for it when you file the death claim so you are not chasing paperwork months later.