How long after death to receive notice from life insurance?

[Anonymous]

My sweet Dad passed away at the beginning of June. On June 25 my stepmom sent me a message saying "You should be receiving a packet from NEA concerning a life insurance policy that your father had. I will send a death certificate with mine."

It's been 2 months since that message. We live in DC and mail is constantly going missing and we constantly receive other people's mail. Does anyone know how long it typically takes to hear from the life insurer after a death? I'm trying to gauge whether I should be concerned that nothing has arrived. If it typically takes 6 months or a year for things like this to get sorted, that would be helpful to know. I don't have the heart to ask my stepmom and I don't want to appear grubby asking because I'm not in need for whatever the payout is. While I'm in no rush to receive whatever it is, I am a little worried that someone may have intercepted my mail. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

In our case, the packet arrived around 10 days after parent's passing. This was earlier this summer (2023).

I would call the life insurance company for which you are a beneficiary now.

If this is a separate policy, you will need to include a certified death certificate.

[Anonymous]

You need to file a claim with the insurance company. The life insurance doesn't get paid until the beneficiary files the claim with the life insurance company and provides a certified death certificate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You need to file a claim with the insurance company. The life insurance doesn't get paid until the beneficiary files the claim with the life insurance company and provides a certified death certificate.

--OP here. Thanks PPs. Yeah, I wasn't expecting a check in the mail or anything. But I figured the "packet" my stepmom mentioned would include the information that I would need or a claim form or something. And at the two-month mark, I'm starting to think that it's weird I haven't received anything. I will call NEA. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Thanks, PPs. Called NEA. Got some clarity. All is good! It was entered into their system earlier this month, then passed to the insurer that it is underwritten by. Should hear something via mail in a couple of weeks. So not lost!