Death Claim Processing

  • When reporting a claim, provide the exact date of death, if it is available. The date is required to cancel the policy and prevent subsequent mailings from being sent in the deceased's name. 
  • You are the only contact for the beneficiary. We do not contact the beneficiary directly about claim requirements. 
  • Death claim cheques are forwarded to the advisor of record, via courier to the financial centre, for delivery or mailing. They are not sent to the beneficiary. 
  • Partial payments in advance of claim settlement may be available to clients. 
  • If life insurance and the total face amount of all the life insurance policies is $150,000 or less, an express claim, where no claim requirements are needed, may be available. 
  • If payout product and the total death benefit amount of all the payout product policies is $150,000 or less, a payout express claim, where no claim requirements are needed, may be available. 

How to Initiate a Life Claim for Individual Insurance:

  1. Call our Customer Care Centre at 1-877-786-5433 
  2. Report the death using the template on the Advisor Site

Once the death has been reported, this will initiate the setup of the claim and the termination of the policies.  After the claim is assigned, a life claims adjudicator will send the claim requirements via email to the advisor of record.

Who handles death claims?

Death claims are handled by the Life Claims department for the following products: 

  • Life Insurance - Individual 
  • Accumulation Annuities 
  • Guaranteed Investment Certificates 
  • Payout Annuity 

To contact Life Claim Services:
Request Centre: Death - claim - inquire
E-mail: LFCLM@sunlife.com
Telephone number: 1-877-786-5433 FAX: 519 888-3462
Death claims for the following must be directed to the number provided:

Death claim type Phone number
Group Pension

Group Pension

1-866-733-8612
If the deceased client had shares with Sun Life
Financial
1-877-224-1760
English
1-888-290-6048
French
1-416-348-9412
Outside North
America
(CST Trust
Company)

Individual - Life Insurance and Wealth Accumulation claim requirements

If the policy date is more than 5 years

  • Form E84 - Claimant Statement completed by the beneficiary. 
  • Original Death Certificate or Funeral Director's Statement with seal. If death occurs within Canada a copy can be submitted with an obituary or the name, address and phone number of the funeral home handling the services.    

  • Form E84 - Claimant Statement completed by the liquidator, executor or administrator. 
  • Original Death Certificate or Funeral Director's Statement with seal. If death occurs within Canada a copy can be submitted with an obituary or the name, address and phone number of the funeral home handling the services. 
  • If the total insurance amount is between $150,000 to $249,999.99, a notarial copy of the will. 
  • If the total insurance amount is $250,000 or more, a notarial copy of the probated will. 
  • If the client lives in Quebec, please see the "When do I need to provide a will" section below. 

If the policy issue date is less than 5 years

  • Form E84 - Claimant Statement completed by the liquidator, executor or administrator. 
  • Form E65 - Proof of death/physician's statement.   
  • If the total insurance amount is between $150,000 to $249,999.99, a notarial copy of the will.
  • If the total insurance amount is $250,000 or more, a notarial copy of the probated will. 
  • If the client lives in Quebec, please refer to the "When do I need a to provide a will" section below. 

Who can sign the Beneficiary Claim Statement?

  • The Claimant Statement should be completed by the legal representative of the estate. Refer to the 'When do I need to provide a will' section.

Minor beneficiaries under 18

  • If a trustee is named, the following are required: 
    • The E84 - Claimant Statement completed by the trustee. 
    • The signature area completed as 'John Doe trustee for Sally Doe, Date of Birth DD/MM/YY'. 
  • The cheque is made payable to 'John Doe, in trust for Sally Doe, minor beneficiary'. 
  • If no trustee is named, regulations vary for each province. Contact the Life Claims department. 

In the province of Quebec, 

  • the proceeds can be claimed by both parents as tutors. 
  • we need a certified copy of the birth certificate showing the names of the parents.

  • If the Power of Attorney is completing the claim statement for the beneficiary, the beneficiary information should be included in Part A of form E84. 
  • The Power of Attorney must sign the claim statement as 'John Doe, Power of Attorney for Jane Doe'. 
  • If the proceeds are $50,000 or more, a notarial copy of the Power of Attorney document is required. 

  • Form E84 - Claimant Statement should be completed by a representative of the corporation or organization. 
  • The information, including address, in the Claimant's information section of form E84 should be information about the organization. 
  • The person signing form E84 should indicate beside his/her name, the office or position held with the organization. 
  • If the organization has a seal, it should be affixed to the form. 

If there are multiple beneficiaries who are not minors, each beneficiary must complete a separate form E84. An executor cannot complete the form on behalf of a beneficiary.

What if the beneficiary is deceased?

  • If the beneficiary predeceased the insured, we will require the date of death and an obituary or the name and phone number of the funeral home if known, otherwise please submit a proof of death. 
  • If this is not available, form E99 - Declaration of death by estate trustee signed by the executor of the estate of the life insured can be used. 
  • Life Claims will advise the name of the beneficiary when the primary beneficiary predeceased the life insured. There may be delay if the original file is needed to confirm this information. 

  • If the beneficiary is unable to claim due to incompetency and no Power of Attorney has been appointed, we require a claim statement by their Committee. 
  • If the proceeds are over $50,000, a notarial copy of the document appointing their Committee is required. In Quebec we also need an appointment of a curator or the Power of Attorney to be probated following incapacity. 

Beneficiary claim statement payment options
Death claim proceeds can be paid by:

  • A cheque is issued for each beneficiary and sent to the financial centre for delivery. 
  • Payment of death claim proceeds cannot be deposited in the beneficiary's bank account. 
  • Partial payments may be made in advance. 

If there is one named beneficiary, the beneficiary can transfer the funds from the deceased's Accumulation Annuity 'intact' to a new policy in their name. The intact transfer allows the beneficiary to retain the original investment interest rate and maturity dates. On the E84 - Claimant Statement, indicate the beneficiary's Accumulation Annuity policy number if it is an intact transfer.

If transferring the proceeds to other Sun Life Financial products, indicate the beneficiary's policy or account number on the E84 - Claimant Statement.

When do I need to provide a will?

For all provinces other than Quebec, will requirements are determined by the total amount payable to the estate of the deceased. This includes individual life, group life and asset products.

  • If the amount is $150,000 to $249,999.99, a notarial copy of the will is required.
  • If the amount is $250,000 or more, a notarial copy of the probated will is required. 

In Quebec, if the amount is $150,000 or more, the requirements for settlement vary as follows:

  • If the life insured left a will, a notarially certified copy of the notarial will must be submitted. 
  • If the will is in holograph form, a certified true copy of the will and probate is required. 
  • If the amount payable to the estate is $250,000 or more, a Certificate of Search is required. 
  • If the life insured died without a will (intestate) but there is a marriage contract containing a testamentary disposition in favour of the surviving spouse, payment can be made under the terms of the marriage contract. Before the payment is made, the following documents are required: 
    • A true copy of the marriage contract indicating the date, place where made and registration number. 
    • A statutory declaration sworn before a commissioner of oaths. A copy of the statutory declaration is available from the Life Claims department. 
  • If the life insured died without a will (intestate), other than as outlined above, the insurance money is payable to the legal heirs. A notarized Declaration of Heirs is required if the amount is $150,000 or more. 
  • If the total proceeds payable to the estate do not exceed $149,999.99 and there is difficulty in obtaining the Declaration of Heirs document, we are prepared to issue a cheque payable to the "estate of the late...". A letter providing the names and addresses of all legal heirs is required

  • If death occurs within Canada a copy of a Death Certificate or Funeral Director's Statement can be submitted with an obituary or the name, address and phone number of the funeral home handling the services. 
  • If death occurs outside of Canada in order for Life Claims to complete the assessment of a death claim, original documents or signed and dated photocopies must be submitted. 

To send documents to Life Claim Services:
SLF of Canada Document Centre, Life Claims
227 King St. S 
PO Box 1601 Station Waterloo
Waterloo, ON N2J 4C5 Sun Code 300B25

When can I expect a payment?
Most death claims are paid within 5 business days of receiving the last claim requirement. Delays may occur for the following:

  • Policies underwritten within the last 5 years. 
  • Deaths outside of Canada. 
  • Accidental Death claims. 
  • Conflicting claimants. 

Partial payments in advance may be available to clients.

Is the beneficiary entitled to a partial or prorated dividend payment?

If the policy is active, dividends are payable on the policy anniversary following the end of the policy year. If the life insured dies prior to the policy anniversary, a partial or prorated dividend is not paid. If a dividend cheque is mailed and the life insured died prior to the anniversary date, the cheque must be returned for cancellation or the amount will be deducted from the death claim proceeds.