How to Fax a Life Insurance Claim Form
Updated October 2026
Someone you love has died, and you are the beneficiary on a life insurance policy. Some life insurance claims can be faxed for $1.00, but many cannot, and sending to the wrong route can slow the payment down.
Fax works for VGLI and for some private insurers on smaller claims. FEGLI claims must be mailed, SGLI goes through the military casualty office, and large claims often need a certified death certificate by mail. This page shows which is which.
Quick answer: Fax the claim only if the insurer's claim kit lists a fax number for claims. VGLI claims (Form SGLV 8283 plus a copy of the death certificate) can be faxed to OSGLI at 1-877-832-4943. FEGLI claims (Form FE-6) cannot be faxed: mail them with a certified death certificate to OFEGLI. A claim form and death certificate copy is usually under 10 pages, so it costs $1.00.
In this guide
Can Your Claim Be Faxed?
| Policy | Fax? | Where it goes |
|---|---|---|
| VGLI (veterans) | Yes | SGLV 8283 and death certificate copy to OSGLI, fax 1-877-832-4943 |
| SGLI and FSGLI (service members) | No, not by you | Through the Branch of Service Casualty Assistance Office |
| Other VA life insurance | No | Mail or upload to the VA Insurance Center |
| FEGLI (federal employees) | No | Mail Form FE-6 and a certified death certificate to OFEGLI |
| Private or group policy | Sometimes | The fax on the claim kit, if the insurer allows it for your claim size |
If you are settling the rest of the estate at the same time, our estate documents guide covers banks, pensions and the documents everyone asks for.
VGLI, SGLI and Other VA Policies
VGLI: the VA says to complete Form SGLV 8283 and fax or mail it to the Office of Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (OSGLI) with a copy of the death certificate. Fax 1-877-832-4943. The VA page says original copies of death certificates are not required. Mail goes to OSGLI, PO Box 70173, Philadelphia, PA 19176.
SGLI: if the service member died on active duty, in Reserve or Guard status, or during training, the SGLV 8283 goes through the Branch of Service Casualty Assistance Office, not straight to OSGLI. The beneficiary packet says a certified copy of the death certificate is required for SGLI. FSGLI (family coverage) uses Form SGLV 8283A, also through the casualty office.
Other VA life insurance: mail to VA Insurance Center, P O Box 5209, Janesville, WI 53547-5209, or upload through the VA's insurance document upload page. For VA benefits claims other than life insurance, see our VA fax guide, and for service records, our SF-180 guide.
FEGLI: Mail Only, Report the Death First
FEGLI claims cannot be faxed. First report the death: for an employee, to the agency's HR office; for a retiree, to OPM at www.opm.gov/ReportDeath or 1-888-767-6738. Then print Form FE-6 (it cannot be submitted online) and mail it with a certified copy of the death certificate to OFEGLI, P.O. Box 6080, Scranton, PA 18505-6080. For overnight delivery, use OFEGLI, 10 Ed Preate Drive, Moosic, PA 18507. OFEGLI's phone number is 1-800-633-4542.
OPM lists a fax number for OFEGLI under claim status, but its claim instructions say to mail the FE-6. Do not fax the claim itself. For a federal pension, see our retirement plan forms guide.
Private and Group Life Insurance
Rules vary by insurer and by policy size, so read the claim kit. As an example, MetLife accepts individual life claims online, by email, by fax at 1-908-655-9586, or by mail, but only if the policy is under $100,000 or an original or certified death certificate is already on file. MetLife accepts a copy of the death certificate for claims up to $250,000; above that it needs a certified copy with a raised or colored seal.
Group life insurance through a job usually starts with the employer's HR or benefits office, which sends you the insurer's claim form. If the insurer needs a certified death certificate by mail, fax the claim form only if the kit says you can, and mail the certificate as instructed.
What to Put on the Cover Page and Each Page
The cover page should say "Life insurance death claim," the insured person's full name and date of death, the policy number (or for VGLI, the veteran's name and service details the form asks for), your name as beneficiary, your phone number and the page count.
Put the insured's name and policy number at the top of every page. Sign the claim form where it asks. A cover page, claim form, death certificate copy and your ID is usually under 10 pages, so it costs $1.00. If the insurer asks for more, 11 to 25 pages is $1.99 and 26 to 50 is $2.99.
How to Send It for $1.00
- Scan the signed claim form and death certificate copy into one PDF, cover page first.
- Upload it on FaxForADollar.com.
- Type the 10-digit fax number from the claim kit, for VGLI 8778324943. The +1 is already added, so do not type a leading 1.
- Pay $1.00. No account needed.
It is usually delivered within a few minutes. Nothing is printed on your document. The confirmation email shows the destination number, page count and time (Eastern Time), your record of exactly when the claim was sent. If the fax fails, you are refunded automatically.
If the insurer wants to fax you a form or a question, GetAFax.com gives you a US fax number for 24 hours for $5, up to 30 pages, delivered to your email. For Social Security survivor paperwork, see our Social Security guide.
Why send it here
One dollar for up to 10 pages to any US or Canada number, shown before you pay, nothing added at checkout.
Nothing is printed on your document. It arrives exactly as you uploaded it.
If it cannot be delivered, the money goes back to your card without you asking.
No account, no subscription, nothing that renews. Send once and you are done.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to fax a life insurance claim form?
Do I have to sign up for anything to fax my VGLI claim?
my dad passed and he had VGLI, can I fax the claim form?
Can I fax a FEGLI death claim to OFEGLI?
Can I fax an SGLI claim straight to OSGLI?
Can I fax a MetLife life insurance claim?
the life insurance company wants a certified death certificate, can I fax it instead?
Where do I send a group life insurance claim from my late husband's job?
What is the OSGLI fax number for VGLI claims?
Is the OFEGLI fax number for filing a FEGLI claim?
Where do I find the fax number for a life insurance claim?
What should the cover sheet say on a life insurance death claim fax?
Can the life insurance company fax me the beneficiary paperwork?
How do I know my VGLI claim fax went through?
What if my life insurance claim fax fails?
Will anything be printed on my life insurance claim form when it arrives?
Where do I mail a VA life insurance claim that is not VGLI or SGLI?
Who do I report a federal retiree's death to before filing FEGLI?
Does MetLife accept a copy of the death certificate for a life claim?
Ready to send?
$1.00 for up to 10 pages, no account, delivery confirmation by email, full refund if it fails.
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