How soon does a beneficiary get paid by insurance?

You contact the life insurance company and tell the representative that you want to file a claim. They will want you to provide a death certificate and identification. The death benefit will be paid typically within 60 days. If the insured died within two years of applying for the life insurance policy, the insurance company may investigate and this investigation could easily take 2-3 years or more. If the insured committed suicide, the insurance company will not pay the death benefit if the suicide occurred during the "suicide period" which is typically the first two years after the policy initiation. A beneficiary who contributed to the insured's death will most likely get nothing. A beneficiary who contributed to the insured's death by accident will most likely receive the benefit, but not always. If the accident occurred while the beneficiary was committing a crime, even if the death was an accident, the claim for the death benefit will likely be denied.