How to Notify Royal London of a Death: Insurance Bereavement Guide 2026

By Farra Editorial Team•8 min read•Checked against source: 3 September 2026

How do I notify Royal London of a death?

1Royal London describes itself as the UK's largest mutual life, pensions and investment company — as a mutual it is owned by and run for its members rather than shareholders.
2Royal London specialises in life insurance and pensions — if the deceased held a Royal London pension as well as life cover, both can be notified through the same call.
3Any Royal London policies written in trust are paid directly to the named trustees and bypass the estate, meaning probate is not required for that portion of the claim.
4Royal London's bereavement page routes you by policy type — there is a different phone number, postal address and online form for each, so identify the product before calling.
5Royal London Group's postal address for bereavement correspondence varies by product too — Alderley Park in Macclesfield, Waverley Gate in Edinburgh and St Vincent Street in Glasgow all appear on its bereavement page, so use the one shown for that policy type.

When someone dies, notifying Royal London is one of the key tasks for the executor or next of kin. This guide explains exactly who to contact, what to say, what documents you will need, and how long Royal London takes to process a bereavement notification.

Royal London bereavement contact details

Phone: 0345 646 2092 — Mon–Fri 8am–6pm, excluding bank holidays(dedicated bereavement line)

Online: Royal London bereavement

Last verified: June 2026

Spotted a change? Email our team if a number, email, or link on this page is out of date and we'll update it straight away.

How to notify Royal London of a death — step by step

Contact Royal London
Start on Royal London's "Tell us about a bereavement" page. Royal London does not run a single bereavement line: the page asks what kind of policy the person held — pension, life cover, over-50s plan, funeral plan, an old Royal Liver or Scottish Life policy — and then gives the number, address and online form for that product. 0345 646 2092 (Mon–Fri 8am–6pm, excluding bank holidays) is one of those product lines, so check the page rather than assuming it is the right one.
Provide the death certificate and policy details
Royal London will need a certified copy of the death certificate and any policy numbers. If you do not have policy numbers, they can search by name, date of birth, and address.
Complete the life insurance claim
Royal London will send a claim form for each relevant policy. Complete and return the form with a certified copy of the death certificate and, for estate claims above the threshold, the grant of probate.
Cancel ongoing premiums
Royal London will cancel any life insurance premiums from the date of death and refund any overpaid premiums to the estate.
Claim proceeds paid
If the policy was in trust, Royal London will pay the trustees directly. Estate claims require the grant of probate. Royal London will confirm the expected payment timeline when the claim is registered.

What documents does Royal London need?

Certified copy of the death certificate
Policy number (on any correspondence)
Your name and contact details
Grant of probate or letters of administration, if the claim is being paid to the estate — Royal London does not publish a fixed threshold, so ask what it needs for the amount involved

Have multiple certified copies of the death certificate ready. Banks and financial institutions each require an original or certified copy — you cannot usually pass a single copy between organisations. See our guide to how many death certificates you need.

How long does Royal London take?

Royal London does not publish a processing time, so we do not give one. Ask when you notify them, and ask for a reference so you can chase it.

Accounts or services are usually frozen until the estate is administered, which means no new transactions can be authorised.

What happens after you notify Royal London?

Once Royal London receives your notification and confirms receipt, the account or service will be frozen and no new transactions will be authorised. Estate administration can then begin.

Royal London will confirm receipt of your notification and advise you of any next steps required to close or transfer the account or policy. Keep a record of all correspondence and reference numbers for the estate file.

What cannot wait

Do not delay notifying Royal London

Direct debits and standing orders may continue to be charged after death. Some organisations treat the estate as the debtor for any charges incurred before notification. Notifying Royal London promptly protects the estate from unnecessary costs.

Sources

How to notify Royal London of a death — step by step

Contact Royal London

Start on Royal London's "Tell us about a bereavement" page. Royal London does not run a single bereavement line: the page asks what kind of policy the person held — pension, life cover, over-50s plan, funeral plan, an old Royal Liver or Scottish Life policy — and then gives the number, address and online form for that product. 0345 646 2092 (Mon–Fri 8am–6pm, excluding bank holidays) is one of those product lines, so check the page rather than assuming it is the right one.

Provide the death certificate and policy details

Royal London will need a certified copy of the death certificate and any policy numbers. If you do not have policy numbers, they can search by name, date of birth, and address.

Complete the life insurance claim

Royal London will send a claim form for each relevant policy. Complete and return the form with a certified copy of the death certificate and, for estate claims above the threshold, the grant of probate.

Cancel ongoing premiums

Royal London will cancel any life insurance premiums from the date of death and refund any overpaid premiums to the estate.

Claim proceeds paid

If the policy was in trust, Royal London will pay the trustees directly. Estate claims require the grant of probate. Royal London will confirm the expected payment timeline when the claim is registered.

What documents does Royal London need?

Certified copy of the death certificate

Policy number (on any correspondence)

Your name and contact details

Grant of probate or letters of administration, if the claim is being paid to the estate — Royal London does not publish a fixed threshold, so ask what it needs for the amount involved

What happens after you notify Royal London?

Once Royal London receives your notification and confirms receipt, the account or service will be frozen and no new transactions will be authorised. Estate administration can then begin.