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MetLife Change of Beneficiary Form

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Change of Beneficiary By Policyowner

Do not use this form for a Joint Life Policy, Survivorship Whole Life Policy, or to change the beneficiary of a rider.

Please Print or Type Information.

Policy Number(s)

Insured

IMPORTANT NOTE: If any Beneficiary or Contingent Beneficiary is a minor at the time of the Insured’s death, MetLife may not be able to make payment until a guardian of the estate of the minor has been appointed.

I/We, Owner(s) of the above policy, revoke any previous designation of Beneficiary and Contingent Beneficiary under the above policy and any previous election of an optional mode of settlement (optional income plan) that applies to any amount payable under the policy in the event of death of the insured.

A. I/We name the following Revocable Beneficiary(ies) to receive any amount payable under the policy in the event of the death of the insured:

(If you are to be included as one of the beneficiaries, please print your name below.)

Beneficiary 1

Individual’s Name

Date of Birth

SSN/EIN

Share %

Gender Male Female

Relationship to Insured

Primary Residence

Business Mailing Other

Home Phone Business Phone & Ext. E-Mail Address

Country of Citizenship

Beneficiary 2

Individual’s Name

Date of Birth

SSN/EIN

Share %

Gender Male Female

Relationship to Insured

Primary Residence

Business Mailing Other

Home Phone Business Phone & Ext. E-Mail Address

Country of Citizenship

Beneficiary 3

Individual’s Name

Date of Birth

SSN/EIN

Share %

Gender Male Female

Relationship to Insured

Primary Residence

Business Mailing Other

Home Phone Business Phone & Ext. E-Mail Address

Country of Citizenship

Beneficiary 4

Individual’s Name

Date of Birth

SSN/EIN

Share %

Gender Male Female

Relationship to Insured

Primary Residence

Business Mailing Other

Home Phone Business Phone & Ext. E-Mail Address

Country of Citizenship

If you wish to designate more than 4 Revocable Beneficiaries, contact the MetLife Beneficiary & Ownership Unit for a form which can be used to accommodate this request.

Initial form here and sign on last page

Policy Number(s) Insured

B. If all the Beneficiaries named above shall predecease the Insured. I/We name the following Revocable Contingent Beneficiary(ies) to receive any amount payable under the policy in the event of the death of the Insured.

Contingent Beneficiary 1

Individual’s Name

Date of Birth

SSN/EIN

Share %

Gender Male Female

Relationship to Insured

Primary Residence

Business Mailing Other

Home Phone Business Phone & Ext. E-Mail Address

Country of Citizenship

Contingent Beneficiary 2

Individual’s Name

Date of Birth

SSN/EIN

Share %

Gender Male Female

Relationship to Insured

Primary Residence

Business Mailing Other

Home Phone Business Phone & Ext. E-Mail Address

Country of Citizenship

Contingent Beneficiary 3

Individual’s Name

Date of Birth

SSN/EIN

Share %

Gender Male Female

Relationship to Insured

Primary Residence

Business Mailing Other

Home Phone Business Phone & Ext. E-Mail Address

Country of Citizenship

Contingent Beneficiary 4

Individual’s Name

Date of Birth

SSN/EIN

Share %

Gender Male Female

Relationship to Insured

Primary Residence

Business Mailing Other

Home Phone Business Phone & Ext. E-Mail Address

Country of Citizenship

Contingent Beneficiary 5

Individual’s Name

Date of Birth

SSN/EIN

Share %

Gender Male Female

Relationship to Insured

Primary Residence

Business Mailing Other

Home Phone Business Phone & Ext. E-Mail Address

Country of Citizenship

If you wish to designate more than 5 Contingent Revocable Beneficiaries, contact the MetLife Beneficiary & Ownership Unit for a form which can be used to accommodate this request.

Initial form here and sign on last page

Policy Number(s) Insured

If multiple Beneficiaries or Contingent Beneficiaries are named above, payment will be made in equal shares or all to the survivor, unless otherwise specified. The share of any Beneficiary or Contingent Beneficiary who shall predecease the Insured will be divided among the surviving beneficiaries in proportion to their interest, with all to the survivor. If there is no survivor, then payment shall be made to the Owner.

I understand that this change shall be binding on MetLife only after it has been recorded and filed in the MetLife Home Office or Customer Service Center. Once recorded, the change will be effective as of the date signed below.

I understand that some policies may provide that a change of beneficiary must be endorsed on the policy. In completing this form, I consent and request that MetLife may in its discretion waive any such provision requiring endorsement for this and any future change. I consent and request that if the policy does not contain a beneficiary provision, that MetLife may pay any amount payable upon my death in accordance with this direction.

MetLife means the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company or any of its affiliates.

Witness:

Signature of Owner

Date

Print Name

Print Name (Prefix First Middle Last Suffix)

Owner Information

Primary Residence

Business Mailing Other

Home Phone Business Phone & Ext. E-Mail Address Country of Citizenship

Witness:

Signature of Co-Owner, if applicable

Date

Print Name

Print Name (Prefix First Middle Last Suffix)

Submitting Sales Office/Number/Agency

Signature Requirements

All signatures should be witnessed by a disinterested adult.

If the Owner is:

An Individual(s)

A Partnership

A Sole Proprietorship

A Corporation

A Trust

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What the MetLife Change of Beneficiary Form Is

The MetLife Change of Beneficiary Form is the official document policyholders use to change the named beneficiary for a MetLife life insurance policy or annuity. It records the policy number, the existing beneficiary designation, the new beneficiary or beneficiaries (primary and contingent), and the policyowner’s signature and date. The form creates an administrative instruction to MetLife to update its records and, when properly completed and accepted, governs how proceeds will be distributed at claim time. Completing it accurately helps avoid delays, conflicting claims, or unintended heirs.

Why updating your beneficiary matters

Updating beneficiary designations ensures insurance proceeds pass to the intended person or estate and avoids probate, contested claims, or unintended distribution. The change form provides clear written instructions to MetLife and creates a record of the policyowner’s intent under ESIGN (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and applicable state electronic transaction laws.

Why updating your beneficiary matters

Who typically completes this form

If you are unsure whether you have authority to change a beneficiary, consult the policy terms or request MetLife’s guidance; incorrect signatory authority can invalidate the change.

  • Individual policyowners updating family or estate planning arrangements, often after marriage, divorce, birth, or death
  • Executors or trustees with documented authority to change designations under a trust or estate power
  • HR or benefits administrators for employer-sponsored MetLife policies when authorized by the employee

Step-by-step: Completing the MetLife Change of Beneficiary Form

Follow these four primary steps to complete the form accurately and reduce processing delays.

  • 01
    Gather documents: Locate the policy number and current beneficiary information.
  • 02
    Complete fields: Enter full names, relationships, addresses, and TINs where requested.
  • 03
    Sign and date: Sign in ink or use an accepted eSignature method and add the date.
  • 04
    Submit to MetLife: Mail, fax, or eSubmit per MetLife instructions; retain a copy.

Key elements included on the MetLife Change of Beneficiary Form

This form contains the essential fields MetLife requires to record a beneficiary change and create an administrative record tied to the policy.

Policy details

Policy number and product type (life insurance vs annuity) to ensure the change applies to the correct contract and billing record.

Owner identification

Policyowner’s legal name, address, date of birth, and contact information for identity verification and follow-up.

Beneficiary sections

Designations for primary and contingent beneficiaries, with allocation percentages and relationship descriptions.

Tax identifiers

Spaces for beneficiary SSN/TIN to support tax reporting and avoid backup withholding events.

Signature area

Owner signature and date plus optional witness or notary blocks if state or policy requires enhanced authentication.

Instructions

Completion notes and submission options, including mailing address, fax number, or eSubmission guidance.

How to configure an online change workflow

When digitizing the form, set each workflow element to match MetLife’s acceptance criteria and your internal review steps.

Field Configuration
Policy Number Field Required, numeric-only validation
Beneficiary Name Field Required, free-text with suffix support
SSN/TIN Field Optional but recommended; masked input allowed
Signature Field Required; support for typed, drawn, or verified eSignature

Typical submission flow for beneficiary changes

A reliable submission flow reduces back-and-forth and provides MetLife with a clear change request trail.

  • Prepare: Complete the form with supporting details and signatures.
  • Authenticate: Confirm owner identity via ID or eSignature authentication.
  • Send: Submit to MetLife using the accepted channel.
  • Confirm: Obtain MetLife acknowledgement and retain proof of submission.

Technical considerations for digital completion

Confirm with MetLife which channels it accepts (mail, fax, or electronic submission) and preserve copies with full audit data for your records.

  • File formats: PDF or DOCX preferred
  • Authentication: Email+SMS or stronger
  • Audit trail: IP, timestamp, and event log

Common preparation pitfalls to avoid

  • Using informal names (nicknames) for beneficiaries, which can lead to ambiguity and contested claims later in probate.
  • Failing to include Social Security numbers or TINs when requested, triggering administrative holds or backup withholding risks.
  • Not obtaining required signatory authority when an agent, trustee, or guardian signs, which can render the change ineffective.
  • Submitting unsigned or undated forms; MetLife typically returns incomplete forms and processing is delayed until a valid signature is received.

Legal and financial risks of errors

Delayed payout: Claims processing may be held pending clarification
Contested claims: Increased likelihood of litigation between claimants
Tax consequences: Incorrect TINs can trigger IRS backup withholding
Administrative rejection: Form may be returned as incomplete
Unauthorized changes: Invalid if signer lacks authority
Record mismatch: Multiple conflicting designations can complicate settlement

Data elements MetLife commonly requires

Policy Number: Policy identifier
Owner Name: Legal full name
Beneficiary Name: Full legal name
Relationship: Relationship to owner
SSN/TIN: Tax identifier
Signature Date: MM/DD/YYYY

Timing and processing expectations

Understand expected processing times and timelines to set realistic expectations after submission.

Receipt processing:

Varies; 7–21 business days typical

Acknowledgement:

MetLife may issue a written confirmation after update

Effective date:

Change effective on acceptance by MetLife

Claim impact:

Payout follows the beneficiary on record at claim time

Follow-up:

Retain submission proof for at least 3 years

Key milestones after you submit the form

Track these numbered milestones from submission through confirmation to ensure the change completes as intended.

01

Submission

Owner sends completed form and proof of ID when required

02

Intake review

MetLife verifies policy number and completeness

03

Validation

Company confirms beneficiary identity or requests clarification

04

Confirmation

MetLife updates records and may send written acknowledgement

Comparison: signNow and common eSignature vendors

This vendor comparison highlights typical starting prices and basic feature availability relevant to submitting forms like the MetLife Change of Beneficiary Form.

signNow DocuSign Adobe Sign PandaDoc HelloSign
Starting Price $8/user/mo $15/user/mo $14/user/mo $19/user/mo $15/user/mo
Free Trial 7-day free trial Varies by plan Varies by plan Varies by plan Varies by plan
Bulk Send Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Audit Trail Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
HIPAA Compliant Yes Yes Yes No No

Frequently asked questions and troubleshooting

Answers to common questions about completing and submitting a MetLife Change of Beneficiary Form.


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