How Does Life Insurance Work When You Die? 
Your life insurance policy will have one or more beneficiaries listed as primary . When you die the primary beneficiary -LRB- s -RRB- file a death claim and send in a certified death certificate . The insurance company will mail or bank transfer the money to your beneficiary . If your primary beneficiary died before you did , it will be paid to your secondary beneficiary or to your estate if there is no living beneficiary . 