Why Life Insurers Need to Rethink Beneficiary Planning and Post‑Loss Support
The Great Wealth Transfer is usually framed as an investment story. But for life insurers, it’s fundamentally a claims and coverage story.
By 2048, more than $124 trillion in U.S. wealth is expected to change hands, much of it in the wake of a death. A portion of that will support charities, but most will move to spouses and children. In many families, life insurance will be the first meaningful asset to pay out, and often the only one with clearly named beneficiaries.
That makes life carriers central players in how this transfer actually feels for families: orderly or chaotic, supported or abandoned.
The question is no longer whether the Great Wealth Transfer is coming. It’s whether your coverage, beneficiary planning, and loss‑support experience are ready for it.
Why the Great Wealth Transfer Raises the Stakes for Life Insurers
The same forces worrying wealth firms about AUM should be prompting carriers to re‑evaluate how coverage is designed and delivered. Because the reality is: families aren’t prepared, but they expect you to be. Life insurance may be the best-organized part of the picture, but if the experience stops at “file the claim and wait,” families can still feel lost and unsupported.
Claims Are Now “Moments of Truth,” Not Just Transactions
Each claim is:
A test of whether your brand promise of protection feels real.
An opportunity to either earn multigenerational trust or to become just another logo on a check.
A moment where families decide how they feel about all of the benefits and products connected to the deceased, not just life insurance.
If beneficiaries encounter confusion, long waits for answers, or no help with real‑world tasks, they associate that experience with the carrier and, often, with the employer or distributor who offered the coverage.
Next‑Gen Beneficiaries Expect More Than a Phone Number
Expanding Claims into “Loss and Estate Support”
Families don’t experience separate “insurance,” “HR,” and “legal” tasks after a death — it’s one overwhelming to‑do list.
To assess your coverage today, ask:
Claims experience vs. full journey
Beyond paying the claim, what support do you provide for the many other tasks families face?
Is there one place beneficiaries can see what’s next, what’s done, and what help is available?
Partnerships and integrations
Are you working with specialized platforms for grief, logistics, and estate tasks?
Can you offer a consistent experience across products, employers, and distribution partners?
If the answer to these is “not really” or “only in pockets,” your coverage isn’t yet ready for the realities of the Great Wealth Transfer — even if your products and pricing are competitive.
Turning a Legacy Risk Into a Loyalty Advantage
The Great Wealth Transfer will test every life insurer’s promise to “be there when it matters most.”
Carriers that treat beneficiary planning and post‑loss support as core parts of coverage, not as extras, will:
Resolve claims more smoothly and reduce disputes.
Earn trust with surviving spouses and children who will make their own coverage decisions down the line.
Help employer and distributor partners stand out with a benefit that truly feels like protection, not just paperwork and a payout.
Ultimately, coverage that’s ready for the Great Wealth Transfer is coverage that sees beyond the policy. It recognizes that when a life ends, the real work is helping the people left behind navigate what comes next — financially, practically, and emotionally.
Now is the time to ask: If a beneficiary called you tomorrow, in the middle of their hardest week, would your coverage feel ready for them?
Empathy’s award-winning platform extends the promise of life insurance into the moments that matter most, offering:
Guidance for legacy planning
Practical and emotional support after a loss
Education that simplifies complex decisions
Tools that strengthen trust, loyalty, and long-term financial well-being