Help Estimating Death Benefit for a Transamerica VUL Policy from Late 90s
Hi everyone,
I’m trying to estimate the possible death benefit payout for my late sister’s Variable Universal Life (VUL) policy from Transamerica. Here’s everything I know:
My sister, Debra (born 1971), passed away on December 2024.
She had a 25-year career in biopharma in California(Chiron, later Novartis) before resigning in 2022.
She purchased her VUL policy before getting married in 1999, while working as a lab technician in California.
She was in her late 20s, healthy, and had no student loans or major financial obligations at the time.
She had a moderate risk appetite for investments.
She had no children and his husband passed away 2021.
Transamerica confirmed it’s a VUL, but customer service wouldn’t provide further details, instead directing me to CyberLife, I was able to talk to someone from CyberLife but couldn’t give me any info about the payout till the claims have been processed.(Claim forms submitted already and confirmed received by Transamerica but will take about 7 to 10 business days).
Four beneficiaries were originally named:
Mom (90, living in the Philippines, wheelchair-bound)
Dad (deceased 2012)
Brother Ciello (59, lives in Vallejo, CA)
Me (youngest – 44, living in the Philippines, full-time caregiver for Mom)
My other sister, Rose – 57, who is handling paperwork, initially told me the payout might be only $50K, but I’m unsure. Original policy certificate could no longer be found and she doesn’t have it.
Some Reddit users suggested that a VUL policy from the late 90s could have grown significantly, possibly ranging from $200K – $800K, assuming no loans or withdrawals were taken which I would assume she doesn’t have any loans because she has no major obligations.
My Questions:
Does Transamerica assigning this to CyberLife suggest a higher policy value?
Would a VUL from the late 90s typically start at only $50K, or was it likely higher?
For those familiar with Transamerica or VULs, what’s a reasonable estimate of what this policy could have grown to if it was well-managed?
If my dad was a beneficiary but passed away in 2012, how would his share be redistributed?
Would there be any problems for claims from the Philippines?
I’m in the Philippines handling this from overseas, so any insights would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance.
