Finding the right Metlife metropolitan life insurance company phone number isn't as simple as googling it and hitting the first digits you see. Honestly, most people end up in a loop of automated menus because they call the "general" line instead of the specific department they actually need.
MetLife is a massive beast. It’s been around since 1868. When a company is that old and that big, they don't just have one phone number; they have a labyrinth. If you’re calling about a policy you bought yourself, you need one department. If you have insurance through your boss, that’s a totally different crowd.
Getting it right the first time saves you about 45 minutes of elevator music. Trust me.
The "One Number" Everyone Tries First
Most people start with 1-800-METLIFE (1-800-638-5433). It’s the brand. It’s easy to remember. But here’s the thing: that is basically just a switchboard.
If you want to skip the "press 1 for English" marathon, you need to know where your policy lives. Metropolitan Life Insurance Company—often just called MetLife—divides its world into Individual and Group.
Individual Life Insurance (The "I Bought This Myself" Line)
If you are the owner of the policy and you pay the premiums directly out of your bank account, your go-to number is 1-800-638-5000.
This line handles:
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- Death benefit claims (Individual policies).
- Address changes.
- Beneficiary updates.
- Premium payments for policies ending in UT, MT, MLU, or MLV.
Interestingly, if your policy doesn't end in those specific letters, MetLife sometimes points you toward 1-833-642-1007. It’s a weird quirk of their legacy systems.
The Workplace Reality: Group Life Insurance
Most Americans actually interact with MetLife through their employer. If your life insurance is a "benefit," calling the individual line above will just get you a polite "sorry, can't help you."
For Group Life Insurance, the magic number is 1-800-638-6420.
When you call this one, you usually have to hit Prompt 2. You'll want your policy or certificate number ready. If you don't have it, have your Social Security number and your employer's full legal name handy. Without those, the reps basically can't even open your file due to privacy laws.
What About Dental and Vision?
MetLife isn't just life insurance. They are huge in the dental space. If you're trying to find a dentist or argue about a crown, don't call the life insurance lines.
- Dental PPO: 1-800-942-0854.
- Dental HMO: 1-800-880-1800.
- Vision (Individual/Non-Group): 1-800-750-4303.
It’s worth noting that if you have a Vision PPO through work, there’s a specific "Vision PPO" prompt on the general employee line. It gets confusing, fast.
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The Brighthouse Financial Confusion
Here is the "Big Secret" that trips up thousands of people every year. Back in 2017, MetLife spun off a huge chunk of its individual life insurance and annuity business into a separate company called Brighthouse Financial.
If you have an old "Metropolitan Life" policy from the 90s or early 2000s, there is a very high chance it isn't actually managed by MetLife anymore.
You’ll know this happened if your mail starts coming with a green logo instead of the MetLife blue. If your policy was transitioned, calling the Metlife metropolitan life insurance company phone number won't do much. You’ll need to call Brighthouse at 1-800-638-5433 (they actually took over the main number for many legacy accounts) or check your specific ID card.
Claims: The High-Stakes Phone Call
Calling about a claim is never fun. It’s usually a time of grief or high stress.
For a Group Life Claim (employer-sponsored), the process actually starts with the employer's HR department. MetLife prefers the employer to initiate the "notice of death." However, if you're the beneficiary and need to check a status, 1-800-638-6420 is still your best bet.
If it's an Individual Life Claim, stick to 1-800-638-5000.
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Pro Tip: Have the death certificate scanned and ready before you call. They’ll ask for the cause of death and the date. If the death happened outside the U.S., they almost always require the original death certificate mailed to their Scranton, PA office. Copies usually won't cut it for international cases.
Why You Might Not Want to Call at All
Let's be real. Phone wait times in 2026 can still be a nightmare. MetLife has put a lot of money into their MyBenefits portal.
For basic stuff like:
- Changing a mailing address.
- Checking if a payment went through.
- Downloading a 1099-R form.
- Finding a local dentist.
You are almost always better off logging in online. The website is metlife.com/mybenefits. If you have technical issues with the site, their tech support line is 1-877-963-8932.
International and Retirement Specifics
MetLife is global. If you’re calling from outside the States, or if you’re dealing with a specific retirement product, the numbers shift again.
- Pensions Customer Service: 1-800-638-5656.
- Annuities (Purchased via Agent): 1-800-638-7732.
- Long-Term Care (LTC): 1-800-308-0179.
The Long-Term Care line is notoriously busy. If you’re filing an LTC claim, call 1-888-687-0977 instead of the general service line. It’s a direct path to the claims adjusters.
Actionable Steps to Get Help Faster
- Check your ID card first. This sounds obvious, but the number on the back of your specific card is routed to the exact department that handles your specific plan. It bypasses the general "who are you" menus.
- Call Tuesday through Thursday. Monday is the busiest day for insurance companies (everyone realizes they have a problem over the weekend). Friday afternoons are also a graveyard for quick service.
- Use the "Claimant" shortcut. If you're calling the group line, saying "Representative" or "Agent" over and over sometimes works, but selecting the prompt for "Existing Claim" usually gets a human on the line faster than "General Questions."
- Gather the "Big Three" before dialing. Have the Policy Number, the Insured's Social Security Number, and the Date of Birth. If you don't have these, the phone rep literally cannot help you with specific account details due to HIPAA and privacy regulations.
If you find that your policy number starts with a 200 or 199, and it's an individual policy, you are likely looking at an older Metropolitan Life contract. These are the ones that often require the 1-800-638-5000 line. Anything else? Check that employer portal first.
Start by verifying your policy type on your last billing statement. Once you know if it's "Group" or "Individual," use the specific numbers listed above to bypass the primary switchboard and reach a specialist who can actually see your data.