How Life Insurers Verify Death Before Settling a Claim?

2025-07-10

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Losing someone close takes you to the deepest end, and in that case, meddling with the paperwork and financial prospects can become even more overwhelming. It brings all to one simple conclusion: Prepare for it at the earliest stages possible. If you are a policyholder with lingering thoughts about what happens after death, this blog is the answer to all your queries. Unravel the mysteries beyond the sunset. Know how your family members and beneficiaries can benefit from your good deeds after you are no longer there to take care of them.

An insurance provider builds a safety net for the beneficiaries after the policyholder’s passing away, but it undergoes a series of strategic steps to ensure that there is not any kind of fraud involved. Therefore, simply holding a life insurance policy is not enough to protect those you will leave behind. You and your family must know who to reach out to, what documents to carry, and how early to claim the insurance. Read on to understand!

Key Takeaways

Policyholders should keep their beneficiaries informed on the matter of their life insurance.
Grief is a part of life, and when the candle extinguishes, seeking light in potentially helpful places is what we all do.
A death certificate plays the most important role in claim settlements.
Learn all about the papers you may need to carry out a seamless claim process.
Understanding the extent of life insurance cover and being vigilant and informed about the various steps involved is the best approach.

Importance of Death Certificate: A Foundation

Whatever your insurer guarantees in the policy, the life insurance cover is unclaimable without a death certificate. You may submit the original or an attested copy of the death certificate from the local municipal authority. It is essential and of paramount importance in the procedure and contains the following information.

The deceased person’s official name
Date of birth
Date and time of death
Location of Death
Medical details concerning the cause of death
Notifying a person’s information
The stamp and signature of the issuing authority

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Beyond the Basics: Additional Verification Steps

The life insurance policy also requires a number of other documents. You must carefully set them aside before visiting the office to set the claim. Have a look at the additional information and steps you need to take.

Policy Documents: The insurers vigilantly go through the details of the life insurance cover and ensure the beneficiaries do not receive benefits that they are not eligible for. They may check when the insurance was purchased and if there is any waiting period.
Death Claim Application Form (Form C): You will also be required to submit a Form C, which concerns the confirmation date and location of the burial or cremation from an independent, reliable source. It is signed by someone related or known to the deceased, but not a beneficiary.
Nominee's Document: The person coming forward to settle the death claim for a life insurance policy must bring a photo identity proof, such as a copy of a passport, PAN card, voter card, aadhaar card, etc. The insurers use it to verify that the nominee is the same as the one mentioned in the policy.
Documentation as Per the Cause Of Death: Insurance providers may ask for further papers to verify the cause of death, depending on how it is stated in the death certificate.
1. Natural Death: In case of natural death, the nominees and beneficiaries should bring the following documents. The earlier you submit these documents, the faster and seamless the claim becomes.
- Physician's Statement
- Treating Hospital Certificate
- Employer or School College Certificate
- Hospital or any other treatment documents
Unnatural Death: If the policyholder dies of an unnatural death, such as a murder, suicide, or an accident which is under investigation, then it may take the life insurance policy to be settled early. The insurers verify the death using the following documents.
- First Information Report (FIR), Panchanama, and Police Complaint
- Post Mortem Report (PMR), Autopsy or Viscera Report
- Final Police Investigation Report (FPIR) or Charge Sheet

Did You Know?

An insurance provider must settle the claim within 30 days of receiving all relevant documents after the natural death of the policyholder.

Source: IRDAI

NEFT Mandate Form

This form simplifies the transfer procedures. It should be attested by bank authorities and also have a cancelled cheque or bank account passbook. It makes the claim settlement steps faster and more efficient.

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Conclusion

In essence, all policyholders must keep their beneficiaries and nominees aware of their life insurance policy and inform them of the process that follows. The insurance providers follow a strict and thorough process to ensure no one misuses or uses the policy for fraudulent activities.

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Glossary

Death Certificate: A legal document confirming the death of a person issued by a medical practitioner or government office.
Form C: As per the death claim application form, it is categorised as a certificate of identification.
Viscera Report: A medical analysis of the deceased to detect the presence of poisons or other substances in the body.
Charge Sheet: The final formal document prepared by the police after the investigation stating the charges against the accused.
IRDAI: The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India is a body that manages the insurance sector in India.

FAQs

A life insurance policy refers to an agreement between the company and the policyholder stating that, in exchange for regular payments of the premium, the policyholder's beneficiaries receive benefits after the policyholder's death.

Inform the insurer about the death as early as possible by walking into branch offices, emailing, or using a mobile app; collect all the documents; wait for the verification procedure to complete; and receive the sum and settle the claim.

To claim life insurance after a policyholder’s death, you must have their death certificate, policy documents, death claim application form, NEFT mandate form, nominee’s documents, and other essential papers as requested in the policy.

As per the directions of the IRDAI, insurers should not take longer than 30 days to settle a death claim if there is no investigation involved.

These are the situations when beneficiaries do not receive life insurance cover even when the policyholder passes away.

If a policyholder committed suicide within the policy's initial period.
If there is any fraudulent misrepresentation while filing a claim application.
If a policyholder dies while carrying out any illegal activities.
If the person dies under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
If the cause of death is participation in dangerous activities.

Disclaimer - This article is issued in the general public interest and meant for general information purposes only. The views expressed in this blog are solely those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Canara HSBC Life Insurance Company Limited or any affiliated entity. We make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability, or availability with respect to the blog or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained in the blog for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk. You should consult with a qualified professional regarding your specific circumstances before taking any action based on the content provided herein.