Answer Book question
In the first two weeks: get multiple certified copies of the death certificate; find the bank passbooks and stop standing instructions only after listing them; locate insurance policies and intimate the insurers; secure property documents and the phone; and start a one-page inventory of every institution he dealt with. Claims can wait a month. Losing track of something cannot be undone.
In the first two weeks: get multiple certified copies of the death certificate; find the bank passbooks and stop standing instructions only after listing them; locate insurance policies and intimate the insurers; secure property documents and the phone; and start a one-page inventory of every institution he dealt with. Claims can wait a month. Losing track of something cannot be undone.
A family in Pathanamthitta closes the father's savings account in week two. In week four they discover the health policy premium for the mother was on auto-debit from that account, and the policy has lapsed. The mother is now uninsured at 68.
The estate has assets (accounts, deposits, investments, insurance, property, gold, pension arrears) and obligations (loans, guarantees, tax). Before touching anything, map it. Nominations decide speed; the will or succession law decides who ultimately owns what.
Death certificate. at least 10 certified copies Passbooks, cheque books, ATM cards, bank SMS on his phone Insurance policies: life, health, vehicle Standing instructions and auto-debits Property documents and tax receipts Loans: home, gold, vehicle, personal, guarantees Pension and employer benefits Demat and mutual fund statements, PAN His phone, email and app access
Closing accounts before listing what flows through them. And forgetting that legal heirs can be liable for secured debts against inherited assets.
The legal heirship certificate from the village office/tahsildar is needed by many institutions; apply early as it takes weeks. Many Kerala fathers held accounts in cooperative banks and societies that do not appear in any digital trail; ask neighbours and the society itself.
Week 1: death certificate copies, phone secured, folder started. Week 2: insurers intimated, heirship certificate applied for. Week 3–4: bank visits with the inventory, nominations checked. Month 2: claims filed.
If the father left a will naming an executor, the executor leads; if the estate is complex or contested, involve a lawyer before moving assets.
Get death certificate copies List before closing anything Apply for the legal heirship certificate
How do I find all of my father's bank accounts? How do we claim a life-insurance policy? What benefits can a widow in Kerala qualify for? What should we do with the deceased person's PAN and bank accounts?
Health, disability & life events · Family support · Documents
RBI guidance on deceased depositors' claims and UDGAM portal · SEBI/AMFI transmission procedures · IRDAI claim guidelines · Kerala Registration and Revenue Department procedures for legal heirship · Indian Succession Act / Hindu Succession Act as applicable Rates, limits and whether you may qualify change. Confirm with the official source. Ask Kerala Rising: Start with a Family Asset Inventory. Send us what you know so far. even a name and a bank. and we will help you work through every place worth checking. WhatsApp +1 443 595 9000 · keralarising.com Kerala Rising › Family › After a death · After a death 2
This page is general orientation, not personal insurance, investment, medical, legal, lending, tax, or professional advice. Rules, rates, benefits, and claim or application decisions can change. Confirm the current position with the named official source and use a licensed or qualified professional where your situation requires one. Kerala Rising does not decide whether you may qualify, approve claims, or promise an outcome.