11 Step 11 of 18

Claim on any life insurance

Within the first month

Check whether the person had a life insurance policy. Payouts can help cover funeral costs, mortgage payments, or other immediate expenses.

Look through the person's paperwork, bank statements, and emails for any insurance policies. Common types:

- Term life insurance
- Whole-of-life insurance
- Mortgage protection insurance
- Death-in-service benefits (through their employer)
- Accidental death cover (sometimes included with bank accounts)

Contact each insurer with a copy of the death certificate. Most insurers have a bereavement claims team.

Life insurance policies written in trust are paid out directly and do not form part of the estate — so they are not affected by probate.

What you will need

Policy documents or policy numbers
A death certificate
The claimant's ID (the beneficiary named in the policy)

30 minutes per claim

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12. Manage their social media and online accounts

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