Claiming benefits/compensations from insurers & banks; late intimation

951 votes

Please note that compensation is claimable only if the policy was active at the time of death. Since you mention the health insurance policy had expired and PMSBY auto-debit stopped years ago, those benefits unfortunately may not be claimable. Still, you should collect written confirmation from the insurers/banks instead of assuming, because sometimes accidental death benefits are attached to cards/accounts under group schemes. Here’s a step-by-step course of action: 1. Check PMSBY status: Visit the bank where premiums were earlier deducted, and get a certificate of last premium paid. If the scheme was inactive before the accident, compensation will not be payable. 2. Verify Health Insurance: Contact the insurer with the policy number. If the policy was not renewed before the accident, no claim arises. But ask for a written closure/repudiation letter. 3. Bank-linked benefits: Many debit cards (Rupay, Visa, Mastercard) offer complimentary accidental death insurance, valid if the cardholder did at least one transaction within the last 45–90 days. Ask each bank (where your mother held accounts) to confirm if such cover applied, and file claims accordingly. 4. Unclaimed balances: For the closed accounts, approach the banks with her death certificate and legal heir/survivorship proof to recover remaining balances. 5. Documentation: Keep ready – death certificate, FIR/post-mortem (since accidental), Aadhaar, succession proof (legal heir certificate or succession certificate if no nominee registered). In summary, while expired policies cannot be revived, you should still check for card-based accidental cover and active account-linked benefits. Get everything in writing so you can close the matter formally

Advocate Sanil Sarkar LawRato