Someone Just Died: The Complete India Checklist (First 30 Days)

If you’ve just lost someone, the most important thing right now: get the death certificate. Everything else, every single bank claim, insurance filing, and property transfer, depends on it. Get at least 15 copies.

This checklist covers everything that needs to happen in the first 30 days, whether you’ve lost a spouse, parent, sibling, or anyone close. It’s organized by time so you know what to do first and what can wait.

Day 1: The Immediate Essentials

Get the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death

Before the death certificate comes the medical certificate. This states the cause of death and is issued by:

• Hospital death: The attending doctor issues it
• Home death (doctor present): The treating physician provides it
• Home death (no doctor): Call a registered medical practitioner, or take the body to a government hospital
• Accident or unnatural death: The police must be informed; a post-mortem will be conducted

Keep this certificate safe. You’ll need it to get the official death certificate.

Inform Close Family and Employer

Call immediate family first. Then inform the deceased’s employer (if they were working) because employer-related benefits like EPF, gratuity, EDLI, and group insurance all have processes that start with notification.

Handle Funeral Arrangements

Follow your family’s customs. Keep receipts for all expenses. These may matter for estate settlement later.

Days 2-7: Death Certificate and Document Gathering

Apply for the Death Certificate

This is the single most important document. Without it, nothing moves.

Where to apply:

• Municipal Corporation or Nagar Palika (urban areas)
• Gram Panchayat (rural areas)
• Many hospitals have facilitation desks that help

Documents needed:

• Medical certificate of cause of death
• Deceased’s ID proof (Aadhaar, PAN, Voter ID)
• Deceased’s address proof
• Your ID proof (as the informant)
• Hospital discharge summary (if applicable)

Deadline: The Registration of Births and Deaths Act requires death registration within 21 days. After 21 days but within 30 days, you can register with a late fee. Between 30 days and one year requires the District Registrar’s written permission. Beyond one year needs a Magistrate’s order.

Timeline: Usually 3-7 working days. Some municipal offices issue it in 24-48 hours.

How many copies: Get 15-20 certified copies. Every bank, insurance company, and government office will ask for one. Running out means going back to queue again.

Secure Important Documents

Start gathering everything you can find. Check drawers, lockers, email, phone, and files:

• PAN card and Aadhaar card
• Passport and Voter ID
• Bank passbooks, chequebooks, and statements
• Fixed deposit receipts
• All insurance policies (life, health, vehicle)
• Property documents (sale deeds, registration)
• Will (check with a lawyer, bank locker, or trusted family member)
• Investment statements (mutual funds, demat, PPF, NPS)
• Loan documents (home loan, car loan, personal loans)
• EPF/pension statements
• Vehicle registration certificate (RC)
• Business documents (if self-employed or partner)

Don’t know where things are? Check email for statements. Look for SMS alerts from banks and insurers on the deceased’s phone. Check the home and office for files.

Access Immediate Funds

You need money for daily expenses. Here’s the fastest route:

Situation	What You Can Do
Joint bank account (Either or Survivor)	Operate immediately. No documents needed.
You’re the nominee	Visit the bank with death certificate + your ID. Takes 1-2 weeks.
No joint account, no nominee	You’ll need a legal heir certificate or succession certificate. For amounts under Rs 15 lakh, banks may process claims with simplified documents under RBI’s 2025 Directions.

Days 7-14: Notify and File Claims

Once you have the death certificate, start filing claims. You don’t need to do everything at once. Here’s the priority order.

Priority 1: Life Insurance Claims

File these first because insurers have internal timelines.

What to do:

1. Call the insurance company’s claim helpline
2. Submit Claim Form (Form 3783 for LIC, or the insurer’s specific form)
3. Attach: death certificate, policy document, claimant’s ID, claimant’s bank details

Timeline: IRDAI requires insurers to settle claims within 30 days of receiving complete documents. If they investigate (common for claims within 3 years of policy purchase), they get 90 more days.

Have multiple policies? File each one separately. Check term insurance, endowment, ULIPs, and group insurance through the employer.

For detailed steps: LIC Death Claim Process | Term Insurance Claim Process

Priority 2: Bank Account Claims

With nominee: Visit the branch with death certificate, nominee’s ID, and a claim form. Banks should settle within 15 days per RBI guidelines.

Without nominee: For balances up to Rs 15 lakh, banks can settle with a legal heir certificate and an indemnity bond (no succession certificate needed per RBI’s 2025 Directions). Above Rs 15 lakh, you’ll likely need a succession certificate.

Multiple banks? File at each bank separately.

For bank-specific guides: SBI | HDFC Bank | ICICI Bank | How to Claim a Deceased Person’s Bank Account

Priority 3: Employer Benefits (If Employed)

Contact the HR department. They’ll handle:

Benefit	What It Is	Typical Timeline
EPF	Provident fund balance + pension (EPS) + EDLI insurance (up to Rs 7 lakh)	30 days via EPFO Unified Portal using composite death claim form
Gratuity	15 days’ salary per year of service (if employed 5+ years)	30 days from claim per Payment of Gratuity Act
Group Insurance	Company-provided life cover	Varies by insurer
Pending salary and leave encashment	Final settlement from employer	Usually within 30-45 days

For details: EPF Claim After Death | Gratuity Claim After Death | Family Pension Claim

Priority 4: Investment Claims

These aren’t urgent in the first week, but start the process once you have the death certificate:

Asset	Where to File	Key Document
Mutual funds	AMC or registrar (CAMS/KFintech)	Transmission form + death certificate
Demat account (shares)	Depository participant (broker)	Transmission form per CDSL/NSDL process
PPF	Post office or bank where PPF is held	Claim form + death certificate
NPS	CRA (NSDL/KFintech) via nodal office	Withdrawal form + death certificate
Fixed deposits	Respective bank	Same as bank claim process

For details: Mutual Fund Claim | Demat Transmission | NPS Death Claim | PPF Claim | FD Claim

Days 14-30: Legal Certificates and Property

Decide: Legal Heir Certificate or Succession Certificate?

You’ll likely need one of these for claims where there’s no nominee. Here’s which one:

Certificate	Issued By	Timeline	Best For
Legal heir certificate	Revenue department (Tehsildar/SDM)	15-30 days	Government benefits, pensions, property mutation, simpler bank claims
Succession certificate	Civil court	3-6 months	Larger bank claims (above Rs 15 lakh), movable assets, debts

In most cases, start with the legal heir certificate because it’s faster. You can apply for a succession certificate in parallel if needed.

For detailed guides: Legal Heir Certificate Online | Succession Certificate Process | Which One to Choose?

Start Property Mutation (If Applicable)

If the deceased owned property, you’ll need to update the land records. This is called mutation (or dakhil kharij, patta transfer, or khata transfer depending on your state).

Don’t rush this. Property mutation requires the legal heir certificate or will. Get those first. Mutation can take 1-3 months depending on your state.

For state guides: Maharashtra | Karnataka | Delhi | Tamil Nadu | Full State Guide

Handle Loans and Debts

Home loan: Check if there’s a Home Loan Protection Plan (HLPP) or credit life insurance. If yes, the loan gets paid off. If no, the liability passes to co-borrowers or legal heirs (but only to the extent of inherited assets).

Personal loans and credit cards: Heirs are liable only up to the value of the inheritance, not from their own pockets. See Credit Card Debt After Death.

Vehicle loan: Check for loan protection insurance. The vehicle and loan both pass to the legal heir.

Government ID Closure

These aren’t urgent, but handle them within 3-6 months to prevent identity misuse.

Aadhaar Deactivation

UIDAI launched a “Reporting of Death of a Family Member” service on the myAadhaar portal in June 2025. It covers 24 states/UTs. UIDAI also deactivates Aadhaar automatically by matching death records from the Civil Registration System, but family-initiated reporting is faster and more reliable.

PAN Surrender

Not legally mandatory, but recommended to prevent misuse. Write a letter to the Income Tax Officer of the deceased’s jurisdiction with the PAN number, death certificate, and your ID. If the deceased had income in the year of death, file their final ITR first (the legal representative is required to do this under Section 159 of the Income Tax Act).

For details: ITR Filing for Deceased Person

Voter ID

Apply for deletion at the Electoral Registration Officer’s office or through the National Voters’ Service Portal using Form 7.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Not getting enough death certificate copies. Get 15-20. Every institution wants one.
2. Closing bank accounts too early. Keep them open until all auto-debits, EMIs, and credits are accounted for.
3. Ignoring smaller accounts. Old FDs, forgotten PPF accounts, postal savings. Check thoroughly.
4. Making major financial decisions too fast. Don’t sell property, change investments, or restructure finances in the first 3 months unless absolutely necessary.
5. Not checking for a will. Ask the family lawyer, check the bank locker, and look through personal papers. A will simplifies everything.
6. Assuming nominee equals owner. Nomination gives the right to receive, not own. The legal heirs are the true owners.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I access the bank account immediately after death?

Only if it’s a joint account with “Either or Survivor” mandate. For single accounts, you need the death certificate and either nominee documentation or legal heir/succession certificate.

How long does the entire process take?

Simple cases (clear nominee, single bank, life insurance): 2-3 months. Complex cases (no will, multiple heirs, disputed property): 6 months to 2+ years.

What if the bank is refusing to release money?

This is more common than it should be. You have options: escalate to the bank’s nodal officer, file a complaint with the RBI Banking Ombudsman, or approach the consumer forum. See our detailed guide: Bank Refusing to Release Money After Death.

Do I need a lawyer?

Not always. Simple claims (insurance, EPF, small bank accounts) can be handled yourself. You’ll likely need a lawyer for: succession certificate applications, property disputes, will contests, or claims above Rs 15 lakh without a nominee.

What if there’s no will?

Property and assets are distributed per the applicable succession law (Hindu Succession Act for Hindus, Muslim Personal Law for Muslims, Indian Succession Act for others). See Property Transfer Without Will and Hindu Succession Act Explained.

What You Can Do Today

1. Use this checklist to identify where you are and what needs to happen next.
2. Start with the death certificate if you haven’t already. Everything depends on it.
3. File insurance claims early because they have the clearest process.
4. Don’t try to do everything at once. Follow the priority order above.
5. Store all your family’s financial details in one place so no one else has to go through this blind. Tools like Anshin make this simple.

Your family shouldn’t have to figure this out during their worst days. If you’re reading this as someone who hasn’t lost anyone yet, take 10 minutes today to make sure your family knows where everything is.

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This information is for educational purposes. Laws and processes vary by state and change over time. For specific legal advice, consult a qualified lawyer.