How to claim a life insurance payout after someone dies, when probate is needed, what trust policies mean, and how to record the claim for estate administration.
This guide is part of ProbateHelp's Estate Assets guide cluster. Estimated reading time: 13 min.
A joint life policy that pays out on the first death usually pays to the surviving policyholder under the policy terms. The survivor normally needs to notify the insurer and provide the death certificate, but the claim does not usually wait for probate.
The insurer may delay payment while a coroner's investigation or inquest is ongoing, especially if the policy has exclusions that could matter. Once the cause of death and policy terms are clear, the insurer should explain whether it will pay, delay, or reject the claim.
Search paperwork, emails and bank statements for premium payments. Contact any financial adviser the deceased used. If you do not know the insurer, use the ABI's tracing guidance or a free lost-asset search service.
Many death in service schemes pay through a discretionary trust, so the payment is usually outside the estate and does not need probate. Check the employer or scheme rules before treating it as outside the estate for inheritance tax.