Father passed away, he had term insurance — what exactly do we do now to claim it?

Question

My father passed away last month. He had a term insurance policy from LIC and one from HDFC Life, both for around ₹50 lakhs each. I am the nominee on both. We are based in Lucknow. Nobody in our family has ever done this before and honestly we are completely lost. We don't even know where to start — do we go to the branch? Call the helpline? Hire some agent? I've heard some people say the process is very smooth now but also heard horror stories about delays and document rejections. Can someone please walk me through the actual steps? Also what documents will they typically ask for? And roughly how long does it take to get the money? Very stressed right now, any help appreciated. — Rohit

Answer 1

Rohit, firstly I'm really sorry for your loss. Take a breath. The process is more straightforward than people make it sound, especially if documents are in order.

Here's what you actually do, step by step.

**Step 1 — Get the death certificate first.** Everything starts here. Get at least 6-8 certified copies from the municipal office or gram panchayat. You'll need multiple copies for different submissions.

**Step 2 — Inform both insurers immediately.** Don't wait. Call HDFC Life's helpline (18602679999) and LIC's nearest branch in Lucknow. Many insurers now accept claim intimation online too — HDFC Life has a decent portal for this. LIC still prefers branch visits honestly.

**Step 3 — Fill the claim form.** Each company gives you their own form. For LIC it's typically Form 3783. HDFC Life will give you their claimant's statement form. Fill it carefully — wrong information here causes the most delays.

**Documents you'll need for both:**
- Original policy document
- Death certificate (certified copy)
- Your ID proof as nominee (Aadhaar, PAN)
- Cancelled cheque in your name
- Doctor's certificate if it was a natural death
- If accidental death — FIR copy, post-mortem report
- Hospital records if hospitalization was involved

**Step 4 — Submit everything together.** Don't submit in parts. Companies keep asking for 'one more document' when things come piecemeal — this is where most delays happen. Go to the branch physically, get acknowledgement receipt with date stamp.

**Step 5 — Follow up with claim number.** IRDAI mandates settlement within 30 days if no investigation is needed. If they need investigation, maximum 90 days. If they miss this, they owe you interest on the claim amount.

**One thing most people get wrong** — they let the agent handle everything without staying involved personally. Agents disappear sometimes. You be the one tracking.

For LIC specifically, the Lucknow divisional office is quite active. Go there directly rather than a small branch if you face any pushback.

My recommendation: tackle HDFC Life first since their process is more digital and faster. Get that settled, then deal with LIC which might take slightly longer. You should realistically have both amounts within 2-3 months if everything is clean.

Answer 2

Sorry for your loss Rohit. Sunita's steps are solid but I want to add one thing she didn't mention — and it's important.

**Don't just submit and wait.** The real game is escalation if things slow down.

HDFC Life and LIC both fall under IRDAI. If either company crosses the 30-day limit without valid reason, file a complaint directly on the Bima Bharosa portal (formerly IGMS) — complaints.irdai.gov.in. Insurers respond much faster once a regulator complaint is on record. I've seen cases where the money came within a week of filing.

Also — one thing I'd push back on slightly. I'd actually suggest handling LIC first, not HDFC Life. LIC's claim department is slower yes, but their field officers sometimes do a home visit to verify, and getting them started early matters more. HDFC Life's digital process is faster so you can manage it simultaneously without much effort.

**Regarding the doctor's certificate** — if your father had any pre-existing conditions, be very transparent about it. Don't hide anything. Insurers investigate deaths within the first 2-3 years of policy especially closely. If the policy was older than 3 years, it's much smoother.

One more thing — as nominee you receive the money, but legally it may still need to be distributed to legal heirs per succession law. If you're the only child and your mother is alive, sort that conversation within the family early. Not a legal issue at claim stage but can create family tension later.

Get both processes started this week itself. Don't delay.