How To Claim Term Insurance of Missing Person

How to Initiate Term Insurance Claim of a Missing Person?

In the normal course, when a person with term insurance is dead, we submit his/her death certificate with other documents to the insurance provider. This is the usual process to initiate the claim. However, things become different when a person goes missing. You do not have a death certificate in this case. However, there is a law wherein a missing person can be presumed dead.

As per section 108 of the Indian Evidence Act, death presumption can be filed only after seven years of filing the missing First Information Report (FIR) of a person. So, as a family member of a missing person, you have to wait for seven years before filing the claim against his/her term insurance policy.

Moreover, once a person goes missing, his/her family has to pay the premium and should have to continue the term insurance policy.

The family has to get the death certificate first and then approach the court. The court then only will release the orders for the insurance provider. The legal heirs will also have to submit a copy of the non-traceable report and FIR by the police along with the court orders to the insurer for getting the insurance money.

Note: Before Claming Term Insurance of Missing Person You should know about what is term insurance.

Steps To Claim Term Insurance of Missing Person 

Follow the below steps to claim term insurance in case of a missing person:

1. Register an FIR

   The first step involves filing a First Information Report (FIR). This needs to be done by either a beneficiary or any other family member of the policyholder.

2. Obtain The Court's Verification

   If the person is not found after seven years, a non-traceable police report can be collected. To obtain a court order, this report is submitted to the court, assuming the missing insured is dead.

3. Approach The Insurer

   The court will need to issue the death certificate, and the beneficiary must contact the insurance company with this declaration. The insurance company must pay the assured death benefit proceeds under the rebuttable presumption of death clause.

Note: It is suggested to calculate the term plan premium on the term insurance calculator online tool by Policybazaar before buying.

What is the Rebuttable Presumption of Death?

This rule implies that the insurance company can reclaim the interest and proceed if there is evidence of the missing insured's existence (meaning he/she is alive).

If the beneficiary and the insurer have earlier reached an agreement on a settlement that is less than the total amount, the insurance company cannot take any amount back.

Final Word

Whether dead or missing, the income is still lost.

The harsh truth is you need financial help to meet your family's needs. So, if it has not been seven years since the policyholder is missing, you still can try to get the claim.

If seven years have passed since the FIR was lodged, consider following the steps discussed above to claim the missing person's term insurance amount.

Note: Check all the best term insurance plan in India.

Note: You should also check the benefits of term life insurance if you are planning to purchase the term insurance plan.

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