Life Insurance: Locating Coverage and Filing a Death Claim

What is death-benefit life insurance?

It is a contract under which the insurer agrees to pay a sum insured upon the insured person's death, subject to the period, amount, beneficiaries, and agreed terms. Products include term-life policies without savings, policies with a savings component, and group or loan-related coverage.

Pension-fund survivors' coverage is not the same as a life-insurance policy. In a pension fund, eligibility is determined under the fund regulations and their definition of survivors. In a policy, it is determined under the contract and beneficiary designation. Each product should therefore be located and reviewed separately.

What does the insurance company examine?

• Whether the policy was in force and premiums were paid on the relevant date.
• The insured person's identity, date and circumstances of death, and whether a policy exclusion applies.
• The designated beneficiaries and whether an update, assignment, or other relevant instruction exists.
• The sum insured and additional coverage purchased.
• Where necessary, medical information or additional records required for the review under applicable law and the policy terms.

How is coverage located?

Har HaBituach compiles information about insurance policies, while the pension-savings locator may identify inactive accounts and certain policies. Annual statements, pay slips, credit-card charges, mortgage documents, and employer information should also be checked.

A search result is only a starting point. To file a claim, obtain the coverage details, claim form, and document checklist from the insurer. For a group product, determine who was the policyholder and which company was the insurer on the relevant date.

How the process works

1. 01

   Locate policies and survivors' coverage with every relevant body.

2. 02

   Obtain the insurance schedule, policy wording, beneficiary details, and sum insured.

3. 03

   Submit the claim form and documents required to identify the claimant and investigate the event.

4. 04

   Track requests for additional information and retain confirmation of every document delivered.

5. 05

   Compile the decisions and conduct an administrative comparison with the policy list, riders, and sums insured located, without providing an insurance-policy or legal interpretation.

Documents you may need

• A death certificate and additional official records required by the circumstances.
• Identification documents and bank-account details of the beneficiaries or claimants.
• A complete claim form and policy details, if available.
• A succession order or probate order when required, as well as assignment or loan documents if they exist.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Checking only one company without locating coverage through employers, pension arrangements, loans, and old policies.
• Assuming that an heir and a beneficiary are always the same person. The designation and product terms must be checked.
• Failing to retain proof that documents were submitted or responding only partially to requests for additional information.
• Confusing accumulated savings with the sum insured for death.