How to Claim a Bank Account After a Death in India: RBI's Rules Explained

Published by Karan Bindal, Founder

For years, families were told different things by different branches. RBI has now set one standard: the Reserve Bank of India (Settlement of Claims in respect of Deceased Customers of Banks) Directions, 2025. Banks had to adopt them by 31 March 2026 at the latest. They apply to all commercial and co-operative banks.

It helps to know what these rules say before you walk into a branch.

First: tell the bank, and you can do it at any branch

A claim can be lodged at any branch of the bank against an acknowledgement. The bank must tell you what is missing, and confirm when it has everything. Standard forms and a document list must be available at branches and on the bank's website. Some banks also let you lodge a claim online, but they are not required to.

Keep your acknowledgement. The time limit depends on it.

If there is a nominee or a surviving joint holder

This is the simple case. You need only three things:

The claim form
The death certificate
Identity proof of the nominee or survivor

The bank must not insist on a succession certificate, letter of administration, probate, indemnity bond or surety, whatever the amount. If a branch asks for these, politely point to RBI's Directions.

Two points to know:

The nominee receives the money as a trustee of the legal heirs. Being paid by the bank does not by itself make the money the nominee's own. See our nominee vs legal heir guide.
In a joint account, the nominee's right arises only after all the depositors have died. If one holder dies and the mandate was "either or survivor", the survivor continues.

If there is no nominee and no survivor clause

The process depends on the amount. The limit is ₹15 lakh for commercial banks and ₹5 lakh for co-operative banks, and a bank may set a higher limit.

Up to the limit, if there is no will, no dispute and no court order:

Claim form and death certificate
Claimant's identity proof
Indemnity bond in the standard form, with no third-party surety
Disclaimer from any heirs who are not claiming
A legal heir certificate, or a declaration from an independent person who knows the family and is acceptable to the bank

Above the limit, either a succession certificate, or a legal heir certificate or sworn affidavit along with those documents. In this case the bank may ask for a surety.

If there is a will or a dispute

With an undisputed will, banks may ask for probate or letters of administration. They also have discretion to act on the will without probate, if it appears genuine and undisputed.

With a dispute, expect to need a court document. While a court order restrains payment, the bank will not process the claim.

The time limit, and what happens if the bank is late

The bank must settle a deposit claim within 15 calendar days of receiving all the documents. If it is delayed, the bank must tell you why. If the delay is the bank's fault, it must pay compensation of at least Bank Rate plus 4% a year on the amount, for the period of delay.

Fixed deposits

Term deposits can be closed early after a death with no penalty, even during a lock-in. For a joint deposit, the survivors and the legal heirs generally need to agree, unless all the depositors gave a specific instruction earlier.

Money that arrives after the account is closed

Anything credited after settlement is returned to the sender, marked "Account holder deceased", and the bank tells the family. So let pension offices, tenants and others know where to pay in future.

What to carry to the branch

Carry:

The death certificate, original and copies
The claimant's KYC documents
The passbook and account details, if you have them
FD receipts, if any
A pen and a notebook

Ask for:

The claim procedure for this type of account
The complete document list in writing
A follow-up date
A stamped acknowledgement for what you submit

Keep a copy of every form you hand in.

Why claims get delayed

These are the usual reasons, and most of them are not personal:

The nomination is missing or out of date
The claimant's KYC is incomplete
The account has a lien, a loan or a legal freeze
A locker is involved
Heirs disagree

If there is a family dispute, try to settle it first. A bank cannot settle it for you.

Payments that keep running

Linked payments can carry on even after the money has been transferred. Check for auto-debits for bills and subscriptions, credit cards and add-on cards, EMIs and recurring deposits, standing instructions, and insurance premiums paid from this account. List them, then cancel or update each one.

Be careful of scams

A death in the family can attract scams. Do not share OTPs or account details with anyone except the bank's official channels, and do the key steps at the branch where you can. If a relative insists on handling everything but will not share the paperwork, treat that as a warning sign.

What is not covered

These rules do not apply to PPF, the Senior Citizens' Savings Scheme and other government savings schemes, which have their own rules. PPF uses its own claim form, and the account is closed after the death.

How to check who the nominee is

The bank's passbook or statement should show "Nomination Registered" along with the nominee's name. This is also a good check to do for your own accounts today. Since 1 November 2025, you can name up to four nominees on a deposit account, together or one after another.

If you do not know which banks the person used

Look through old statements, passbooks, SMS and income tax returns. RBI's UDGAM portal can help with older deposits. See how to find unclaimed money.

Save your family this search

The hardest part of all of this is often knowing which accounts exist. Our free family checklist takes ten minutes and shows what to note down. Aakhri Pal keeps your accounts and nominees in one private place for your family.

Last checked: 30 October 2026. RBI consolidated many of its directions in late 2025, so check your bank's current policy for the latest reference. This is general guidance, not legal advice.

Sources: RBI Directions on deceased customers' claims, 26 September 2025 · RBI nomination Directions, 28 October 2025 · PIB on nomination changes