My sister and her husband died in an accident. I am the nominee in their insurance policy. When I lodged a claim, the insurer asked for a legal heir certificate. Please advise.
—Namit Khanna
If you are declared as a nominee in the insurance policy, then the insurer is obliged to pay the claim amount to you. The onus of disbursing the policy amount to the legal heirs is the nominee’s. Often, insurers ask for a legal heir certificate to avoid future disputes. However, they cannot withhold the claim on this condition.
