Documents Required for an SBI Deceased Account Claim

First, understand the framework SBI now works under

Claims on a deceased customer's bank account are governed by the Reserve Bank of India's unified directions on settlement of claims in respect of deceased customers, effective 1 January 2026, with banks required to implement them by 31 March 2026. Two things changed in the family's favour:

• The forms and document lists are now standardised — the process no longer depends on which branch or officer you meet.
• The bank must settle a complete claim within 15 calendar days. If it delays a deposit claim beyond that, it owes the claimant compensation in the form of interest at the Bank Rate + 4% per annum for the period of delay.

Everything below follows this framework. If a branch asks for documents outside it on a straightforward claim, politely ask them to point to the requirement in the bank's deceased-claim policy.

Route 1 — A nominee is registered on the account

This is the simple route, and it applies to savings accounts, fixed deposits and recurring deposits alike. Where a valid nomination exists, the bank pays the nominee without any legal documents — no succession certificate, no legal heir certificate, no indemnity and no surety — regardless of the amount involved. The nominee receives the money as a trustee for the legal heirs.

Documents to carry

• The bank's deceased-claim form, filled and signed by the nominee
• Death certificate of the account holder (original for verification, with copies)
• Nominee's identity and address proof (for example Aadhaar, PAN, or passport)
• The nominee's bank account details for the transfer, if different from the account being claimed

Steps

1. Visit the home branch (the branch where the account is held). If you are in another city, any SBI branch can guide you, but settlement happens through the home branch.
2. Ask the branch to verify the nomination recorded against the account and the customer's CIF (Customer Information File). One customer can have several accounts under one CIF — ask the branch to list every deposit linked to it so nothing is missed.
3. Submit the claim form and documents and collect a stamped, dated acknowledgment. Do not leave without one.
4. Settlement within 15 calendar days of a complete submission. The balance, with interest up to the date of payment, is transferred to the nominee.

For a joint account where one holder has died and the mandate is "either or survivor" or "former or survivor", the surviving holder simply continues or closes the account with the death certificate — no claim process is needed.

Route 2 — No nominee was registered

Without a nomination, the legal heirs claim together. Under the RBI framework, commercial banks like SBI must offer a simplified route for claims up to ₹15 lakh (the limit is ₹5 lakh at co-operative banks). Two protections matter here:

• No third-party surety is required below the ₹15 lakh threshold. Older branch practice of demanding two sureties with net-worth proof no longer applies under the simplified route.
• No succession certificate is required below the threshold, provided the heirs claim together and are in agreement.

Documents to carry

• The bank's standardised claim form, signed by all legal heirs claiming
• Death certificate of the account holder
• Identity and address proof of each claimant
• A legal heir certificate, or a declaration by an independent person who knew the family (as the framework permits)
• An indemnity bond from the claimants, on stamp paper as applicable
• A no-objection / disclaimer from any legal heir who is not claiming, so the amount can be paid to the others

Steps

1. Confirm there is genuinely no nomination. Ask the branch to check the nomination field on the account and CIF — many older accounts have a nominee the family has forgotten about, which moves you to the simple Route 1.
2. Get all heirs aligned. Everyone signs the claim; anyone not claiming gives a written no-objection. Disagreement between heirs is the single biggest cause of delay.
3. Submit the full set together and take a stamped acknowledgment with a date. The 15-day settlement clock runs from a complete submission.
4. Above ₹15 lakh, or where the heirs are in dispute, the bank may ask for formal legal evidence such as a succession certificate. That is a court process — budget a few months for it, and consider legal advice.

Common reasons these claims get stuck

• Name mismatches — the name on the death certificate, the account and the claimant's ID must match or be explainable. Carry documents that bridge any difference (for example, a marriage certificate for a changed surname).
• Only claiming the account you know about. Ask for a CIF-level listing: savings, FDs, RDs and lockers under the same customer are easy to miss.
• Operating the account after death. Do not withdraw using the deceased person's ATM card, UPI or net-banking after their death — even "to pay for the funeral". It can complicate the claim and create legal exposure.
• No acknowledgment. Without a dated, stamped receipt you cannot enforce the 15-day timeline or the delay compensation.