Contact life insurers, funeral plan providers, employers (for death in service), and pension schemes with the death certificate
Each insurer's claims line, the employer's HR department for death in service benefits, and each pension scheme administrator.
Some steps differ by region inside the country.
Where
Each insurer's claims line, the employer's HR department for death in service benefits, and each pension scheme administrator.
How
Scan 12 months of bank statements for premium payments, the payee name identifies each insurer and scheme.
Contact the employer's HR and ask specifically about death in service cover, which is often several times salary.
Contact every workplace pension from every past employer, not just the most recent one.
Use the Pension Tracing Service for schemes you cannot identify.
What to bring
A certified copy of the death certificate
Policy or scheme membership numbers
Your ID and proof of your relationship
Their National Insurance number
Timing
Life claims typically 2 to 8 weeks. Pension death benefits often take longer because trustees must decide.
This is practical information, not legal, medical, or financial advice.