How to claim Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana?

The Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) is a life insurance plan that has validity for one year, but it can be renewed by the policyholder every year. The PMJJBY is a pure term insurance policy that does not provide an investment component. The cover under the Pradhan Mantri Bima Yojana is only for death of the policyholder and its benefits accrue to the nominee.

People who wish to take up the PMJJBY policy can avail it through certain life insurance companies in India. One can also approach their bankers to enroll them for this policy as some banks have a tie up with different life insurance companies. If an individual has multiple bank accounts in one or other banks, the person will be eligible for the scheme only through one of their bank accounts.

There is a waiting period for claims in the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana scheme. The risk cover for the policyholder is applicable after the first 45 days of enrolment are over. Insurers cannot settle claims unless the first 45 days from the date of enrolment has passed. However, if a policyholder’s death is due to an accident, the nominee will get exemption from the clause and receive compensation.

The death claim raised by the nominee under the Pradhan Mantri Bima Yojana is settled by a designated officer of the respective Life insurance company. The process is as follows:

Steps to be taken by the Nominee:

1. Nominee should approach the Bank wherein the member was having the “Saving Bank Account” through which the member was covered along with the Life Assured’s death certificate.

2. Nominee to collect claim form and discharge receipt from Bank or he/she can download the form from the website of IndiaFirst Life Insurance.

3. Nominee should complete claim form and discharge receipt.

4. Nominee to submit Claim Form and discharge receipt along with death certificate to the bank branch and photocopy of the cancelled cheque of nominee’s bank account.

Steps to be taken by the Bank:

1. The Bank should check their records upon receipt of death intimation whether the Member’s coverage was in-force i.e. whether the premium for the coverage was deducted prior to the Member’s death & remitted to IndiaFirst Life Insurance Company.

2. The bank verifies the Claim Form & the nominee details from the record available with them.

3. The bank further completes its part in the Claim Form & Discharge Receipt as per the attached annexures respectively, submitted by the Nominee.

4. The Bank to submit the claim intimation along with the following documents to the Head Office, IndiaFirst Life Insurance Company:

a. Claim Form duly completed

b. Death certificate

c. Discharge Receipt with photocopy of cancelled cheque of the Nominee

Steps to be followed by Insurance Company:

1. The insurance company has to verify if the claim form is complete in all respects and check if all the relevant and necessary documents have been attached. If not, they have to take it up with the concerned bank.

2. On finding the claim to be admissible, insurer needs to check the policyholder’s coverage is in force and that no death claim has been put in effect for the member via any other accounts. If any claim is found to be settled, then the nominee is to be intimated accordingly as well as a copy is sent to the concerned bank.

3. If the coverage for the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana is found to be in force and no claim has been settled for the said policyholder, then the compensatory payment will be transferred to bank account of the nominee. An intimation is also sent to the concerned back.

In some cases where the claim form is directly submitted to the insurer's office by the nominee, the insurer's office has to forward it to the concerned bank where the deceased policyholder had their savings account. This is done to get the necessary verification from the concerned bank. After completing the procedures, the bank then forwards the claim form back to the insurance company for processing the claim.

As a life insurance partner, we at IndiaFirst Life want you to have all the details before investing and we hope you prioritize life insurance to make ‘peace of mind’ a certainty for your family.