How to Notify ReAssure After a Death in the UK

How to Notify ReAssure After a Death in the UK

If the person who died had a ReAssure policy, pension or investment, you can start by using ReAssure’s online bereavement notification form. ReAssure will normally need policy details, information about the person who died, your relationship to them, who is dealing with the estate, and an original death certificate before a claim can be completed.

This guide explains what to prepare, what happens after the first notification, and where probate may fit into the process.

What ReAssure products might be involved?

ReAssure administers many older life insurance, pension, investment and protection policies. Some people will know exactly what they held. Others may only find ReAssure’s name on bank statements, annual letters, pension paperwork or policy documents.

Look for:

• life insurance or whole-of-life policies
• pension plans
• investment bonds or investment policies
• former provider names that may now be administered by ReAssure
• direct debit references or annual statements
• letters addressed to the person who died

Do not throw away old financial paperwork during the first house-clearance stage. Even a single policy number can make the claim process faster.

How to notify ReAssure of a death

ReAssure has a public bereavement notification form on its website. The form asks for details about you, the legal personal representative, and the person who has died.

You can start the process even if you do not yet know everything, but the more accurate your information is, the easier it will be for ReAssure to identify the policy.

Before you begin, gather:

• the policy number, if available
• the full name of the person who died
• their date of birth and address
• the date of death
• whether the death occurred in the UK
• your name and contact details
• your relationship to the person who died
• who is dealing with the estate
• details of any executor, administrator or solicitor involved

If you are using GetPassage to organise the administration, add ReAssure under pensions, insurance or investments and attach a note of every policy number you find. Financial providers often ask for similar documents, so keeping one document list saves repeated work.

What details does ReAssure say it needs for a death claim?

For death claims, ReAssure’s public guidance says it needs to know the policy number, the name of the person who has died, the cause and date of death, whether the death happened in the UK, who you are and your relationship to the deceased, and who is dealing with the estate.

ReAssure says the easiest way to notify them is through the online form. After contact, they issue a claim form and explain what supporting documents are needed.

Will ReAssure need the death certificate?

ReAssure’s published claim guidance says it requires an original death certificate in all cases. That means you should not assume a photocopy or scan will be enough for the full claim, even if an online notification can begin the process.

When registering the death, consider buying several official copies of the death certificate. Banks, insurers, pension providers and investment platforms may all ask for evidence. Some will accept scans; others want an original certificate or an official certified copy.

Track where each certificate goes. If you post an original certificate, use a secure postal method and keep the receipt.

What happens after you notify ReAssure?

After the first notification, ReAssure will identify the policy and send the appropriate claim paperwork. The exact route depends on the type of product and how it was set up.

Possible outcomes include:

• a life insurance claim paid to a named beneficiary
• a payment to a surviving joint policyholder
• a payment to a spouse, children or other dependants
• money paid to the estate
• pension death benefits considered under scheme rules
• further evidence requested before payment

Do not assume all policies are paid to the estate. Some policies are written in trust or have nominated beneficiaries. Others may form part of the estate and therefore need to be handled by the executor or administrator.

When might probate be needed?

Probate is not always required for every ReAssure product, but it may be relevant if benefits are payable to the estate or if ReAssure needs proof of legal authority before releasing information or money.

In England and Wales, probate usually means a grant of probate if there is a will, or letters of administration if there is no valid will. Scotland and Northern Ireland use different terminology and procedures.

Ask ReAssure directly whether they need a grant before they can proceed. The answer can vary by policy type, value, ownership, beneficiary arrangement and documentation.

If probate is needed, do not treat that as a failure. It simply means ReAssure needs formal proof of who has authority to deal with the asset.

Funeral costs and ReAssure’s funeral pledge

ReAssure’s public guidance says that, in certain circumstances, it may be able to release up to £10,000 directly to a funeral director before the claim is fully paid, for example where probate has not yet been resolved. The amount would then be deducted from the claim value when it is paid.

This is not something to rely on automatically. If funeral costs are urgent and you believe a ReAssure claim is likely, ask their Bereavement Team whether the funeral pledge could apply to your situation before committing to costs.

Also ask the funeral director what paperwork they need and whether they have experience with insurer funeral pledges.

Practical tips before sending forms

Financial claims are easier when the paperwork is consistent. Before returning forms to ReAssure:

• check names match the death certificate and policy documents
• include every policy number you know about
• keep copies of completed forms
• record the date you sent documents
• use secure post for original certificates
• ask for written confirmation of missing documents
• keep executors, beneficiaries and close family informed where appropriate

If several relatives are involved, agree one contact person. Multiple people contacting the provider separately can slow things down and increase confusion.

What if you cannot find a policy number?

You can still contact ReAssure with the person’s full name, address, date of birth and any previous addresses you know. Search bank statements for direct debits or standing orders. Check emails, filing cabinets, old employer paperwork and pension files.

If you suspect there are pensions but cannot identify all providers, the government’s Pension Tracing Service can help you find contact details for workplace or personal pension schemes. It will not tell you the value of a pension, but it can point you towards the right provider.

Final thought

A ReAssure notification is not just an admin form. It can affect funeral costs, estate value, beneficiary payments and probate planning.

Start with the online bereavement form, gather the policy details you can find, and ask ReAssure to confirm the next step in writing. If there are several financial providers to contact, work through them methodically rather than trying to solve everything in one day.