How to Notify Zurich After a Death in the UK

How to Notify Zurich After a Death in the UK

If your loved one had a Zurich life insurance policy, the fastest route is usually to notify Zurich through its online bereavement claims form. Zurich says it can also guide you by phone or email, and the exact contact route depends on whether the policy number starts with PR.

This can feel intimidating because it sits at the intersection of grief and money. But the process becomes much more manageable when you separate it into three parts: identify the policy, gather the core documents, and use the right Zurich contact channel from the start.

Start with the policy number if you can

Zurich's bereavement guidance says the easiest way to begin a claim is online, but it helps to have key information ready first. In particular, it asks for:

• the life insurance policy number
• the original death certificate or a coroner's interim report
• details of the deceased's estate, including the will, beneficiaries and surviving family

If you do not know the policy number, Zurich says not to panic. It specifically tells families to call 0370 333 1500 and ask for help tracing the right route.

That matters because Zurich uses different bereavement channels depending on the policy reference.

Which Zurich contact route should you use?

Zurich's public guidance splits claims into two paths.

Policy type	Online route	Phone	Email
Policy number starts with PR	PR bereavements claim form	0370 240 0073	zurichmulticlaims@uk.zurich.com
Policy number does not start with PR	Non-PR bereavements claim form	0370 243 0827	bereavements.zurich@uk.zurich.com
You do not know the policy number	Start by asking Zurich to identify the policy	0370 333 1500	-

All three published Zurich phone routes are listed as Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, excluding bank holidays.

What Zurich says happens next

Zurich's bereavement page and bereavement guide explain the broad sequence clearly:

1. you notify Zurich of the death
2. Zurich registers the claim and starts assessing it
3. Zurich may ask for further supporting evidence
4. once a valid claim is approved, payment is made to the relevant beneficiary, trustee account or estate route

Zurich says it will keep families updated during the process. It also says timescales can vary, especially if it is waiting on third parties such as GPs, medical professionals or a coroner.

That is a useful expectation to set early. Insurance claims are not always slow because the insurer is ignoring you; they are often slow because medical evidence, coroner paperwork or estate authority documents take time.

What extra documents might be needed?

Zurich says the core starting documents are the policy number, death certificate or interim coroner report, and estate details. But its bereavement guide also says that in some cases it may later ask for:

• medical documents
• copies of a coroner's report
• the grant of probate
• other information needed to assess the claim fairly

So the practical answer is: submit the claim as soon as you reasonably can, but expect follow-up questions if the death was recent, unexpected, under investigation, or if the estate structure is complex.

Does probate always need to be in place first?

No. Zurich's own guidance makes clear that families can begin the notification and claims process before every estate issue is finished. In some cases, though, it may need probate-related evidence later.

A lot depends on how the policy was set up:

• if the policy was written in trust, Zurich says it will pay in line with the trust, which may mean paying trustees or named beneficiaries directly
• if the policy is not in trust, the estate position may matter more
• if there are questions around beneficiaries or legal authority, expect more checks

If you are unsure whether the policy was in trust, say so early. That is better than guessing.

One detail many families miss: direct debits

Zurich's bereavement guide says that once a claim is submitted, it will generally stop collecting payments from the date it is told about the bereavement. It also notes an exception for joint life second event policies, where cover may continue and monthly payments may still be collected.

That is an important distinction. Do not assume every policy ends automatically just because one person has died. If the policy covered two people and pays only on the second death, ask Zurich to explain exactly what stays in force.

How to approach the claim if you are the executor or a family member

Use this order:

1. Search for the policy details

Check paperwork, email, adviser correspondence, bank statements and the deceased person's files for Zurich references.

2. Get the death certificate or interim coroner document

If the death is with the coroner, an interim certificate or report may be relevant. Zurich explicitly mentions this in its guidance.

3. Identify the likely beneficiary position

Was the policy in trust? Was there a named beneficiary? Is there a will? You do not need every answer on day one, but it helps to know the likely shape of the claim.

4. Use the right Zurich route

PR policy numbers should go through the PR-specific form, phone line or email. Non-PR policies have a different route. This matters because it reduces delays caused by your claim being re-routed internally.

5. Keep a paper trail

Save claim acknowledgements, names of staff you spoke to, and any list of outstanding documents. If several relatives are involved, make one person responsible for updates.

6. Expect pauses caused by third parties

If a GP, consultant or coroner needs to respond, build that delay into your expectations. Chasing politely can help.

Zurich support beyond the claim itself

Zurich's bereavement guide says it offers a free confidential counselling service available 24/7 and can also help signpost legal support with wills and probate. That will not remove the paperwork, but it may help if the person handling the claim is overwhelmed.

This is where many families benefit from separating emotional support from admin support. A service like GetPassage can help you track tasks, letters and deadlines, while the emotional side may need a different form of help altogether.

Common problems that slow things down

Problem	Why it causes delay	What to do
No policy number	Zurich must identify the policy first	Call 0370 333 1500
Death involved the coroner	Final evidence may take longer	Ask what interim evidence Zurich can accept
Unclear beneficiary or trust position	Payment route may need more checks	Gather will/trust details early
Missing medical evidence	Zurich may be waiting on third parties	Keep in contact and ask what is outstanding
Multiple family members contacting separately	Confusion and duplicated requests	Nominate one main contact

Final thought

Notifying Zurich is one of those tasks that feels heavy because money, legal authority and grief all arrive at once. The best approach is simple: identify the policy, choose the correct contact route, submit the core documents early, and keep a calm record of anything Zurich still needs. That will usually move things forward faster than waiting until every estate detail feels perfect.