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WHEN A FAMILY MEMBER DIES — DEATH CLAIMS CHECKLIST
SSS · GSIS · Pag-IBIG · life insurance · OWWA and agency insurance for OFWs
Deceased [FULL NAME] · born [DATE OF BIRTH]
Date and place of death [DATE OF DEATH] · [PLACE] · [NATURAL / ACCIDENT]
Work at the time of death [PRIVATE EMPLOYEE / SELF-EMPLOYED / VOLUNTARY SSS MEMBER / GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE / OFW / RETIRED / NONE]
Numbers SSS [ ] · GSIS BP [ ] · Pag-IBIG MID [ ] · PhilHealth PIN [ ] · TIN [ ]
Life insurance [COMPANY, POLICY NUMBER, NAMED BENEFICIARY] · [GROUP LIFE AT WORK] · [CREDIT LIFE ON LOANS]
Surviving family Spouse [NAME] · children [NAMES AND AGES] · parents [NAMES]
Who files for the family [NAME, RELATIONSHIP, MOBILE]
1. Documents almost every office asks for
✓ Document Who prepares it Notes
☐ Death certificate PSA (or the Local Civil Registry copy while the PSA copy is not yet available) Get several certified copies
☐ Marriage certificate PSA For the surviving spouse
☐ Birth certificates of the children PSA For minor and dependent children
☐ Valid IDs Claimant and the deceased Two government IDs are often asked
☐ Membership numbers and records SSS, GSIS, Pag-IBIG, employer Contribution records help
☐ Funeral receipts Funeral home In the name of the person who paid — for funeral benefits
☐ Affidavit of legal heirs The heirs, before a notary When there is no named beneficiary or the office asks for it; agencies may have their own form
☐ Guardianship papers Court or the office’s own form If a minor child is a beneficiary
☐ Bank account Claimant Many offices pay only to the claimant’s own account
☐ Authorization letter or SPA Claimant If someone else files
2. Where to claim and the deadlines
Office What can be claimed Who claims Deadline / payment rule
SSS Death benefit: monthly pension, or a lump sum (RA 11199, Sec. 13). Funeral benefit (Sec. 13-B). Primary: dependent spouse and children; if none, dependent parents (Sec. 8(k)). Funeral: whoever paid. File as early as possible. SSS has reported a 10-year limit from the date of death — confirm with SSS.
GSIS (government employees) Survivorship benefits, funeral benefit, life insurance proceeds (RA 8291). Primary beneficiaries; then secondary; for life insurance, the named beneficiaries. Claims other than life and retirement prescribe 4 years from the date of death (RA 8291, Sec. 28).
Pag-IBIG Members’ savings with dividends (including MP2), plus the death benefit. Legal heirs or beneficiaries. No deadline found in the law — file early and ask the branch.
Life insurance (private, group life at work, credit life on loans) Policy proceeds. The beneficiary named in the policy; heirs if none. Insurer must pay within 60 days after the claim and proof of death are filed; late payment earns interest at twice the Monetary Board ceiling, unless the claim is fraudulent (Insurance Code Sec. 248; Sec. 250).
OFW: agency insurance Compulsory insurance of agency-hired workers: at least US$15,000 accidental death, US$10,000 natural death (RA 8042 Sec. 37-A, IRR). The worker’s beneficiaries. Insurer pays within 10 days from the written notice of claim with documents (Sec. 37-A).
OFW: OWWA (active members) Death and burial benefits — amounts per OWWA’s current schedule. Legal beneficiaries. No deadline confirmed — ask OWWA early.
Employer Final pay, pro-rated 13th month pay, unused leave, group life; employees’ compensation if death was work-related. Heirs. Ask HR in writing; keep the date you asked.
3. Your dates
Date of death [DATE]
Life insurance: claim and proof of death filed on [DATE] → insurer must pay by [DATE + 60 DAYS]
OFW agency insurance: notice of claim filed on [DATE] → insurer must pay by [DATE + 10 DAYS]
GSIS (non-life claims): last day [DATE OF DEATH + 4 YEARS]
SSS: reported last day (confirm) [DATE OF DEATH + 10 YEARS]
If an insurer does not pay on time or refuses: write to it (template “Life Insurance Death Claim Letter”), then you may complain to the Insurance Commission, which hears claims up to ₱5,000,000 (Insurance Code Sec. 439).
NOTES — delete this page before printing
• Sources: RA 11199 (Social Security Act of 2018), Secs. 8(k), 13, 13-B; RA 8291 (GSIS Act), Sec. 28; Insurance Code (PD 612 as amended by RA 10607), Secs. 248, 250, 439; RA 8042 Sec. 37-A as added by RA 10022 and its IRR. Benefit amounts set by each agency change — check its current schedule.
• Not verified when written (19 October 2026): the SSS 10-year limit (reported, citing SSS Circular 2023-009); any Pag-IBIG or OWWA deadline. Ask the office and keep a receiving copy of everything you file.
• Policy proceeds go to the beneficiary named in the policy. Heirship and estate questions (a will, an extrajudicial settlement, shares of minors) need a lawyer.
Field labels in [SQUARE BRACKETS, CAPITALS] must be completed or deleted. Alternatives are separated by a slash. © Layers (layers.md), licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Template and deadlines for information only — check your own case with the agency or insurer, and have documents with legal effect reviewed by a lawyer. Not legal advice.
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Template — check your case with the agency; review by a lawyer. Not legal advice. © Layers (layers.md) · CC BY 4.0