What is the Importance of Death Certificate ?

What is the Importance of Death Certificate ?

Death registration is not considered important for most of the people. But, for several legal reasons and purposes, an immediate family member needs to get the document registered. This death certificate is an official document that is signed by a doctor stating the reason and time of death along with some other details. Apart from the date, time and place of death, this document also mentions the reason or the cause of death.

Also, it should be the duty of family members to get it registered. Below are the reasons to get anybody’s death registered and ways to do it.

How to get a certification for death?

Before getting the certificate created, it is mandatory to register a death. Also, death should be registered within 21 days of its occurrence. Even if the family members realize later to get the certification of death of their deceased loved ones, they can still do it. But, for this, a late fee might be applicable. The Registrar of Births and Deaths issues the certification for death. Here, the family member needs to fill up the form with the required details along with some fee.

In some cases, there might be a sudden death of a family member from a long distance. In this case, it is difficult to get all the documents required by reaching out to that place. So, rather than traveling to the place of death, you can still get the death certificate created through online mediums. There are various online platforms or agencies for this. You just need to fill the given form along with all the required details. They will forward your request to the government authorities and within a few days, you will get your required certificate.

Reasons to get death registered

This document might not be a thing everyone wants to think about. But, it has importance in various legal processes. It is very simple and quick for a near family member of the deceased person to get their death registered for a number of reasons mentioned below.

  1. Pension: In case your spouse passes away, you are eligible for the benefits from his or her pension. For this, you might be required to provide various information and documents as proof of your relationship with the deceased one. Here, the certification of death is mandatory.
  2. To Claim Life Insurance: If you are the named beneficiary of the deceased person’s life insurance policy, you will require this document regardless of your relationship with them to claim the benefits. This process might be slow but having a death-proof might speed up the process.
  3. Availing the Medical Benefits: In order to avail the medical benefits of being a spouse or child of the individual, you need this certification of death. It will help claim all the benefits.
  4. Future Marriage: Sometimes to remarry, a widow or widower might require proof that their former partner is no more and has passed away.
  5. Settling Estates: For settling the estates of the person who has died, you need this certificate. Also, you might require many copies of the process.
  6. Close Bank Accounts: In order to close the bank accounts and investment of the deceased person, you require the proof of death.

Conclusion

Death certification is a mandatory document that is required for various legal processes. Family members should get the death registered within 21 days of the death of their loved ones. Also, there are both the online and offline ways available to get a death registered. There, you just need to fill a form and you will get the certified copies within a few days.