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After a death: how to claim life insurance

We're very sorry for your loss. Here is the order to follow so you collect without losing time or rights: what to do first, which papers to gather and how to handle the difficult cases.

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First steps

  1. 1

    Death certificate

    The doctor issues the medical death certificate; with it, the civil registry issues the official death certificate (acta de defunción). Ask for several certified copies: every insurer and bank will want one.

  2. 2

    If there was an accident or violence

    The Public Prosecutor steps in. Later, ask for a certified copy of the full case file, with the autopsy and toxicology tests if they were done.

  3. 3

    Find every policy

    Search the home, emails and bank statements, ask at their workplace and their agent, and check CONDUSEF's SIAB-Vida to find out whether someone named you as a beneficiary.

  4. 4

    Notify each insurer

    Give the name and the policy or certificate number, and ask for the claim form and their document list. Or message us and we'll do it with you.

  5. 5

    Ask for the funeral advance

    Some policies advance money with few documents: Atlas group life pays 30% of the basic sum (up to 2,000 UMA) 24 hours after the death certificate is presented; Argos pays immediate expenses.

  6. 6

    Notify banks and lenders

    Many loans carry borrower life insurance that pays off the balance. Ask before you keep paying or sign a restructuring.

Documents they ask for

Each insurer has its own list, but almost all ask for the following. Legible plain copies, and originals or certified copies where indicated.

Tick what you already have:

Where there may be insurance

  • Individual life insurance
  • Group life insurance from work: ask human resources
  • Loan insurance: mortgage, car, payroll and personal loans, and credit cards
  • Personal or school accident insurance
  • Car insurance: death of the driver or passengers and funeral expenses
  • Medical insurance: check for benefits on the policyholder's death
  • Funeral or pre-need plans
  • Insurance included with bank accounts, cards or memberships

Special cases

There are no beneficiaries or all have died

The insurance is paid to the estate: you need the will or the probate proceedings with the appointment and acceptance of the executor (Chubb, for example, asks for this).

Some beneficiaries are minors

The insurer pays their legal representative: whoever holds parental authority or a guardian. If the policy named an adult «to collect on behalf of the minors», the law may treat that adult as the beneficiary; policies carry this warning. Ask us before you sign.

A beneficiary died first

Their share is split equally among the others (Insurance Contract Law, art. 188). Provide their death certificate.

It doesn't say how much each person gets

It's split equally among those named (art. 187). If the spouse and children were named jointly, half goes to the spouse and half to the children (art. 185).

It says «my children» or «my wife» without names

Children means the descendants who would inherit by law (art. 182), and spouse means the surviving one (art. 183).

It was an accident

Check whether there's accidental death cover, which can double or triple the sum. It requires the Public Prosecutor's file.

It was suicide

The insurer must pay if it happened more than two years after the policy was taken out; before that, it returns the mathematical reserve (Insurance Contract Law, art. 197). Some riders have their own rules.

Death in the policy's first two years

It's normal for the insurer to review the application and the medical file. Many policies become incontestable after two years (Chubb, for example). Provide what they ask for.

Death abroad

You'll need the certificate from the country where it happened, apostilled or legalized, with an official translation if it isn't in Spanish. Ask whether the insurer also requires it to be registered in Mexico.

The person is missing

Without a death certificate you need a court ruling, such as the special declaration of absence for missing persons or a presumption of death. Message us for guidance.

The name doesn't match across documents

An accent, a middle name or a different surname between the certificate, the INE and the policy can stop payment. Check before you submit and ask how to prove it; sometimes the certificate must be corrected at the civil registry.

They had loans or credit cards

Ask each bank to process the borrower insurance and issue a payoff letter. Don't keep paying without asking.

Deadlines you should know

Strategies to collect without delays

  1. Choose one person to coordinate the claim with all the beneficiaries and keep track of the documents.
  2. Get several certified copies of the death certificate from the start.
  3. Gather documents in parallel: don't wait for one before requesting the next.
  4. Submit the complete file and ask for a dated receipt: the 30 days run from there.
  5. Before signing the settlement, check the breakdown: basic sum, riders, savings or investment funds, premium refunds and deductions for loans or unpaid premiums.
  6. Don't hide information about the cause of death or the medical history: the insurer could refuse to pay (Insurance Contract Law, art. 70).
  7. Look into other support too: the Afore retirement account, IMSS or ISSSTE pensions, the housing subaccount and workplace benefits.
  8. If the insurer denies or doesn't pay on time, follow the «How to file a complaint» steps with the UNE and CONDUSEF.
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Frequently asked questions

How do I find out whether someone who died had life insurance and named me as beneficiary?

Use CONDUSEF's SIAB-Vida service: they search the insurers for a policy in your favor. Also check their workplace, their loans and their bank statements.

Is the insurance money part of the inheritance?

No, if beneficiaries were named: the law gives them their own right to the insurance (Insurance Contract Law, art. 177), and they collect it even if they renounce the inheritance (art. 189). It only goes to the estate if there are no beneficiaries.

Can the deceased's creditors take the insurance money?

The insurance belongs to the beneficiary. If the beneficiary is the spouse or a descendant, the law expressly protects it from seizure for the insured's debts (Insurance Contract Law, art. 180).

How long does payment take?

30 days from when the insurer has all the documents (Insurance Contract Law, art. 71). With a complete file from the start, payment often arrives sooner.

How to complain Medical expense claims Back to Claims

Official forms by insurer

Copies of the forms each insurer publishes on its official website, downloaded on November 5, 2026. They are in Spanish. If your insurer gives you another version, use theirs. Yours isn't here? Message us and we'll get it for you.