New Delhi, Sept. 14 -- A life insurance policy is bought on a simple promise: one's family will be financially protected when it matters most. That promise is put to test at a difficult time-following the death of a loved one, when the family must navigate the claims process, often for the first time.

Awareness of this process, and the documentation needed to speed up approval, remains limited among policyholders and their families. It is therefore important to understand how a death claim moves from intimation to final payout, and what nominees need to do at each step to ensure a smoother settlement.

Claim notification & registration

Following a policyholder's demise, the insurer initiates the payment of the life insurance policy's de...