Survivors' Benefits
The National Insurance Survivors' Benefit is a periodical payment made to
specific dependents of an insured person who dies otherwise than by way of
employment injury.
Who Can Claim
A widow or widower - whether legally married or Common Law
Child/step-child or adopted child (including orphans) or
Dependent parent A category of Survivors' or Death Benefit paid for life or until remarriage to the parent(s) of a deceased insured who was/were wholly or mainly maintained by the deceased. of a deceased insured who has made a minimum of 50 contributions to the system.
Common-Law Spouse
As a Common-Law Spouse Common law spouse are persons who are single and living together at the same address for a period not less than 3 years. you will be paid the benefit if both of you were both legally single persons living together as husband and wife up to the date of death of the insured person. A Common Law spouse should be nominated as beneficiary by the insured prior to his or her death. The official Nomination of Beneficiary form is Form NI 42.
Where you were not nominated as beneficiary you must provide alternative evidence of nomination and evidence of cohabitation for 3 years prior to the death of the insured person.
You must supply three (3) affidavits from reputable persons in the community attesting to the fact that you both lived a common law situation for 3 years or more.
These may be supported by:
- Will - claimant is indicated as spouse/beneficiary.
- Employer’s Pension Plan - claimant recorded as spouse/beneficiary.
- Life Insurance Policy - claimant indicated as spouse/beneficiary.
- Credit Union document - claimant indicated as spouse/beneficiary.
- Deed - in both parties' names.
- Birth Certificate of child - both parties' names.
- Joint Account Statement in both parties' names.
In addition, such claims will be advertised in the newspaper once per week for three consecutive weeks. If no objection is lodged by a spouse of either party or by the immediate family of the deceased insured and all other qualifying conditions are met, you will be paid your benefit.
Form To Be Completed
NI 51 - Survivors' Benefit Claim Form
Supporting Documentation
The following are some examples of documents you may use as alternative evidence of nomination.
- Death Certificate of deceased insured person
- Medical Certificate for mentally or physically disabled child
- Medical Certificate for pregnant spouse, certifying pregnancy and expected date of confinement.
- N.I. Registration Card of deceased
- Birth Certificate of Widow and Eligible Children
- For Legally Married Persons a Marriage Certificate
- For Common Law (Nominated)
- Nomination Form
- Decree Absolute or relevant Death Certificate where one or both of the parties was/were previously married
- For Common-Law Situations (Not Nominated)
- Evidence of marital status of claimant and deceased
- Evidence of common-law relationship, i.e. evidence of three years of cohabitation up to the time of death
- Decree Absolute where one or both of the parties was/were previously married
- For Dependent Parents
- Evidence of support of dependent parent(s) by the insured person
- Birth Certificate of the deceased insured person
- Alternative Evidence of Nomination for Common Law Spouse
- Original and copy of a valid PICTURE ID of both the claimant and the person submitting the claim on behalf of the claimant (where applicable) is required for acceptance of the claim.
Alternative Evidence for Child Allowance
The following are some examples of documents you may use as alternative Evidence of Paternity when the father’s name is not inserted on the Birth Certificate of the child.
- Marriage Certificate of Parents
- Birth Certificate of child
- Paternity Order
- Adoption Certificate where child is adopted
- Evidence of pregnancy at date of death of insured father and birth certificate when child was born
- Statutory Declaration from a relative of the deceased for example the mother
What are the Qualifying Conditions?
The deceased insured person must have made a minimum of 50 contributions. In cases where the deceased insured person died before attaining their 60th birthday and has a minimum of 50 contributions the benefit will be paid to his/her survivors.
When To Apply
You must apply for the benefit within 12 months of the date of death of the insured person.
Late Applications
You must apply on time to ensure that you receive your benefit. Failure to submit your claim to the Board within 12 months of the date of death of the insured person can result in you losing your benefit for any period earlier than 12 months before the date on which the Board receives your claim unless you can show there was good cause for the delay in submission. Your explanation must be submitted in writing.
<How To Apply?
Submit your claim to the NIBTT Service Centre most convenient to you. There, one of our Customers Service Representatives will accept your claim for processing.
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