How can I change my name in PLI policy?

Postal Life Insurance(PLI) Name Correction Process:-

If you have a postal life insurance policy and now for some reason want to change your name or your nominee’s name in the existing PLI policy, here we will check in detail the postal life insurance name correction process with the necessary documents required for name change in the postal life insurance policy. let’s check now.

 “Name Change” in PLI/RPLI Policies- Insurant or Nominee

There may be situations in which the name of the policyholder may be misspelled in a policy document, or the policyholder may undergo a name change during the policy term. Sometimes female policyholders change their legal name after their marriage. 

In such instances, variation in name of insurant or nominee during the term of a PLI/RPLI or at the time of claim does not absolve the Department of the liability for payment of policy  money. 

However, an additional check is required to avoid any chances of identity theft or fraudulent claims.

 How can I change my name in PLI policy

When Name change required in PLI Policy:-

 To facilitate the insurant for getting the necessary correction in name in an expeditious way and settlement of the claim in a hassle-free manner, Postal Life Insurance has provided the following procedure:-

(i)   There may be a requirement of correction of name or change of name in respect of insurant/nominee/appointee in the following two stages of a PLI/RPLI policy i.e  By the insurant during the policy term or at the time of claims like survival benefit, surrender, and maturity benefit . By the nominee/appointee/claimant at the time of death claim in PLI/RPLI Policy.

  (ii)     The following may be the circumstances requiring alteration in the name: –

  •  If a woman wants to change her surname post-marriage or due to some specific reason,
  •  If a couple has adopted a child and wants their surname after his/her name (legalize the adoption),
  •  If the insured has his/her surname legally changedfor a specific reason,
  •  If the name of the policyholder has some disparity (misspelling),
  •   In any other scenario or for reason, not listed above

How to submit an application form by Insurant for change of his/her name during the policy term or at the time of claiming survival benefit, maturity, and surrender benefit: –

Application in the prescribed format (Annexure-I) along with required documents can be submitted  by the Insurant at any Post Office (BO/SO/HO) or PLI-CPC across the country  through himself/herself along with all original documents for comparison with a copy of the document(s) by official concerned.

 The following  documents are required to be submitted by the insurant: –

  • Self-attested copies of Identity proof and Address proof of the insurant (as per Annexure-III),
  • Original Policy Bond (In case of non-availability of policy bond in original or through Digi Locker (as prescribed), indemnity bond prescribed for issue of duplicate policy bond may be obtained),
  • Relevant document(s) on the ground of which correction or alteration of name is being carried out, as the case may be, out of the following: –

If a woman wants to change her surname :- 

a) Post-marriage
b) divorce
c) Death of spouse
d) Re-marriage

Self-attested copy of the following  document(s)a)

(a) In case of marriage, any of  the following documents:-

  • marriage certificate
  • Copy of passport showing husband’s name
  • publication of name change in the official gazette
  • a copy of the sale deed, mutation deed, land passbook,   or document issued by a court of law showing the surname

b) In case of divorce, the following documents: –

  • Self-attested copy of divorce decree authenticated by the court. (In divorce cases)

c) In case of the death of a spouse, the following document:-

  • Copy of death certificate of spouse (in case of death of a spouse)

d) In case of re-marriage, the following documents:-

  • Remarried applicants will be required to produce a divorce decree/death certificate in respect of the first spouse and any of the documents mentioned in (a) above as proof of marriage.

e) If a couple has adopted a child and wants their surname after his/her name (legalize the adoption) Self-attested copy of any of the following documents:-

  • adoption deed or
  • Legal document issued by Court of Law

f) If the name of the policyholder has some  disparity like misspelled, abbreviated name, or missing surname/middle name), Self-attested copy of any of the following documents:-

  • -adoption deed or
  • Legal document issued by Court of Law

g) In any other scenario or for reason, not listed above

  • Applicable requisite documents as per the scenario or for the reason for a name change or any other relevant document(s) sought by the concerned authority. 

Name change process in Postal life insurance Policy If Insurant is unable to visit Post  office”-

If any insurant is unable to visit the post office or CPC, being medically unfit or outside India procedure:

  •  In case any insurant is  medically unfit  or out side india and not able to  visit the post office  or CPC,  for correction or alteration of name in his PLI policy documents, he/she may authorize any person as a messenger for submission of the form along with necessary documents. Only an adult literate person of sound mind, who is not insolvent, can be appointed as a messenger. 
  • In case  medically unfit to visit CPC, a self-attested medical certificate to this effect needs to be submitted from Govt. a hospital or Govt. an accredited hospital.
  • However, in case the insurant is abroad, he/she needs to submit a self-attested copy of passport clearly showing the date of departure from India.

Submission of application form by nominee/appointee/claimant where there is a difference in name of insurant at the time of death claim Procedure:-·

  • Cases where there is a difference in the name of the policyholder with that available in the policy bond to the documents (like death certificate) furnished by the claimant at the time of the death claim, then the claimant needs to furnish the reason for the same along with the requisite documents as per the grounds applicable for settlement of the claim.

  • If the claimant is unable to establish the identity of late insurant to the satisfaction, then the claimant may be asked to furnish orders of a court of law or such legal documentary evidence.

  • Submission of application form by nominee/ appointee/claimant where there is a difference in his/her own name to that available in original policy bond at the time of death claim:-

    • Cases wherein there is a difference in the name of the nominee/appointee available in the policy document to that mentioned in the claim documents furnished by the claimant, then the claimant needs to furnish the reason for the same along with the requisite documents as per the grounds applicable for settlement of the claim.
    • If the claimant is unable to establish his/her identity, then the claimant may be asked to furnish orders of a court of law or any such legal documentary evidence.

     Name change Form for PLI/RPLI Policy in PDF

    •  Correction of the nominee/appointee name during the policy term, by the policyholder himself/herself can be processed by a collection of the form (Annexure-I) along with relevant KYC documents. 
    • In cases, where a PLI/RPLI policy is issued with an incorrect name owing to erroneous data entry made by the official (s) of the Department of Posts including PLI-CPC i.e., the name of the insurant filled in the proposal form is similar/identical with one of the KYC documents submitted but differ in the policy bond generated due to typographical error or any such mistake on the part of the Department, then the CPC concerned as soon as this irregularity comes to their notice by themselves or through an agent, before the original policy delivered to the insurant, may process immediately for correction of name change with the available documents on their own.
    •  In cases, where the original policy bond has been delivered to the insurant and correction is brought into notice by CPC, agent, insurant or others, then the insurant may be requested telephonically or through registered post to submit an application on plain paper with original policy bond*.
    • Subsequently, in both cases, CPCs shall process for issue of duplicate policy bonds, for which the Department shall bear the cost. The duplicate policy bond along with the name change letter generated shall be delivered to the insurant as per the usual procedure.

    *Note: Requirement of original policy bond may be waived, and a self-declaration may be obtained from the insurant to the effect that the policy bond has been irrecoverably lost/damaged or untraceable and the same has not been assigned to the Department of Posts or elsewhere for taking a loan. 

    Source: India post/View original doc

    Also, Download the Proposal Form and Service Request Forms

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