Insurance Nomination Form (India)
INSURANCE NOMINATION FORM
Section 39, Insurance Act 1938 (as amended by Insurance Laws Amendment Act 2015)
Date: [Nomination Date] | Policy No.: [Policy Number]
Insurer: [Insurer Name] | Policy Type: [Policy Type]
Type of Nomination: [Nomination Type]
1. POLICYHOLDER DETAILS
Name: [Policyholder Name]
Date of Birth: [Policyholder DOB]
Aadhaar: [Policyholder Aadhaar]
Address: [Policyholder Address]
2. NOMINEE DETAILS
Nominee 1:
Name: [Nominee 1 Name]
Date of Birth: [Nominee 1 DOB]
Relationship: [Nominee 1 Relationship] | Share: [Nominee 1 Share]%
Aadhaar: [Nominee 1 Aadhaar]
Nominee 2 (if applicable):
[Nominee 2 Details]
Guardian for Minor Nominee (if applicable):
[Guardian Details]
3. DECLARATION
I, [Policyholder Name], hereby nominate the above-named person(s) to receive the policy proceeds (sum assured, bonuses, and other benefits) payable under Policy No. [Policy Number] in the event of my death during the policy term. This nomination is made under Section 39 of the Insurance Act 1938. I understand that if the nominee(s) named above are my spouse, children, or parents, they will receive the proceeds as beneficial nominees under the Insurance Laws (Amendment) Act 2015.
Signed at _________________ on [Nomination Date].
Policyholder
________________
Signature
Witness
________________
Signature
What Is a Insurance Nomination Form (India)?
An Insurance Nomination Form in India sets out the particulars the recipient needs to deal with the request, in a structured and reviewable form.
The nomination serves as a simple and efficient mechanism to confirm that insurance proceeds are paid promptly to the designated person without the need for probate or court intervention. IRDAI's Protection of Policyholders' Interests Regulations 2017 require all life insurance policies to carry a nomination and require insurers to offer the facility to nominate at policy inception and to change the nomination during the policy term.
The 2015 amendment introduced the concept of 'beneficial nominees' — when the policyholder nominates their spouse, children, or parents, those nominees receive the proceeds absolutely (not as trustees for the estate). For all other nominees, the nominee acts as a collecting agent for the legal heirs.
The India Insurance Nomination Form (India) form can be used both to make the initial nomination at policy inception and to change an existing nomination during the policy term. Insurers are required to endorse the nomination or change on the policy document and record it in their register.
The legal framework governing the Insurance Nomination Form (India) in India draws on several key statutes and regulatory bodies. Under Indian law, the Indian Contract Act 1872 governs contractual obligations, with Section 10 setting essential requirements for valid agreements. The Companies Act 2013 regulates corporate entities through the Registrar of Companies (ROC) and Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA). The Industrial Disputes Act 1947 and state labour commissioners govern employment disputes. The Information Technology Act 2000 and IT (Reasonable Security Practices) Rules 2011 protect personal data. The Income Tax Act 1961 and Goods and Services Tax Act 2017 govern tax obligations through the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) and GST Council. Parties executing a Insurance Nomination Form (India) in India should confirm the document reflects current law, including any amendments enacted since the original drafting date. The Indian Contract Act, 1872 sets the foundational requirements.
When Do You Need a Insurance Nomination Form (India)?
You need an Insurance Nomination Form when you take out a new life insurance policy and wish to designate who will receive the proceeds upon your death — IRDAI's regulations encourage nomination at policy inception.
You need this form to change your existing nominee — for example, after marriage (to add your spouse), after the birth of a child (to add or substitute), after divorce, or after the death of the previously nominated person.
You need this form if you wish to add multiple nominees and specify the percentage of the proceeds each will receive — the form allows you to allocate shares precisely so that the proceeds are distributed according to your wishes.
You need this form if your existing nominee has died and you need to designate a replacement to avoid the policy proceeds falling into intestate succession upon your own death.
You also need this form if you wish to designate a minor child as nominee while simultaneously appointing a guardian who will receive and manage the proceeds on the child's behalf until the child attains majority — Section 39 of the Insurance Act 1938 requires the guardian to be named when a minor is nominated.
Parties in India should prepare a Insurance Nomination Form (India) proactively rather than waiting for a dispute to arise. Courts interpret agreements based on the written terms rather than oral representations. Under Indian law, the Indian Contract Act 1872 governs contractual obligations, with Section 10 setting essential requirements for valid agreements. The Companies Act 2013 regulates corporate entities through the Registrar of Companies (ROC) and Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA). The Industrial Disputes Act 1947 and state labour commissioners govern employment disputes. The Information Technology Act 2000 and IT (Reasonable Security Practices) Rules 2011 protect personal data. The Income Tax Act 1961 and Goods and Services Tax Act 2017 govern tax obligations through the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) and GST Council. Where the transaction involves regulated activities, prior approval from the relevant authority may be required before execution.
What to Include in Your Insurance Nomination Form (India)
A valid India Insurance Nomination Form must contain the following key elements.
Policyholder details: Full name, date of birth, address, Aadhaar number, PAN, and contact information of the policyholder.
Policy details: Policy number, name of insurer, type of policy, date of commencement, and sum assured.
Nominee details: Full name, date of birth, address, Aadhaar number (if available), relationship to policyholder, and contact information for each nominee.
Allocation: If multiple nominees are designated, the percentage share of proceeds allocated to each nominee (shares must total 100%).
Guardian details: If any nominee is a minor (below 18 years), the full name, address, and Aadhaar number of the appointed guardian who will receive the proceeds on the minor's behalf.
Type of nomination: Whether the nomination is revocable (default) or irrevocable — an irrevocable nomination cannot be changed without the nominee's written consent.
Declaration: Signed declaration by the policyholder confirming the accuracy of all particulars, as required by the Insurance Act 1938 — the insurer is entitled to rely on the nomination in paying claims.
Additional compliance elements for a Insurance Nomination Form (India) used in India include: Under Indian law, the Indian Contract Act 1872 governs contractual obligations, with Section 10 setting essential requirements for valid agreements. The Companies Act 2013 regulates corporate entities through the Registrar of Companies (ROC) and Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA). The Industrial Disputes Act 1947 and state labour commissioners govern employment disputes. The Information Technology Act 2000 and IT (Reasonable Security Practices) Rules 2011 protect personal data. The Income Tax Act 1961 and Goods and Services Tax Act 2017 govern tax obligations through the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) and GST Council. Forms-legal.com provides this template as a starting point for India-compliant documentation.
Cite this page
Reference this free template in an article, syllabus, or research note:
Forms Legal. (2026). Insurance Nomination Form (India) (India) [Legal document template]. Forms Legal. https://forms-legal.com/india/personal/insurance/insurance-nomination-form-india
"Insurance Nomination Form (India) (India)." Forms Legal, 2026, https://forms-legal.com/india/personal/insurance/insurance-nomination-form-india.
@misc{formslegal-insurance-nomination-form-india,
author = {{Forms Legal}},
title = {Insurance Nomination Form (India) (India)},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {\url{https://forms-legal.com/india/personal/insurance/insurance-nomination-form-india}},
note = {Free legal document template. Based on Indian Contract Act, 1872}
}Frequently Asked Questions
The distinction between a nominee and a legal heir in Indian insurance law was significantly clarified by the Supreme Court and subsequently codified by the Insurance Laws (Amendment) Act 2015, which introduced the concept of 'beneficial nominee' into Section 39 of the Insurance Act 1938. Before the 2015 amendment, the position under Indian law — established by the Supreme Court in Sarbati Devi v. Usha Devi (1984) — was that a nominee under a life insurance policy was merely a 'payment nominee' or 'collecting agent.' The nominee had the right to receive the policy proceeds from the insurer, but was obligated to hold those proceeds as trustee for the legal heirs of the deceased policyholder. The nominee could not retain the money for themselves if they were not an heir. The Insurance Laws (Amendment) Act 2015 changed this by introducing Section 39(6A), which creates the category of 'beneficial nominee.' If the policyholder nominates their spouse, children, or parents as nominees, those nominees are treated as 'beneficial nominees' who receive the policy proceeds absolutely — free from any claim by other legal heirs. This reform was intended to give families certainty that insurance proceeds will reach them. If the nominee is anyone other than the spouse, children, or parents — for example, a sibling, friend, or other relative — the nominee receives the proceeds as a payment nominee and remains liable to account to the legal heirs.
Under Section 39 of the Insurance Act 1938, a life insurance policyholder has an absolute right to change or cancel a nomination at any time during the policy term, provided the policy has not been assigned to a third party. Once the policy is assigned, the nomination becomes void and cannot be changed until the assignment is cancelled.
To change a nominee, the policyholder must submit a written request to the insurer's branch office, typically on the insurer's standard form (or this form), specifying the new nominee's details including full name, date of birth, address, Aadhaar number, and relationship to the policyholder. The new nomination takes effect from the date the insurer records the change in its register — endorsement of the change on the policy document or issuance of an endorsement certificate confirms the change.
The insurer must record the nomination in its Register of Policies and endorse the policy document with the nominee's particulars. IRDAI's Protection of Policyholders' Interests Regulations 2017 require insurers to process nomination changes within 15 days of receiving the request.
Multiple nominees can be designated, with the policyholder specifying the percentage share of the proceeds each nominee is to receive. If no percentages are specified, the proceeds are divided equally.
A nomination can be 'revocable' (can be changed any time) or 'irrevocable' (cannot be changed without the nominee's consent — useful in cases where the nomination is made as security for a loan or obligation). Most nominations are revocable.
Under Section 39 of the Insurance Act 1938, if the nominee dies before the policyholder, the nomination automatically lapses. In such a case, when the policyholder dies, the insurer is required to pay the policy proceeds to the policyholder's legal heirs as determined by the applicable personal law — the Hindu Succession Act 1956 for Hindus, the Indian Succession Act 1925 for Christians and Parsis, and the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act 1937 for Muslims.
To avoid the complications of intestate succession and the uncertainty of legal proceedings to establish heirship, it is strongly advisable for the policyholder to submit a fresh nomination form as soon as possible after the death of a nominee, designating a new nominee.
Alternatively, the policyholder can nominate multiple nominees so that if one predeceases the policyholder, the surviving nominees receive the proceeds. In the nomination form, it is also possible to designate a contingent or substitute nominee — a person who receives the proceeds only if the primary nominee predeceases the policyholder.
The IRDAI's circular on claim settlement procedures (2015) requires insurers to settle claims payable to legal heirs within 30 days of receiving all required documents establishing heirship (succession certificate from a civil court, legal heir certificate from a revenue authority, or probate of the Will). Delays beyond 30 days attract penal interest payable to the claimant under IRDAI's guidelines.
A Insurance Nomination Form (India) does not legally require a lawyer in India, and individuals and businesses may draft and execute the document independently. The Indian Contract Act, 1872 does not mandate legal representation for the creation or signing of this type of document. However, seeking independent legal advice from a qualified India lawyer is recommended for transactions involving substantial financial value, complex regulatory requirements, or cross-border elements where multiple legal jurisdictions may apply. A lawyer can verify that the document complies with all applicable statutory requirements, identify potential risks specific to the transaction, and confirm that the terms adequately protect the interests of all parties involved. The Supreme Court of India has jurisdiction over disputes arising from this type of document, and Registrar of Companies (ROC) may impose additional compliance obligations depending on the nature of the underlying transaction. Professional legal review is particularly advisable where the document will be submitted to government agencies or used as evidence in legal proceedings.
A Insurance Nomination Form (India) does not legally require a lawyer in India, though legal advice is recommended. Under Indian law, the Indian Contract Act 1872 governs agreements. The Companies Act 2013 and Registrar of Companies (ROC) regulate corporate documents. The Information Technology Act 2000 governs electronic contracts and data protection. The Consumer Protection Act 2019 provides consumer rights. The Income Tax Act 1961 requires tax compliance. Forms-legal.com provides this template as a starting point — always review with a qualified Indian advocate for significant transactions. Under India law, Indian Contract Act, 1872, parties should seek independent legal advice from a qualified lawyer to confirm compliance with all applicable requirements. Under Indian law, the Indian Contract Act 1872 governs contractual obligations, with Section 10 setting essential requirements for valid agreements. The Companies Act 2013 regulates corporate entities through the Registrar of Companies (ROC) and Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA). Forms-legal.com provides this template as a starting point for India-compliant documentation.
This template is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change over time. Consult a qualified attorney for advice specific to your situation.Full disclaimer
Found an error? Let us knowRelated Documents
You may also find these documents useful:
Insurance Policy Cancellation Request (India)
A formal insurance policy cancellation request letter for India, compliant with the Insurance Act 1938 and IRDAI Regulations on Protection of Policyholders' Interests 2017. Covers cancellation within the free-look period and mid-term cancellation for all classes of insurance including life, health, and motor policies.
Health Insurance Claim Form (India)
A Health Insurance Claim Form for India under the Insurance Act 1938 and IRDAI Health Insurance Regulations. For reimbursement or cashless claim of medical hospitalisation expenses under individual or group health insurance policies in India.
Last Will and Testament (India)
A legally valid Last Will and Testament for India, governed by the Indian Succession Act 1925. Enables any competent adult to distribute their property, appoint an executor, and provide guardianship directions. Requires signature in the presence of two attesting witnesses as mandated by Section 63 of the Indian Succession Act 1925.