Life Insurance Nomination Form (Pakistan)

A Life Insurance Nomination Form in Pakistan records the details required for the process it supports, providing a clear written account that can be relied on.

The Insurance Ordinance 2000 establishes the legal framework for life insurance business in Pakistan, including provisions governing policy assignment, nomination, and payment of claims. Section 58 of the Insurance Ordinance 2000 deals with policies of insurance by married women under the Married Women's Property Act 1874 — a policy taken out by a married woman for her own benefit creates a statutory trust in favour of her children and herself, with important implications for nomination. For general life policies, nomination is governed by the terms of the individual policy contract and the regulations issued by the SECP under Section 137 of the Insurance Ordinance 2000.

Life insurance companies operating in Pakistan — including State Life Insurance Corporation of Pakistan (SLIC), Jubilee Life Insurance Company, EFU Life Assurance, Adamjee Life Assurance, and other SECP-licensed insurers — are required to maintain nomination records for each policy and to update these records when the policyholder submits a valid nomination form. The life insurer must, upon the death of the policyholder, pay the sum assured and any accumulated bonuses to the registered nominee without requiring the nominee to obtain a succession certificate or Letters of Administration under the Succession Act 1925 — provided the nomination is validly registered and has not been revoked or altered.

The Nomination Form establishes who will receive the insurance proceeds without the delay and expense of probate or succession proceedings. For Muslim policyholders in Pakistan, note that the nomination does not override the Islamic rules of inheritance (Mirath) under the West Pakistan Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act 1962. The nominee receives the proceeds as a trustee for the legal heirs of the deceased policyholder under the applicable law of succession — the nominee is not necessarily entitled to retain the entire proceeds for themselves. Non-Muslim policyholders' nominees may have a stronger claim to retain proceeds as absolute beneficiaries, depending on the policy terms and the applicable personal law.

The Life Insurance Nomination Form must be submitted to the life insurance company during the policyholder's lifetime and must be acknowledged and registered by the insurer to be effective. A nomination made verbally or by way of a will alone is insufficient — the formal nomination must be registered with the insurer in accordance with the insurer's prescribed procedure. The policyholder may change the nomination at any time by submitting a fresh Nomination Form — the most recent registered nomination supersedes all earlier nominations. The nomination becomes void if the nominee predeceases the policyholder and no substitute nomination is made.

State Life Insurance Corporation of Pakistan (SLIC), established under the State Life Insurance Corporation Ordinance 1972 and operating under SECP oversight, holds the largest portfolio of life insurance policies in Pakistan. SLIC's nomination procedures, family takaful (Islamic insurance) products offered under the Takaful Rules 2012, and conventional life policies each have specific nomination requirements that policyholders must follow to confirm valid registration of their nominees.

A Life Insurance Nomination Form in Pakistan is needed in several important situations relating to the management of a life insurance policy and the protection of the policyholder's family.

A Life Insurance Nomination Form is needed when a person in Pakistan purchases a new life insurance policy — whether a conventional policy from SLIC, Jubilee Life, EFU Life, or another SECP-licensed insurer, or a Sharia-compliant takaful policy under the Takaful Rules 2012 — and wishes to designate who will receive the insurance proceeds upon their death without the need for a court order. Submitting a nomination form at the time of policy inception is the most efficient way to confirm the proceeds are paid directly to the chosen beneficiary.

A Life Insurance Nomination Form is required when a policyholder's family circumstances change and the existing nomination needs to be updated. Common situations include: the birth of a child whom the policyholder wishes to add as a nominee; the death of a previously nominated beneficiary; divorce or separation from a spouse who was previously nominated; or the policyholder's wish to change the proportions in which multiple nominees share the proceeds. The Insurance Ordinance 2000 and individual insurer policies allow the policyholder to revoke and replace a nomination at any time during the policy term.

A Life Insurance Nomination Form is needed when an employer in Pakistan provides group life insurance cover to employees under a group policy regulated by the SECP and requires each covered employee to submit an individual nomination form designating their beneficiary. Many employers — particularly those operating in the formal sector in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, and other major cities — provide group life insurance as part of the employee benefits package, and the nomination form is a standard HR document.

A Life Insurance Nomination Form is required when a policyholder applies for a policy loan against their life insurance policy and the insurer requires confirmation of the current nomination as part of the loan documentation process. Some insurers also require an updated nomination form as a condition of policy revival after lapsation due to non-payment of premium.

A Life Insurance Nomination Form is needed when a policyholder is diagnosed with a serious illness and wishes to confirm that their insurance proceeds will be paid directly to a trusted family member — spouse, adult child, or parent — without the delay and expense of court proceedings after their death. Proactive nomination confirms that the family receives financial support promptly when they most need it.

Under Pakistani law, the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance 1961 governs Muslim marriage (nikah), divorce (talaq), maintenance, and dower (mehr). The Family Courts Act 1964 establishes Family Courts with jurisdiction over matrimonial disputes. The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) issues CNIC, NICOP, and birth/death certificates. The Guardian and Wards Act 1890 governs child custody. The Federal Shariat Court reviews laws for Islamic compliance.

A valid Life Insurance Nomination Form in Pakistan under the Insurance Ordinance 2000 and SECP regulations must contain the following essential elements to be accepted and registered by the life insurance company.

Policy Details: The nomination form must identify the specific policy to which the nomination applies — the policy number, the name of the insurance company, the policy commencement date, and the sum assured. Where the policyholder holds multiple policies, a separate nomination form must be submitted for each policy.

Policyholder Identification: The full name of the policyholder exactly as stated in the policy documents, their CNIC number issued by NADRA (13-digit format), their date of birth, and their current address must be stated. These details must match the insurer's policy records precisely to avoid processing delays.

Nominee Details: For each nominee, the form must state: full legal name as per NADRA CNIC; relationship to the policyholder (spouse, child, parent, sibling); CNIC number (or birth certificate number for minor nominees); date of birth; current address; and contact telephone number. The insurer uses these details to locate and identify the nominee at the time of claim.

Share of Proceeds: Where more than one nominee is designated, the form must specify the percentage share of the total proceeds payable to each nominee. The shares of all nominees must add up to 100%. If proportions are not specified, the insurer typically divides the proceeds equally among all nominees.

Appointment of Custodian for Minor Nominees: Where a nominee is a minor (under 18 years under the Majority Act 1875), the policyholder must appoint an adult custodian — typically the other parent or a trusted adult — to receive the proceeds on behalf of the minor nominee. The custodian's full name, CNIC number, and address must be stated. This requirement is consistent with the Guardian and Wards Act 1890, under which a minor cannot legally receive property in their own right.

Revocation Statement: If the nomination replaces a previous nomination, the form should state that all previous nominations in respect of the same policy are revoked. This confirms the insurer's records are updated and the new nomination is treated as the operative one.

Policyholder Signature and Date: The policyholder must sign the nomination form personally in the space provided, with the date of signing. The form must be submitted to the insurer during the policyholder's lifetime. A nomination signed after the policyholder's death is void.

Witness: Most insurers require the nomination form to be signed by one or two witnesses who can confirm the identity and voluntary act of the policyholder. Witnesses should state their full name, CNIC number, and address.

Forms-legal.com provides this Life Insurance Nomination Form (Pakistan) template as a guide to the standard information required by SECP-licensed life insurers. Policyholders should always use their insurer's own prescribed nomination form — available from SLIC, Jubilee Life, EFU Life, or other insurer's branches or websites — to confirm the nomination is in the exact format required by the insurer's operational and regulatory procedures.

Additional compliance elements for a Life Insurance Nomination Form (Pakistan) used in Pakistan include: Under Pakistani law, the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance 1961 governs Muslim marriage (nikah), divorce (talaq), maintenance, and dower (mehr). The Family Courts Act 1964 establishes Family Courts with jurisdiction over matrimonial disputes. The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) issues CNIC, NICOP, and birth/death certificates. The Guardian and Wards Act 1890 governs child custody. The Federal Shariat Court reviews laws for Islamic compliance. Forms-legal.com provides this template as a starting point for Pakistan-compliant documentation.