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Farra is a death administration assistant for UK families. Get step-by-step guidance for registering a death, applying for probate, notifying banks, and managing bereavement admin. From essential documents to practical checklists, Farra simplifies estate paperwork and funeral-related tasks so you can focus on what matters.
Zurich pension death benefits pass to the nominated beneficiaries outside the estate— no grant of probate is needed. A life insurance policy or investment bond written in trust also pays the beneficiaries directly, outside the estate. A policy that is not written in trust forms part of the estate, and a grant of probate or letters of administration is needed — Zurich publishes no fixed figure at which this applies. Contact Zurich's bereavement team on 0800 056 0303 to confirm the specific position for the product held.
Zurich is a major international insurance and financial services group with a significant UK presence in pensions, life insurance, and investment bonds. As of July 2026, Zurich does not publish a fixed probate threshold; whether a grant of probate is needed depends on whether the policy is written in trust.
Product-specific rules:
For a cross-institution comparison of thresholds, see our probate threshold guide for 2026–27.
Our estate administration checklist helps you track all required documents across multiple institutions.
Contacting Zurich is an important step in notifying financial institutions after a death. The bereavement team will freeze any relevant policies and send a claims pack.
Not sure if you need probate?
1 in 3 applications are sent back. In under 2 minutes, we'll tell you whether you need it and what to do next.
Zurich does not currently participate in the Death Notification Service (DNS). You must contact Zurich directly. The DNS is primarily for high-street banks; insurers and pension providers such as Zurich maintain their own separate bereavement processes.
Zurich does not participate in the Direct Payment Scheme (DPS). If inheritance tax is due on the estate, you will need to arrange separate funding to pay HMRC before probate is granted. See our guide on probate delays and IHT interest for practical strategies.
Where no grant is required, Zurich typically releases funds within 4–6 weeks of receiving all documents. Where a grant of probate is needed, add 8–12 weeks to obtain it, plus 4–8 weeks for Zurich to process the release.
For a full timeline, see the complete UK probate guide for 2026.
Zurich pension death benefits — from workplace pensions, personal pensions, and master trust arrangements — are held under trust and bypass the estate entirely. The trustees exercise discretion to pay the benefit to nominated beneficiaries. Pension death benefits are typically free of inheritance tax.
Investment bonds and non-trust life policies form part of the estate; Zurich publishes no fixed probate limit, so confirm the requirement directly. For full details on claiming pension death benefits, see our pension death benefit guide. Our DIY probate versus solicitor cost guide can help you choose the right approach for the estate.
Before you assume you need probate
Do you actually need a grant — and what would it cost?
A Zurich balance is only part of the picture. Whether the estate needs probate at all depends on the whole picture — property, other accounts, and how everything was owned — not a single threshold. It is worth checking before you start filling in forms.
Guide reviewed July 2026. Bank thresholds change and can vary by account type — always confirm the current figure with the provider before relying on it.
1 in 3 probate applications are sent back.
Answer 5 questions in under 2 minutes. We'll tell you whether you need probate, which route to take, and the mistake most people make at this stage.
Where they normally lived, even if they died somewhere else.
Free to check · 2 minutes · No account needed · £179 for your full Farra plan
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