How to claim a Death benefit as an executor or administrator

Being an executor or an administrator of a deceased estate comes with a number of responsibilities which often come at a time when dealing with the loss of a loved one. One of these duties is the distribution of superannuation. This process depends on several factors, including the type of super scheme the member was a part of.

GESB's schemes are unique and our rules for payment of super benefits following a member's death differ from those of other providers. To make the process as simple as possible during what may be a difficult time, we’ve outlined below how to claim a Death benefit and things an estate executor or administrator should know.

The role of the executor in claiming a Death benefit

The deceased estate refers to all assets owned by a person. It can include real estate, bank accounts, motor vehicles, and other investments or possessions including super, which is often one of the most significant assets. This does not include death benefits that have a valid binding death nomination.

If the deceased had a will, the executor is responsible for administering the will and distributing their assets to the people they wanted to receive them (their beneficiaries).

In Western Australia, for a will to be valid, it must have a certificate of Probate granted by the Supreme Court of Western Australia. The ‘Grant of Probate’ means that the Will has been proven as registered, and the executor has been granted authority to administer the deceased estate.

If the person passed away ‘intestate’, that is, without a valid will, the court may grant ‘Letters of Administration’ to a person who would be a beneficiary of the deceased estate, such as their spouse, parents, siblings, children, or grandchildren.

An executor or administrator of a loved one’s estate will need to collect the assets of the estate, including any super benefit.

Claiming a Death benefit from GESB

The executor or administrator needs to supply us with a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration respectively for account balances over $25,000, including any insured component.

Once we have formal notification of the member’s death¹, we will send a letter to the executor or administrator of the estate, explaining the documents we need to assess the claim.

If the member had insurance cover at date of death, we will claim Death cover from the insurer as part of the claim process. The insurance amount will form part of the Death benefit payable.

Once we have received a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration and all other relevant documentation, we will pay the Death benefit to the estate bank account.

It’s important that the executor or administrator knows which scheme the deceased was a member of, as this will impact how the Death benefit is calculated, and whether an investment decision is required. (The investment option will be changed to Cash upon receipt of formal notification of death to limit the risk of market movements).

1 Certified copy of Death Certificate, Coroner's report, autopsy report, inquest finding, or a medical certificate completed by a registered medical practitioner.
2 The Medicare Levy is currently 2% of assessable income.
3 Members who open a Retirement Income Pension account have an option to nominate a beneficiary at the time of opening their account. The beneficiary must be a person who is financially dependent or has an interdependency relationship with the member. For more information, please refer to the Retirement Income Product Information Booklet.