Uttarakhand Disaster: Simplified Claim Settlement for Missing Persons
No longer current — withdrawn, no replacement on file yet
Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2013-14/331 · issued 21 Oct 2013 · ~1 min read
Quick answerBanks must settle claims for missing persons in the 2013 Uttarakhand disaster using only the MHA-issued death certificate and an indemnity letter, without extra documentation.
The rule, in the simplest words
For people who went missing in the June 2013 Uttarakhand disaster, banks only need (i) the Death Certificate (official proof of death) issued by the Designated Officer (person appointed by the Ministry of Home Affairs) and (ii) a Letter of Indemnity (a promise that the bank won’t face later claims).
No other paperwork is required for these disaster cases, making the claim process quick and simple.
If the missing person is not from the 2013 Uttarakhand disaster, banks must follow the older 2008 circular rules for claim settlement.
These instructions apply to all Scheduled Commercial Banks, but not to Regional Rural Banks.
How it plays out — a real example
Rohit Sharma, a gold‑loan officer in Dehradun, receives a claim from the family of a hiker who disappeared in the 2013 Uttarakhand flood. He looks at the Death Certificate issued by the Designated Officer under the MHA circular and the Letter of Indemnity, and happily processes the settlement without asking for any extra documents.
What changed
RBI directed banks to accept claims for missing persons from the June 2013 Uttarakhand disaster based solely on a death certificate from the designated officer under the MHA circular and a letter of indemnity. This overrides normal documentation requirements for these specific cases. For other missing persons, the existing 2008 circular on claim settlement continues to apply.
What it means for you
Banks must streamline claim processing for Uttarakhand disaster victims, reducing paperwork to just two documents. This reduces legal risk for lenders while ensuring timely relief to families. The 2008 circular remains the fallback for non-disaster missing person cases.
Historical instruction — do not use for current compliance. This is what was required at the time; it no longer reflects current RBI requirements. If no replacement rule is linked above, that only means none is recorded on our register yet — it does not prove no later applicable rule exists. Confirm on the official RBI source below.
What banks were required to do at the time
Accept death certificates issued under the MHA circular dated August 16, 2013, for Uttarakhand disaster missing persons.
Require only the death certificate and a letter of indemnity for claim settlement in these cases.
Apply the existing 2008 circular (DBOD.No.Leg.BC.80/09.07.005/2007-08) for all other missing person claims.
Train branch staff on this simplified process to avoid delays or rejections.
Who it affects
All scheduled commercial banks excluding RRBs, Claimants and families of missing persons in the 2013 Uttarakhand disaster, Bank legal and operations teams handling death claims
❓ Common questions
Regulatory timeline
Decoded by BankPulse2026-06-18 12:10 IST
Status change: withdrawn11 Jul 2026, 02:13 IST
Built from our lineage records — each fact carries its provenance; missing history simply is not shown (never guessed).
What documents are needed for Uttarakhand disaster missing person claims?
Only two documents: a death certificate from the designated officer under the MHA circular and a letter of indemnity. No other paperwork is required.
Does this circular apply to missing persons from other disasters?
No, it applies only to persons missing due to the June 2013 Uttarakhand disaster. For other cases, banks must follow the 2008 circular on missing persons.
What if a claimant cannot produce the MHA death certificate?
The circular requires that certificate. Without it, the claim falls under the general 2008 circular, which may have different documentation requirements.
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2013-14/331
DBOD.No.Leg.BC. 61/09.07.005/2013-14
October 21, 2013
All Scheduled Commercial Banks
(excluding RRBs)
Dear Sir/Madam,
Settlement of Claims in respect of Missing Persons in Uttarakhand Disaster
In the aftermath of Uttarakhand Natural Disaster during June 14-20, 2013 the Office of the Registrar General of India, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India has devised a procedure for Registration of Death of Missing persons in Natural Calamities affected areas in Uttarakhand vide its circular F.No. 1/2/(Uttarakhand)/2011-VS-CRS dated August 16, 2013 (MHA Circular). A copy of MHA Circular is enclosed for reference. The MHA Circular has devised detailed procedure for registration and issue of ‘Death Certificate’ of a person reportedly missing since his/her visit to the site of disaster in Uttarakhand in June 2013.
2. In view of the above, banks are advised to settle the claims in respect of missing persons, covered by MHA Circular, without insisting on production of any documentation other than (i) the ‘Death Certificate’ issued by the Designated Officer under MHA Circular and (ii) letter of indemnity.
3. Banks are further advised that the provisions of Circular DBOD.No.Leg.BC.80/09.07.005/2007-08 dated May 2, 2008 on ‘Settlement of claims in respect of missing persons’ would be applicable in other cases which are not covered by MHA Circular.
Yours faithfully,
(Rajesh Verma)
Chief General Manager
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2013-14/331 · issued 21 Oct 2013. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
Discuss this circular with fellow bankers — reply, upvote what helps, report what doesn’t belong. Be professional; no client data. Views are the commenter’s own, not BankPulse’s.
BankPulse Compliance Evidence Pack — generated 03 Aug 2026 · status cross-checked against RBI’s official withdrawal register (refreshed weekly). Official RBI source: https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=8519&Mode=0 — Plain-English summary by BankPulse (bankpulse.ai), reviewed by our expert reviewer, CA Amit Jain. Independent platform, not affiliated with the Reserve Bank of India; is our own plain-English paraphrase, not RBI’s original wording.
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