Letter to a mortgage lender or home insurer after a death: free template

Quick answer: Send this letter to the mortgage lender and, as a separate copy, to the home insurer. It records the death and asks the lender for the balance, what authority it needs and what payments it expects, and asks the insurer what applies while the home is empty. GOV.UK says to ask the lender if payments must continue while you apply for probate; if so, pay them yourself and reclaim them from the estate once you have probate, or check for a life assurance or mortgage protection policy that covers them.

When to send it, and who to

• Who it goes to. The lender's bereavement team, and the home insurer. Tell Us Once doesn't tell them: GOV.UK says you contact mortgage providers and insurance providers yourself.
• When. As soon as you can. The lender needs to know who is dealing with the estate; the insurer needs to know the home may be empty, so it can tell you what conditions apply to the cover.
• Joint mortgages. If the home was jointly owned, the surviving owner should talk to the lender too. Our joint mortgage guide covers what changes.
• Who sends it. The executor, the administrator if there is no will, or the person dealing with the estate.

The letter (free to copy)

Copy it into an email or a document, replace every [bracket] with your own details, and delete what doesn't apply.

[Your name]
[Your address]
[Date]

[Lender or insurer name]
[Address]

Subject: Death of [name]: property at [address]

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am dealing with the estate of [name], who died on [date]. Please record the death and confirm the current [mortgage balance / policy status]. For the insurer: please confirm any requirements or restrictions that apply while the property is unoccupied, and the steps needed to keep cover in force. For the lender: please confirm what authority you require and any immediate payment arrangements. (Delete the paragraph that does not apply.)

Yours faithfully, [name]

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What to enclose

• A copy of the death certificate.
• The mortgage account number or the policy number.
• The grant of probate or letters of administration, if you already have it: an official copy, not the original.
• Details of any life assurance or mortgage protection policy, so the lender knows a claim may repay the loan.

Don't send original documents unless the organisation specifically asks for them. Keep a copy of the version you actually sent, the date, the reference number and the reply.

Common mistakes

• Stopping the mortgage payments without asking. GOV.UK says to ask the lender whether payments must continue while you apply for probate.
• Forgetting the home insurer. Tell the insurer the home is empty and follow its conditions, or the cover may not pay out.
• Missing a policy that pays off the mortgage. Check the person's papers for life assurance or mortgage protection.
• Putting the home on the market too early. GOV.UK says not to put a property on the market until you have probate.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to keep paying the mortgage after a death?

Ask the lender. GOV.UK says to ask whether payments must continue while you apply for probate. If they must, you can pay them yourself and reclaim the money from the estate once you have probate, or check for a life assurance or mortgage protection policy that covers them.

Is the mortgage written off when someone dies?

No. The mortgage is a debt and is still owed. It is repaid from the estate, for example when the home is sold, or by a policy that covers it. GOV.UK lists mortgages among the debts to include when you value the estate.

Do I need to tell the home insurer?

Yes. Tell Us Once doesn't, and GOV.UK says you contact insurance providers yourself. The letter asks the insurer what it needs while the home is empty.

Can I send the same letter to the lender and the insurer?

Send each its own copy and delete the paragraph that doesn't apply, so each company only gets the questions meant for it.

Related guides

• What happens to a mortgage after a death
• Joint mortgage when someone dies
• Equity release after a death

More free letter templates

• Letter to a bank after a death
• Date-of-death valuation letter for shares and investments
• Letter to creditors after a death
• Letter to a pension provider or employer after a death
• Executor letters to beneficiaries
• Beneficiary receipt template
• Letter to HMRC after a death
• Letter to DWP after a death
• Council Tax letter after a death
• Letter to a utility company after a death
• Life insurance claim letter after a death
• Letter to a landlord after a tenant dies
• Letter to DVLA after a death
• First letter to a beneficiary from an executor
• Estate accounts template and layout
• All probate letter templates

Sources

• GOV.UK: Identify the person's assets and debts
• GOV.UK: Organisations you need to contact and Tell Us Once
• GOV.UK: Applying for probate

General information for England and Wales, not legal advice. If the estate is complex, disputed or may not be able to pay its debts, take advice from a solicitor.