What Benefits Can You Claim After a Death in Malaysia

Most families focus on the immediate costs after a loss — the funeral, the paperwork, the urgent bills. What many don't realise is that there may be significant financial benefits available to them, from multiple sources, that go unclaimed simply because no one told them to look.

One family we worked with discovered a benefit worth over RM800 a month that they had no idea existed — found within 15 minutes of using Allay. They weren't an unusual case. This happens more often than you'd think.

Here's an overview of the most common benefits available to Malaysian families after a loss.

EPF Death Assistance

Provider: Employees Provident Fund (EPF)

Type: One-off payment

Amount: RM2,500

If your loved one was an EPF contributor and passed away before the age of 60, their next-of-kin may be entitled to a one-off Death Assistance payment of RM2,500. This must be applied for within 6 months of the date of death and is subject to EPF's discretion.

This is separate from the main EPF withdrawal — make sure you ask about both when you visit the branch.

SOCSO Benefits

Provider: Social Security Organisation (SOCSO)

Type: One-off and recurring

If your loved one was a SOCSO contributor, their dependants may be entitled to several benefits:

Funeral Benefit — a one-off payment of up to RM3,000 to help cover funeral costs.

Survivors' Pension — a recurring monthly payment starting from RM475 per month, paid to eligible dependants such as a spouse or children.

Dependants' Benefit — a recurring benefit of up to RM6,000 per month for dependants of contributors who passed away due to a work-related cause.

SOCSO benefits are among the most valuable and most overlooked. If your loved one was employed, it is always worth checking their eligibility.

Government and Public Sector Benefits

If your loved one was a civil servant, veteran or government employee, there are additional benefits available:

Public Service Department (JPA)

Department of Veterans Affairs (JHEV)

CUEPACS

Savings and Fund Benefits

Tabung Haji (TH Khairat)

Muslim contributors to Tabung Haji may be entitled to a khairat payment of up to RM24,000, one of the highest single benefit amounts available.

ASNB

Amanah Saham Nasional Berhad offers a funeral benefit of up to RM500 for eligible account holders.

PTPTN

If your loved one had an outstanding PTPTN loan, their estate may be eligible for a funeral benefit of RM1,500.

Other Benefits Worth Checking

Depending on your loved one's background and affiliations, there may be additional benefits available:

Koperasi Tentera (KT) — RM2,000 one-off Tabung Khairat Kematian for military cooperative members

Koperasi Polis DiRaja Malaysia (KPDM) — up to RM4,500 khairat kematian for police cooperative members

Ministry of Education (STPM) — up to RM5,500 one-off payment under the Malaysian Students Takaful Scheme for eligible students

Life Insurance and Takaful

If your loved one held a life insurance or takaful policy, the nominated beneficiary is entitled to claim the death benefit directly from the insurer. Contact the insurance company with the death certificate and policy documents to begin the claim process.

If you're not sure whether your loved one had a policy, check their documents, bank statements for premium payments, or contact their employer — many companies provide group insurance as part of their employee benefits.

Where to start

With so many potential benefits across so many different providers, it's easy to miss something. Start by listing everything you know about your loved one's employment history, savings accounts, cooperative memberships and insurance policies. Then work through each one systematically.

Many of these benefits have application deadlines, so the sooner you start the better.

Frequently asked questions