According to the EPF eNomination document, e-nominations are not valid unless they are e-signed by the member. As reported by Zee News, if e-nominations have been filed but have not been e-signed, they will not be considered for action in case of an EPFO member's death. This crucial requirement ensures that nomination documents are properly authenticated before being processed for death claims. If the nomination was not updated, the claim has to be filed physically through Form 5 IF at the jurisdictional PF office where the member was registered, a process that takes longer and involves verification steps that the online path avoids.
The Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) continues to serve as a cornerstone social security scheme for salaried individuals in India, managed by the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO). As part of the new EPFO 3.0 reforms, the organisation has streamlined access to PF funds before retirement while focusing on digitisation and reduced paperwork requirements. These reforms are designed to benefit employees through faster claim settlements, improved online services, easier account management and quicker access to provident fund savings. The enhanced digital infrastructure makes the e-nomination process more accessible and efficient for all subscribers.
According to Mint, eligible nominees for EPF include spouses, children, and dependent parents. For male subscribers, eligible nominees are wife, children (married and unmarried), dependent parents, and widow of son and children. For female subscribers, eligible nominees are husband, children (married or unmarried), dependent parents, spouse's dependent parents and widow of son and children. Members must nominate only family members if they have any, even if they don't wish to nominate them under PF. Only members without married family members can nominate any person irrespective of relation for PF. The system requires Aadhaar number and photo of family members for filing nominations. For pension nominations, only members without spouse or children can nominate one person, and the pension nomination link opens only when there is no spouse and no children. Life events such as marriage, divorce, the birth of a child or the death of a nominee should trigger an immediate review of nomination details.
As reported by Mint, members can file e-nomination through the following steps: Login to the EPF member portal at epfindia.gov.in and sign in using UAN and password. Select e-nomination under the ''Manage'' tab and click on ''Enter new nomination'' option. Click on ''Proceed'' under the ''Provide Details'' tab and select ''Yes'' to update family declaration. Click on ''Add Family Details'' and provide nominee details including Aadhaar, name, gender, date of birth, relationship, address, bank account details (optional), guardian (in case of minor beneficiary), and photograph (size not exceeding 100KB). Enter the total percentage share for each nominee, ensuring the total percentage comes to 100% for multiple nominations. Click on ''Save Family Details'' and then ''Save EPF Nomination''. Ensure to e-sign the nomination as without this process, claims shall not be entertained.
EPF members can access life insurance cover of up to ₹7 lakh under the Employees' Deposit Linked Insurance (EDLI) Scheme without paying any separate premium. The insurance is automatically activated for all EPF subscribers and provides compensation to nominees when employees pass away during service. As per EPFO rules, the insurance benefit is calculated based on the employee's EPF contributions and salary history. The payout is either linked to the average PF balance maintained during the last 12 months, subject to conditions, or calculated as 35 times the average monthly wages (up to ₹15,000) plus 50% of the average PF balance, with this balance capped at ₹1.75 lakh. The minimum benefit is ₹2.5 lakh, with eligible families receiving a minimum payout of ₹50,000 in certain low-balance cases. Claims are generally processed within 20 days so that family members can access funds quickly. To receive EDLI benefits, the employee must have been actively employed and covered under EPF at the time of death, with the employer making EPF contributions against a valid Universal Account Number (UAN). Nominees or legal heirs must submit Form 5 IF, death certificate, KYC documents, bank account details and other required documents to EPFO through the employer or directly.
