What can Suncorp Bank do to help?
Once we’ve received your initial documentation, we can start helping you settle your loved one’s Estate. Some ways that we may be able to assist include taking steps to secure access to your loved one’s account(s) and providing access to funds for costs associated with your loss.
1. Once you notify us, we’ll put a hold on their accounts
2. We’ll provide the authorised party with information about the accounts
3. We’ll review all the accounts
4. We may ask for additional documentation
5. We can release funds for certain expenses
6. We’ll finalise deposit and loan accounts
1. Once you notify us, we’ll put a hold on their accounts
After you’ve let us know your loved one has passed, we’ll immediately put a permanent hold on their solely owned deposit account(s) and any joint asset line accounts. This means:
To prevent any unauthorised access or fraud during this time, all debit cards linked solely to your loved one’s solely owned deposit account(s) will be cancelled. Please note different guidelines apply to business deposit accounts, depending on the relationship the deceased is to the account.
If you shared a joint account with your loved one, these restrictions won’t be applied (unless the account is an asset line account). Instead, the accounts will be changed to be in the name of the surviving party upon receipt of a Proof of Death document. Any cards your loved one held will be cancelled. For loans in joint names please speak to Customer Support for more information. For relationship managed business loan accounts, please speak with their (your) relationship manager.
2. We’ll provide the authorised party with information about the accounts
We’ll provide the person authorised to act on behalf of the Estate or the Next of Kin, information about your loved one’s accounts and products. This will be sent via post in a letter within 14 days of receiving the required documents addressed to the appropriate person. The information will include:
It is important to Suncorp Bank that we protect the privacy and security of your loved one’s account(s). To ensure we can do this, there are only certain people that we will provide information and access to.
If there is a Will, we will provide information and access to the nominated Executor in the Will or the Next of Kin. Depending on the value of the Estate we may require a Grant of Probate prior to allowing access the accounts.
If there is no Will, we will provide information to either the Next of Kin listed on the Death Certificate, or a person named in the court-issued Letters of Administration (Administrator). Depending on the value of the Estate we may require Letters of Administration prior to allowing access the accounts.
In many circumstances you may have engaged a Solicitor to act on your behalf to assist with finalising the accounts and administering the Estate. We can liaise directly with your Solicitor once you have given us the appropriate authority. To do so, we require them to provide us notification in writing (or via email) that they are acting on behalf of the Estate and their credentials.
3. We’ll review all the accounts
Once your loved one’s solely owned deposit account(s) are on hold, we’ll be able to review them in greater detail. It’s our job to make sure your loved one’s account(s) are in order before finalising the Estate and releasing any remaining funds.
We’ll review all your loved one’s financial assets and affairs, including:
We’ll also notify other areas for holdings other than banking products, such as Credit Cards, Superannuation, Wealth, Shares and Insurance. These teams will contact you directly to discuss next steps for these products if they have not already been notified by you. We recommend contacting other areas of Suncorp Bank, if you are aware of holdings that your loved one or business associate may have had. Please see the following contact details for relevant areas of Suncorp Bank:
Clear Option Credit Cards (Personal and Business) - Call Citibank at 1800 268 077 (9am-9pm, Mon-Fri, AEST)
Suncorp Bank Wealth Life and Super - Call 1800 191 517 (Personal), 1800 636 081 (Employer) or email
Suncorp Bank Consumer Insurance (Motor, Home, Pet) - Call 07 3362 1222
Suncorp Bank Treasury - Call 07 3362 4016 or email
4. We may ask for additional documentation
We handle each Estate on a case-by-case basis. Depending on the nature and complexity of your loved one’s assets and Estate, we may ask you for further documentation. This may include Letters of Administration or a Grant of Probate.
If we do need anything from you, we’ll reach out to you directly via phone, mail or email. If you’d like us to contact you via email, we will need you to complete Section 6: Post or Email Consent, of the Deceased Notification Form.
5. We can release funds for certain expenses
If your loved one has funds available in their account, we can release them to pay for certain expenses.
Funeral expenses
If you’re struggling to pay for your loved one’s funeral, we’re here to help.
We can release funds from your loved one’s account to pay for expenses related to a funeral, such as a headstone, coffin or burial if there are funds available.
If you’ve organised the funeral but are yet to pay for it, we’ll need to see the original invoice to organise a direct payment to the funeral home. If you’ve already paid for the funeral, we can reimburse you once we see the original invoice or receipt from the service.
While Suncorp Bank is able to release funds for funerals, we’re unable to do the same for wakes or memorial services.
To arrange payment for Funeral Expenses, please contact Customer Support on 07 3135 3525 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm AEST).
Other expenses
We may also be able to release funds to pay for other expenses related to your loss. These expenses, known as Just Debts, are expenses connected to your loved one before their passing or are related to their Estate. They can include:
Please contact Customer Support on 07 3135 3525 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm AEST) should you require more information.
6. We’ll finalise deposit and loan accounts
After we’ve received all the necessary documentation and proper instructions from the authorised party to act on behalf of the Estate, we’ll be able to finalise your loved one’s account(s).
To finalise these accounts(s) and act on release of funds, the authorised party will need to submit a completed Deceased Notification Form, if this has not already been completed.
For loan accounts, depending on who the borrowers are and the type of loan, there are different options available. Please speak to Customer Support to discuss your options on 07 3135 3525 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm AEST).
