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Guide · Updated September 2026

₹1.84 lakh crore is unclaimed in India. Some of it may be your family's.

Why money goes unclaimed, where to look for it today, and the simple habit that stops it happening to your family. Every figure below links to its source.

₹1.84lakh crore

lying unclaimed across India

Bank deposits, insurance money, provident funds, dividends and shares with banks, RBI, SEBI and the IEPF, as stated by the Finance Minister at the launch of the “Your Money, Your Right” campaign.

₹78,213crore

in unclaimed bank deposits

Deposits untouched for 10 years or more, moved to RBI's Depositor Education and Awareness Fund. Up 26% in one year.

₹20,062crore

unclaimed with life insurers

Maturity, claim and refund money that life insurers could not pay out to policyholders or their families.

4nominees

now allowed per bank account

The Banking Laws (Amendment) Act, 2025 lets customers name up to four nominees. It only helps if your family knows the account exists.

How money becomes “unclaimed”

Unclaimed money usually isn't stolen or lost to a bad investment. It's money the owner, or their family, simply stopped keeping track of. The pattern is almost always one of these.

1

Accounts go quiet

A bank deposit untouched for 10 years is moved to RBI's Depositor Education and Awareness Fund. The money is still yours, but nobody will remind you.

2

Contact details change

A new phone number or address, and the bank, insurer or registrar can no longer reach you about a maturity, dividend or claim.

3

Only one person knew

Many families have one person who handles the money. If that person is ill or passes away, the rest of the family may not know what exists.

4

Nominees are missing or outdated

Without a correct nominee, a family has to prove its claim with more paperwork, and many give up.

Where to search today

If you think a parent, grandparent or you yourself may have money lying unclaimed, these are the official places to start. They are free.

How to make sure it never happens to your family

It comes down to one habit: keep a complete, current list, and make sure the right people can see it.

  • List every bank account, FD, policy, investment and locker, for every member.
  • Record the nominee against each account and policy, and check it's still right.
  • Let your spouse or children see the list, so it doesn't live in one person's head.
  • Keep it current: values, maturity dates and renewals change every year.
  • Close or consolidate accounts you no longer use, before they go dormant.

That list is exactly what Wealth Vision keeps. Every account, policy, investment and locker for every family member, with nominees, reminders and sharing you control.

Sources

  1. ₹1.84 lakh crore lying unclaimed across India (October 2025). Business Standard
  2. ₹78,213 crore in unclaimed bank deposits (March 2024). RBI Annual Report, via Business Standard
  3. ₹20,062 crore unclaimed with life insurers (March 2024). IRDAI Annual Report, via Business Standard
  4. 4 nominees now allowed per bank account (2025). Free Press Journal

This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice.

Start your family's record today.

Begin with one bank account or one policy. Add the rest when you have a quiet hour. Every entry is one less thing your family has to guess.