Legal beneficiaries of eligible workers in Saudi Arabia who are covered by the General Organization for Social Insurance (GOSI) are entitled to receive benefits if their relative dies in a work-related accident. The following is the updated process for claiming GOSI benefits:
Employer Notification
The worker’s employer must officially notify GOSI’s Overseas Benefits Department of the employee’s death, providing the cause of death as determined by medical and police reports.
GOSI Form and Documentation
If the deceased worker, such as an overseas Filipino worker was a GOSI member and the cause of death is confirmed as work-related, GOSI’s Overseas Benefits Department will send a GOSI claim form (including a list of required legal documents listed below) by registered mail to the reported legal beneficiaries in the Philippines.
The required documents to be provided alongside the claim form are as follows:
- Completed Application Form: Fill out Form No. 31/Pensions, which is available for free at GOSI field offices.
- Death Certificate: Provide the official death certificate of the contributor or another document acceptable to GOSI that specifies the date of death.
- List of Beneficiaries: Submit an officially certified document listing the names and ages of all beneficiaries.
- Marriage Contract: Include the marriage contract of the contributor’s widow or widows, or any other official document confirming the marital relationship.
- Proof of Support: Provide a document stating that the deceased contributor was supporting the family member applying for payment at the time of death. This document is not required for the widow, sons, and daughters.
- Proof of Education (if applicable): For sons, grandsons, and brothers over 21 years old, submit a document showing regular enrollment in an educational or vocational institution. This must be renewed annually until studies are completed or the beneficiary turns 26, whichever comes first.
- Medical Reports (if applicable): If claiming due to earning incapacity, submit medical reports for review by the Medical Board.
- Proof of Age and Employment Status (if applicable): For a widower, father, or grandfather, provide an official document showing they are 60 years or older and unemployed. If under 60, a medical certificate confirming earning incapacity is required for Medical Board review.
- Bank Account Details: Provide the bank account number where GOSI will transfer the pension.
- Annual Declaration: Survivors must submit the annual declaration form at the dates specified by GOSI.
The GOSI form must be properly completed and notarized by the Regional Trial Court or Municipal Trial Court where the family resides.
All required documents, including the GOSI form, must be authenticated by the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Manila.
Once authenticated, the documents should be mailed back to the GOSI-Riyadh Overseas Benefits Department.
Processing and Payment
GOSI-Riyadh will review the submitted documents. If everything is in order, GOSI will compute the insurance benefits and mail the check directly to the deceased worker’s beneficiaries in the Philippines.
GOSI communicates only with the legal beneficiaries and does not route benefits through the Philippine Embassy or any other agency.
Role of the Philippine Embassy
The Philippine Embassy can assist beneficiaries by verifying the status of the insurance claim with GOSI-Riyadh’s Overseas Benefits Department if requested. For this, the GOSI number (a 9-digit number starting with 8) of the deceased is required.
Additional Notes
Only deaths resulting from work-related accidents are covered by GOSI. Deaths due to suicide are not eligible for compensation. In cases of murder or unnatural death, separate compensation (such as blood money or diyya) may be pursued through Saudi judicial channels.
Domestic workers are generally not entitled to death compensation unless they are specifically covered by occupational hazard insurance (such as certain drivers).
The employer is responsible for settling any legal dues (unpaid salary, end-of-service benefits, and other allowances) directly with the family or through official channels if the worker was not insured by GOSI.
This process ensures that the legal heirs of deceased expatriate workers receive their rightful benefits efficiently and directly from GOSI, as mandated by Saudi regulations.