How to obtain duplicate copy of lost original documents

The world is going digital and it is very likely that in future most financial documents will be in a dematerialised form. But for now, several documents continue to be in paper form. Incidents of crucial documents being misplaced or lost are not uncommon. Here is what you need to know about obtaining a duplicate copy of your lost original documents:

Insurance policies
To obtain a duplicate copy of the insurance contract, you need to intimate your insurance agent or the life insurer’s call centre. You will be required to submit an indemnity bond on a stamp paper (the stamp duty will depend on the state you reside in). The same can be either handed over to your agent or couriered to the insurance company. If the policy document is partially damaged due to fire or flood, you may be required to produce the remnants of the policy document as evidence, while applying for a duplicate policy. Once the requisite documents are submitted, the insurance company should ideally take around seven days to issue a duplicate policy.

Fixed deposit receipts
The bank with which the fixed deposit is being maintained has to be informed, preferably in writing, about the loss of the receipts. The letter should explain in detail the circumstances in which the receipts were misplaced. In case of joint depositors, the letter has to be signed by all of them. Next, the accountholder is required to furnish an indemnity bond, against which, a duplicate deposit receipt will be issued by the bank. The stamp duty as prevalent in the state you reside in will be applicable to the transaction.

PAN card
In addition to being a pre-requisite for filing your tax returns and conducting several financial transactions, it also serves as one of the key identification documents. The process to replace a lost PAN Card, however, is not taxing. NSDL and UTI Technology Services are the two agencies authorised to issue a PAN Card. For the purpose, you can download the new PAN/change request/correction form from the respective websites. The same can also be obtained from the designated PAN application centres. The completed form, along with the documents specified and your photograph of the dimensions prescribed, have to be submitted at the PAN application centres, along with the requisite fee.

Home loan documents
In this case, the procedure is fairly simple, primarily because the original document is not in the borrower’s possession. The original home loan agreement is always retained by the bank and a copy of the same is handed over to the borrower upon completion once the loan is sanctioned. If the borrower misplaces the copy, he/she has to merely make an application in writing for another copy and the same will be made available by the bank.