Yes, the premiums for their Dependants' Protection Scheme (DPS) continued to be deducted from their CPF accounts even though they were already dead.

This startling fact was revealed in the 5 Jul Auditor-General's report.

In total, the CPF Board collected $2,996 from them. It continued the deductions as it didn't know they were dead. So, the insurance claims due to their families were not paid out either.

There were 201 others, too, whose claims were not paid by the CPF Board.

The report revealed that the insurance claims of 216 people, amounting to $7.4 million, were not given to their next-of-kin.

The policies include DPS and the Home Protection Scheme (HPS).

What's more, half of the 216 people had died more than two years ago, including 43 who died more than eight years ago.

Singaporeans who use their CPF funds to pay for their HDB housing loans have to be insured under HPS, provided they are in good health.

The scheme helps their families pay off any outstanding loan on the flat should they die before the age of 65 or if they become permanently incapacitated physically or mentally.

Under DPS, a CPF member's family can receive up to $44,000 in insurance claim if he or she dies or become physically or mentally disabled.

So why was the money not paid?

MISTAKE

The board admitted it had failed to process some of the claims by mistake.

But it added there had also been cases where the family members could not be contacted or did not provide adequate information.

The board's spokesman told The New Paper: 'The claims that were not processed were cases where the family members of the deceased had not come forward to make the claim on the Dependants' Protection Scheme or Home Protection Scheme.

'When the board became aware of the members' deaths later through checks made by us, we tried contacting the family members. However, some cases remained outstanding as the family members could not be contacted or did not respond.'

To pay out an insurance claim, the board needs a death certificate.

The spokesman said: 'We were unable to process the claims for cases where the family members did not provide the death certificates or could not be contacted.'

The spokesman added that the board had since rectified the errors and tightened the claims process.

And the 15 people who continued to pay insurance premiums from their graves?

That has stopped. The board has refunded the premiums deducted together with interest, said the spokesman.

But what if someone becomes physically or mentally disabled?

The CPF website says one must then produce 'relevant documents such as an employment termination letter and a doctor's letter relating to his incapacity... Arrangements will then be made for him to be examined by the board's doctors.'

BOARD SHOULD EDUCATE

Several people said CPF should do more to educate the public.

Mr J Wang, a civil servant, said his father passed away several years ago and he only found out he had to inform CPF about the death when he went there to settle an HDB housing loan under his father's name almost a month later.

'People might not know that they have to make a claim for the money, or they might not even know the money exists. CPF needs to make things clear,' Mr Wang said.

Mr Ahmad Faris' mother died three years ago after working for more than 10 years and contributing to DPS.

'But she stopped working three years before she died. There was still money in her CPF account after she stopped working, but since there was no new contribution, CPF stopped deducting money for the DPS.

'As a result, the DPS lapsed, and my family lost $44,000. No-one knew about it then. I don't think there's enough communication between CPF and its members,' Mr Ahmad said.

Additional reporting Faith Teo

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