Question: Following the death of a depositor, the claimant approached the bank to settle the account but could not find the required claim form at the branch. Under the RBI Master Circular on Customer Service in Banks, 2014, what should the bank provide before the claimant can complete the settlement process ?
Answer: The bank should make the prescribed claim forms readily available so that the claimant can complete the claim process before the account is settled. Hence, the bank should provide the claim form before the claimant completes the settlement process.

Supporting evidence:
title: rbi.org.in/72MC010714CS.pdf
quote: banks are advised to provide claim forms for settlement of claims of the deceased accounts, to any person/s who is/are approaching the bank / branches for forms
context: ubject to the production of proof of death of the depositor and suitable identification of the claim(s), to the bank's satisfaction.
Banks should report to the Customer Service Committee of the Board, at appropriate intervals, on an ongoing basis, the details of the number of claims received pertaining to deceased depositors / locker-hirers / depositors of safe custody article accounts and those pending beyond the stipulated period, giving reasons therefor.

20.7 Claim Forms to be made available

With a view to facilitate timely settlement of claims on the death of a depositor, banks are advised to provide claim forms for settlement of claims of the deceased accounts, to any person/s who is/are approaching the bank / branches for forms. Claim forms may also be put on the bank's website prominently so that claimants of the deceased depositor can access and download the forms without having to visit the concerned bank/branch for obtaining such forms for filing claim with the bank.

21. Access to the safe deposit lockers / Return of safe custody articles to Survivor(s) / Nominee(s) / Legal heir(s)

For dealing with the requests from the nominee(s) of the deceased locker-hirer / depositors of the safe-custody articles (where such a nomination had been made) or by the survivor(s) of the deceased (where the locker / safe custody article was accessible under the survivorship clause), for access to the contents of the locker / safe custody article on the death of a locker hirer / depositor of the article, the banks are advised to adopt generally the foregoing approach, mutatis mutandis, as indicated for the deposit accounts. Detailed guidelines in this regard are, however, as follows:

21.5 Customer guidance and publicity

Banks should place on their websites the instructions along with the policies / procedures put in place for giving access of the locker / safe custody articles to the nominee(s) / survivor(s) / Legal Heir(s) of the deceased locker hirer / depositor of the safe custody articles. Further, a printed copy of the same should also be given to the nominee(s) / survivor(s) / Legal Heir(s) whenever a claim is received from them.
Banks should view these instructions as very critical element for bringing about significant improvement in the quality of customer service provided to survivor(s) / nominee(s) of deceased depositors / locker hirer / depositor of safe custody articles.

22.1 Settlement of claims in respect of missing persons