The dependency claim, explained simply
You keep hearing the term dependency claim and want it explained in plain words.
A dependency claim is compensation for the family members who relied on someone financially before that person was killed in a road accident. It covers the support lost, reasonable funeral costs, and a fixed statutory sum for the bereavement itself.
Who the law allows to claim
The dependants who may bring this claim include the deceased’s spouse, parents and children.[1] This is not the same group as everyone who is grieving. It is specifically those who were financially dependent on the person who died, whether or not they shared a household.
What the claim actually covers
Loss of support sits at the centre of this claim. It is the pecuniary benefit the family would have continued to receive from the deceased. Reasonable funeral expenses are also recoverable. Eligible family members can generally claim the fixed statutory bereavement sum too, raised to RM30,000, subject to current law.[3]
Why no example figure appears here
Every dependency claim depends on the deceased’s actual income and the family’s genuine reliance on it. It also depends on the specific facts of that family’s situation. A page like this cannot responsibly put a number on your family’s loss without knowing those details.
The deadline that cannot be missed
A dependency claim must generally be brought within three years of the date of death.[2] Malaysian courts treat this as an absolute deadline, not a flexible guide. Even a claim filed a short time late risks being struck out entirely.
Where this fits with everything else
How a dependency claim works covers the fuller process once you know this route applies to your family. Claiming after a fatal road accident explains how this sits alongside the separate estate claim.
Common questions
In plain words, what is a dependency claim?
It is a claim brought by close family members who financially relied on someone killed in an accident, to compensate them for the support they have lost. It is separate from any claim the deceased's estate itself might bring.
Do I need to have been living with the deceased to claim?
Not necessarily. What matters is whether you were genuinely dependent on the deceased for financial support, which can include a spouse, parent or child who did not share the same household.
Does the family receive the bereavement sum automatically?
Eligible family members can generally claim the statutory bereavement sum as part of a dependency claim, alongside loss of support and funeral expenses, subject to current law.[3] It is a fixed amount rather than one assessed case by case.
What if there is more than one dependant, does everyone claim separately?
Eligible dependants are generally considered together within the one dependency claim, rather than each family member bringing a separate case, though how the total is shared depends on the family's own circumstances.
Sources
- Thomas Philip, dependency claims explainer (accessed 2026-09-22)
- Civil Law Act 1956, s.7(5) (Attorney General's Chambers) (accessed 2026-09-22)
- Skrine, Civil Law (Amendment) Act 2019 legal alert subject to current law (accessed 2026-09-22)