Sample Letter to Bank Informing the Death of the Account Holder. The death claim letter should be written in the formal letter format.Start the letter with your introduction and the reason for writing the letter. To Open a Safe Deposit Box After Death in NYC, you must Petition the Surrogate's Court in the County where the Decedent died for permission. Administration is the process where the Surrogate's Court officially gives out Letters of Administration to a qualified distributee (heir) of the Decedent. You'll receive an email within 24 hours explaining what documents are needed to complete your claim. Typically, we require: A copy of the death certificate. Sample Letter – Asking for a debt write-off when someone is deceased. You would need an official letter from the agency saying you need the death record to process the claim. Probate refers to the legal process an executor typically goes through to resolve a deceased person's estate.