Upon the death of the mortgage lender, the fate of the outstanding debt depends on the existing contract and insurance.
If there is life insurance that covers the balance according to the policy terms, the insurance company may settle the debt in full or in part after accepting the claim.
If there is no coverage or if there are exclusions, the balance remains part of the estate's liabilities according to the rules.
The first step for the heirs is to notify the bank and review the insurance policy before making any assumptions.