If a person dies without a will, they have died “intestate.”
Since there is no named executor, the personal representative of the Estate will need to establish their legal authority and apply for a grant of administration; they are then called an “Administrator.” In British Columbia, the order in which someone can apply to act as administrator of the estate is outlined in section 131 of the Wills Estates and Succession Act. You should consult a lawyer to determine whether you should take steps to apply to court to be appointed as administrator.
Banks and other financial institutions are unlikely to release funds to you in this case (to avoid risk of facing a claim later), so depending on the amounts in the accounts, you will likely need to apply for an estate grant.
That threshold amount is set by each institution, not by a single rule. One bank may release a modest account without a grant, while another may refuse.
The beneficiaries of an intestate estate are known as intestate successors of the Deceased.
