What is a death certificate?

A death certificate is a legal document that certifies the details of a person's death. It contains important information such as the deceased individual's name, date of birth, date of death, place of death, and the cause of death. This document serves various purposes, including providing official acknowledgment of the death, necessary for settling estates, and may be required for insurance claims and other legal matters.

The other options, while related to the topic of death and post-mortem arrangements, do not define a death certificate accurately. A discretionary document for burial arrangements doesn't capture the authoritative and legal nature of a death certificate. Similarly, a summary of a person's life history focuses on biographical details rather than the specifics of their death. Lastly, a certificate authorizing cremation is a specific document linked to the cremation process rather than a comprehensive summary of the death itself. Hence, the designation of a death certificate as a legal document encapsulates its essential role in both legal and administrative contexts surrounding a person's death.