In the event of the death of a social security contributor, or a member of their family, a flat-rate funeral allowance can be granted.

Who is concerned

The funeral allowance is paid in the amount of the expenses incurred by the person or institution that advanced them, or, if a public body arranged the funeral through an undertaker, directly to the latter.

Any balance remaining is paid in the following order: to the deceased's spouse/partner, children, parents and siblings, provided these people lived in the same household as the insured person.

Prerequisites

The deceased must have been a affiliated with a health insurance scheme for the funeral allowance to be paid.

How to proceed

Terms of the procedure

The original receipted invoices pertaining to the funeral must be sent to the relevant health insurance fund, along with a copy of the death certificate.

Amount of the funeral allowance

In the event of the death of an insured person or a member of their family, a flat-rate funeral allowance of EUR 1,227.76 (current index value) is granted.

In the case of children under 6 years of age or stillbirths, only 50 % or 20 % respectively of the full amount is paid. 

If the insured person died as a result of an accident (at/on the way to work) or an occupational illness, a funeral allowance supplement amounting to 1/15 of their annual compensation is granted. This supplement may not be less than 1/15 of the reference minimum amount used to determine the accident pension.

Funeral costs

The following funeral costs may be taken into account, as long as they do not exceed the total allowable amount:

• the coffin and the usual funeral accoutrements (such as the mortuary chapel and bouquet);
• a floral wreath;
• transport of the coffin and the wreath;
• the opening and closure of the tomb;
• religious burial and the funeral service;
• cremation;
• the customary funeral announcements in the press;
• fees and taxes due to the commune.

Who to contact