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How long does a term life insurance payout take in Germany?

In short

How long does a term life insurance payout take in Germany? Usually about two weeks once the policy, the death certificate and details of the cause of death are complete. Without a named beneficiary the heirs often need a certificate of inheritance first. Checks on health answers or a police investigation take longer. After one month you can ask for an advance payment.

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What it costs

The time and costs on the way to the payout.

Example	Typical range
Processing with complete documents	about 14 days
Death certificate from the registry office	about EUR 12 to 20 per copy
Certificate of inheritance for an estate of EUR 100,000, with sworn statement	around EUR 546
Certificate of inheritance for an estate of EUR 250,000, with sworn statement	around EUR 1,070
Advance payment at the earliest	1 month after reporting the death

As of October 2026.

The processing time comes from published guides,

the fees for death certificates from the fee lists of individual registry offices and the

inheritance certificate fees from table B of the GNotKG.

The time with a health check, a certificate of inheritance or a death abroad is a guide value from

our quoting practice.

Your policy terms are what count.

Worked example

Same policy, two routes to the payout

A 46-year-old dies of a heart attack. His term life insurance for EUR 250,000 has run for eight years. We calculate once with his wife as named beneficiary and once without, so that the sum goes to the heirs.

Death reported to the insurer	day 2 after the death, by phone with the policy number
Death certificate from the registry office	after a few days, about EUR 12 to 20
All documents submitted	around day 10
With beneficiary: payout to his wife	about two weeks later, around day 24
Without beneficiary: certificate of inheritance needed	around EUR 1,070 in fees for an estate of EUR 250,000
Without beneficiary: payout	only once the certificate is issued, often weeks to months later

With a named beneficiary the money arrives after just over three weeks. Without one the same case costs around EUR 1,070 in fees and much more time. One entry in the policy avoids both.

When the money is due

Under the German Insurance Contract Act (§ 14 VVG) payment is due once the insurer has completed the enquiries it needs, that is checked the death and its duty to pay. The law sets no fixed number of days. In practice insurers pay after about two weeks when the case is clear.

If the check takes longer than a month after you reported the death, you can ask for an advance payment of the amount the insurer will at least have to pay. That helps when only formalities are missing. If the insurer disputes its duty to pay altogether, for example over wrong health answers, the advance can be zero. A clause that excludes interest for late payment is invalid.

Situation	Typical time until payment
All documents in, beneficiary named, natural death after many policy years	about two weeks
No beneficiary named, heirs must prove who they are	certificate of inheritance, then about two weeks
Death in the first policy years, insurer checks health answers	often several weeks to months
Accident with unclear course, violent crime or possible suicide	until the investigation is closed
Death abroad	longer, because documents must be obtained and often translated

The documents the insurer needs

Report the death as soon as possible; policy terms usually require it without delay. A phone call or short message with the policy number is enough to start. The insurer then sends you a list.

Usually it wants the original policy document, the official death certificate (Sterbeurkunde), the medical death certificate (Totenschein) or a doctor's statement on the cause of death and the ID of the deceased. Some insurers also ask about earlier illnesses and treating doctors. Without a named beneficiary, a certificate of inheritance is added. If you cannot find the policy document, ask how to replace it; that takes time but usually does not prevent the payout.

Why it sometimes takes months

If the insured person dies within five years of taking out the policy, the insurer may check whether the health questions in the application were answered correctly. With consent it asks doctors and hospitals for information. That is allowed and not a sign it does not want to pay, but it takes time.

In the first three years an unclear death also raises the question of suicide. After a violent crime, an accident involving others or an unexplained cause, the insurer often waits for the public prosecutor's file. You have little influence on this, but you can still ask for an advance payment.

A named beneficiary saves time and money

If a person is named as beneficiary (Bezugsberechtigter), the money goes straight to them and is not part of the estate. They only need to prove who they are. If there is no beneficiary, the sum goes to the heirs and the insurer wants to know who they are. That usually requires a certificate of inheritance from the probate court (Nachlassgericht).

The certificate costs two fees under the German court and notary fees act (GNotKG), one for the procedure and one for the sworn statement. For an estate of EUR 100,000 that is around EUR 546 in total, for EUR 250,000 around EUR 1,070. So check today whether your policy names a beneficiary and whether that person is still the right one. If you moved to Germany with a policy from home, the rules of that country apply instead.

When you need not worry

If the policy has run for many years, a beneficiary is named and the cause of death is clear, the payout is usually a formality. You do not need a lawyer.

Help is worth it only if after two to three months the insurer neither pays nor explains why it is still checking, or if it refuses to pay. You can then turn to the insurance ombudsman (Versicherungsombudsmann) free of charge; the procedure is in German, but you can bring someone to translate.

Step by step

Tell the insurer about the death as soon as possible and have the policy number ready.
Order several copies of the death certificate at the registry office.
Get the medical death certificate or a doctor's statement on the cause of death.
Look for the original policy document and ask for a replacement if needed.
Check whether a beneficiary is named; if not, apply for a certificate of inheritance.
If nothing is paid after a month, ask in writing for an update and an advance payment.

Checklist

Death reported, date noted
Several copies of the death certificate
Details of the cause of death available
Original policy document or replacement requested
Copy of the ID of the deceased and of the recipient
Bank details of the beneficiary given
Certificate of inheritance applied for if no beneficiary is named

Common mistakes

Waiting to report until all papers are together
Ordering only one death certificate, although bank, pension fund and insurers each want one
Not naming a beneficiary and leaving heirs to obtain a certificate of inheritance
Not following up and not asking for an advance after months without news
Not telling relatives where the policy is kept

Questions and answers

Frequently asked

Is there a deadline for reporting the death?

Policy terms usually require reporting without undue delay.

A cut-off of a few days is unusual, but report early anyway.

Can I speed up the payout?

Yes, with complete documents in one go, a quick report and a named beneficiary.

Missing papers are the most common reason for delays.

What if I cannot find the policy document?

Ask the insurer.

A declaration of loss is usually enough; the payout is delayed a little but not lost.

Do I always need a certificate of inheritance?

No.

A named beneficiary receives the money without one.

Only if the sum goes to the heirs does the insurer ask for proof.

Where is the money paid?

Into the account of the beneficiary or the heirs that you give on the form.

It does not go automatically to the account of the deceased.

What if the insurer checks for months?

Ask in writing for an update, request an advance payment and, if it refuses,

contact the insurance ombudsman or a lawyer specialising in insurance law.

Is tax due on the payout?

No income tax.

Inheritance tax can apply if the deceased was the policyholder and the tax-free allowance is

exceeded.

Sources

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