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How much does funeral insurance cost in Germany?

In short

Funeral insurance in Germany for a EUR 7,000 sum costs about EUR 24 a month if you start at 50, about EUR 35 at 60 and about EUR 56 at 70. At 80 it is around EUR 135. How much you pay in total matters more than the monthly premium: by the time premiums stop, many people have paid in more than will be paid out.

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How much does funeral insurance cost in Germany?

What it costs

Guide figures from published tariff examples, basic tariff with premiums until 85.

Example	Typical range
Age 50, sum EUR 7,000, 36 month waiting period	about EUR 24 to 26 a month
Age 50, sum EUR 8,000	from about EUR 21 a month
Age 60, sum EUR 7,000, 36 month waiting period	about EUR 35 to 39 a month
Age 70, sum EUR 7,000 to 8,000	about EUR 54 to 63 a month
Age 70, sum EUR 10,000	about EUR 60 a month
Age 80, sum EUR 7,000, 36 month waiting period	about EUR 135 to 140 a month

Guide values as of October 2026 from publicly quoted tariff examples.

Totals and break-even ages are calculated.

Your premium depends on age, sum, payment term, waiting period and tariff level; we obtain the exact quote for you.

Worked example

Man, 70, wants EUR 7,000 set aside for his funeral

He chooses a basic tariff with premiums until 85 and answers no health questions. This is how his numbers work out.

Premium per month	about EUR 56
Premium per year	about EUR 670
Paid in by his 85th birthday	about EUR 10,030
Premiums reach the sum	after just over 10 years, at about 80
Payout on death after the waiting period	EUR 7,000

If he dies at 76, he has paid about EUR 4,000 and his family receives EUR 7,000. If he reaches 85, he has paid about EUR 3,000 more than is paid out. The monthly premium alone tells you little; the total is what counts.

What the premium depends on

Funeral insurance (Sterbegeldversicherung) is a small whole life policy. Death is certain, only the timing is open, so the insurer spreads the sum over the years you are expected to pay. The shorter that period, the higher the monthly premium.

Besides your age, the price depends on the sum insured, how long you pay, the waiting period and the tariff level.

Factor	Effect on the premium
Age at the start	very strong, every year later costs more
Sum insured	almost in direct proportion
Premiums until 85 instead of 75	lowers the monthly premium, but often raises the total
Waiting period of 36 instead of 12 months	noticeably cheaper, but longer without full cover
Health questions answered	usually cheaper and full cover from day one
Higher tariff level	a few percent more for extra benefits

Premiums by starting age

The table shows a basic tariff with a EUR 7,000 sum, premiums until 85 and a 36 month waiting period. The last column shows the age at which your premiums exceed the sum insured.

Starting early means low monthly premiums for a long time. In the end, nearly every age group pays in around EUR 10,000 for a EUR 7,000 payout if they live until premiums stop.

Starting age	Premium per month	Paid in by 85	Premiums reach EUR 7,000
50	about EUR 24	about EUR 10,150	at about 74
60	about EUR 35	about EUR 10,530	at about 77
65	about EUR 43	about EUR 10,420	at about 78
70	about EUR 56	about EUR 10,030	at about 80
80	about EUR 135	about EUR 8,100	at about 84

Where you can save and where not

Choose the sum to fill the gap, not to reach a round number. If you already have savings or another policy, a smaller sum is often enough and the premium falls almost in proportion.

If you are healthy, choose a tariff with health questions. It is usually cheaper and pays in full from the first day.

Be careful with a short payment term. Paying only until 75 raises the monthly premium considerably. A policy you have to cancel later because money is tight is the most expensive outcome.

What expats should factor in

If you want to be buried in your home country, EUR 7,000 will rarely be enough, because repatriation by air outside Europe can cost several thousand euros on its own. Either choose a higher sum, which raises the premium, or plan for cremation in Germany.

Ask whether the policy keeps running and pays out if you move abroad later. The policy terms are in German, and the German wording is what counts.

When saving on your own is cheaper

If you are healthy and save regularly, your own account usually costs less. The policy carries acquisition and administration costs, the account does not.

The extra cost buys one thing: your family gets the full sum even if you die early. Whether that is worth it becomes clear once you look at the total.

Step by step

Work out what the funeral you want costs where you live, or in your home country.
Subtract what is already there: savings, other life insurance, employer benefits.
Choose a sum only for the remaining gap.
Multiply the premium by twelve and by the number of paying years, then compare it with the sum.
If you are in good health, ask for tariffs with health questions.
Check that the premium stays affordable on your pension.

Checklist

Monthly premium and total premiums are known
Premiums end at a fixed age, not for life
Length of the waiting period and the payout during it are clear
The sum covers the gap, not more
Quotes with and without health questions are side by side
A beneficiary is named in the policy

Common mistakes

Comparing only monthly premiums and overlooking the total
Choosing a high sum although savings already cover part of it
Taking a tariff without health questions although you are healthy
Choosing a short payment term and later struggling with the premiums
Starting after 75, when premiums soon exceed the sum

Questions and answers

Frequently asked

How much does funeral insurance cost per month?

For a EUR 5,000 to 10,000 sum usually EUR 20 to 60, depending on your starting age. If you start at 80, expect well over EUR 100.

What does EUR 10,000 of cover cost?

Starting at 70, about EUR 60 a month. Starting at 60, scaled up to that sum, around EUR 50.

Does the premium rise over time?

Usually not. It is fixed at the start according to your age and stays the same unless you raise the sum later.

Up to what age can I take out a policy?

Many tariffs accept you up to 80 or 85. At that age the premium is so high that you pay in the full sum within a few years.

Can I deduct the premiums from my German taxes?

In theory as a provision expense, in practice the cap is usually used up by health and long term care insurance. Ask a tax adviser if in doubt.

What if I can no longer pay?

You can usually make the policy paid up, which lowers the sum. Cancelling in the first years often returns only a small part of the premiums.

Sources

NAMMERT insurance broker

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