Which insurance policies do I need to cancel or transfer after a death?
In short
After a death in Germany you need to cancel little but transfer quite a lot. Property policies such as car, household contents and buildings pass to the heirs. Health, disability and accident insurance of the deceased end. Inform life and accident insurers at once; under the model terms an accidental death must be reported within 48 hours.
Costs around insurance after a death, based on published fees and guide values.
Example
Typical range
Death certificate from the registry office
about EUR 12 to 20 per copy
Certificate of inheritance, estate EUR 100,000, with statutory declaration
around EUR 546
Certificate of inheritance, estate EUR 250,000, with statutory declaration
around EUR 1,070
Life insurance processing with complete documents
about 14 days
Funeral in total
about EUR 4,000 to 12,000
Guide values as of October 2026 from published fees and examples.
The number of certificates in the worked example is a guide value from practice.
Fees vary by municipality and estate.
Worked example
Widow, 68, her husband held all policies
This is how she sorts the policies in the first weeks without missing a deadline.
Day 1: accident insurance, as he died after a fall
report within 48 hours
Week 1: term life insurance naming her as beneficiary
send policy and death certificate
Private liability
pay the next bill, she becomes policyholder
Car and contents
transfer to her name
Five death certificates for insurers, fund and bank
about EUR 60 to 100
Nothing is cancelled except policies that only covered him. Everything else continues in her name.
The basic rule: property passes, personal cover ends
On death, the estate passes as a whole to the heirs under section 1922 of the German Civil Code (BGB). This includes policies on property: car, contents, house. They continue, the heirs become the policyholders and must pay the premium.
Policies tied to the person end with the death. That mainly concerns health, disability (Berufsunfähigkeit) and accident insurance, as far as the deceased was the insured person.
Policy
What happens after the death
Car insurance (Kfz)
passes to the heirs, transfer to whoever uses the car
Household contents (Hausrat)
passes, ends in practice when the home is cleared
Buildings insurance (Wohngebäude)
passes to the heirs, keep it running
Private liability (Privathaftpflicht)
spouse and children covered until the next due date
Public health insurance
membership ends, co-insured family members need their own cover
Private health insurance
ends, co-insured persons can continue within two months
Life and accident insurance
claim event, report at once
Report at once: life and accident insurance
Under the model terms for accident insurance, an accidental death must be reported within 48 hours, and the insurer may ask for a post-mortem. Report it on the same day; documents can follow.
Life and term life insurance pays the named beneficiary. With the policy and death certificate, payment often follows in about two weeks. Without a named beneficiary, a certificate of inheritance (Erbschein) is usually needed.
Health insurance for the surviving family
In public health insurance, membership ends with the death. Anyone who was family-insured through the deceased partner needs their own membership, so contact the health fund (Krankenkasse) quickly.
Private health insurance ends with the death of the policyholder. Co-insured spouses and children can continue it under section 207 of the Insurance Contract Act (VVG) by naming a new policyholder within two months. Do not let this deadline pass.
Transferring liability, contents and car
Under the model terms for private liability, spouse and children stay covered until the next premium date. If the surviving spouse pays the next bill, they automatically become the policyholder.
Have contents and car policies transferred to the heir who keeps the home or car. If the home is given up or the car sold, the insurer may only charge until it learns of this under section 80 VVG, so report it straight away.
What not to cancel too early
Buildings insurance on an inherited house must continue, even if it is empty. Without it, the heirs carry a fire or water damage themselves.
Only cancel policies once it is clear who inherits and who keeps using what.
Step by step
Order several death certificates from the registry office.
Inform accident and life insurers at once, an accidental death within 48 hours.
Collect all policies: bank statements show who debits regularly.
Let personal policies end and transfer property policies to the heir.
With private health insurance, decide on continuation within two months.
Report a cleared home or a sold car at once so premiums stop.
Checklist
Accidental death reported within 48 hours
Life insurer informed with death certificate
Health insurance for the survivors sorted
Liability and contents transferred to the new policyholder
Car policy transferred
Buildings insurance still running
Common mistakes
Reporting an accidental death weeks later
Cancelling buildings insurance on an inherited house too early
Missing the two month deadline in private health insurance
Letting debits run because nobody collected the policies
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
Which insurance policies do I need to cancel after a death?
Only those tied to the person that do not end on their own, such as some top-up policies.
Property policies are transferred, or you report that the insured item is gone.
Who receives the life insurance money?
The named beneficiary.
If nobody is named, the payment falls into the estate,
and a certificate of inheritance is usually needed.
Does car insurance continue after the death?
Yes, it passes to the heirs with the car.
Whoever keeps driving has the policy transferred to their name.
Am I still covered by private liability as a widow?
Under the model terms, until the next premium date.
If you pay the next bill, you become the policyholder.
What happens to my husband's private health insurance?
It ends with his death.
Co-insured persons can continue it if they name a new policyholder within two months.
