A relative died while visiting Germany: what to do

A mother comes for a month to see her grandchildren, a brother for a wedding, a father simply to visit. And suddenly that person dies in Germany — with no health insurance fund, no family doctor and no records here. The family is in shock and does not know where to start. This article explains, step by step, what to do in the first hours, which insurance a visitor usually had and what it pays for.

First steps: what to do today

Doctor. Call 112. The doctor confirms the death and issues the medical certificate of death (Todesbescheinigung). If the death was sudden, the doctor often records the manner of death as unexplained, and the police will attend. This is standard procedure, not suspicion of the family.
Passport and insurance. Find the passport of the deceased and any insurance documents.
Insurer — before arranging transport. Call the emergency number on the policy and report the death. Many insurers only pay for a repatriation they have agreed or organised themselves.
Funeral director. You can call us at the same time: we collect the deceased around the clock, place them in refrigerated storage and contact the insurer ourselves.

Which insurance a visitor had

A Schengen visa requires travel medical insurance for the entire stay. The minimum cover is €30,000, and the policy must include repatriation in the event of death. This is laid down in Article 15 of the EU Visa Code.

So if your relative came on a visa — for example from Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, India or Nigeria — they almost certainly had such a policy. Citizens of countries such as Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia with biometric passports, as well as the UK, the US and Canada, enter visa-free. For them the insurance is not mandatory and is more often missing.

Where to find the policy

in copies of the visa documents — the policy was submitted with the application;
in the email inbox and on the phone of the deceased;
with the person who issued the invitation: hosts often buy the policy;
with the tour operator or visa centre, if the trip was arranged through them.

What to know about the €30,000 limit

The limit covers treatment and repatriation together. If the deceased was in hospital or intensive care beforehand, part of it has already been used.
Repatriation or local burial. Many policies pay for one or the other. Agree the decision with the insurer before ordering anything.
Who is instructed. Ask the insurer directly whether you may choose your own funeral director and get the answer in writing.
Claim number. Note the claim number and the name of the case handler. From then on we deal with the insurer directly.

If there is no insurance or it is not enough

The family then bears the costs. Guide prices by destination are on the page repatriation costs. The cost can be reduced with an urn instead of a coffin — roughly half the price, but first a matter of faith and family tradition — or by road where the route allows.

Support from the social welfare office is limited when a visitor dies. Even where it contributes, it only covers costs equivalent to a simple funeral in Germany and assesses the income of those obliged to arrange the funeral. Air freight and the zinc-lined coffin are not included. More in “Repatriation abroad and the social welfare office”.

Which documents are needed

passport of the deceased, original;
insurance policy and claim number, if available;
medical certificate of death (Todesbescheinigung);
death certificate (Sterbeurkunde) from the registry office at the place of death;
corpse passport (Leichenpass) for transport abroad;
release by the public prosecutor if the death has not been certified as natural;
consular documents of the destination country.

We obtain most of these. More on each document in “Documents for international repatriation”.

How long it takes

If the death was natural and the passport and policy are available, processing in Germany usually takes a few working days. The longest wait is generally not for transport but for paperwork: the insurer’s decision, the public prosecutor’s release where the cause of death is unclear, and the consulate’s documents.

Frequently asked questions

Do relatives need to travel to Germany?

No. A power of attorney is sufficient. We handle all contact with authorities, the consulate and the insurer and keep you informed of every important step.

I signed a formal obligation letter for the visa. Will I have to pay?

If valid travel medical insurance exists, the insurer pays first. Whether the formal obligation (Verpflichtungserklärung) also covers costs after death is best clarified with the immigration office that certified it. There is no general answer.

The insurer is still deciding. What happens to the deceased?

The deceased can be placed in refrigerated storage straight away; this does not affect the insurer’s decision. Storage is charged separately, so ask the insurer for a written deadline for its answer.

Can the deceased be cremated in Germany and the urn taken home?

Yes. It is noticeably cheaper and simpler in terms of paperwork. Check beforehand whether the family agrees and whether your faith permits cremation.

Call us — the first conversation is free

Tell us where the deceased is, where they came from and whether there is a policy. We will then contact the insurer and organise everything else. Available around the clock, including nights and weekends, in English, German, Russian and Ukrainian.

Phone: +49 1511 7463888 · Request a call back

This article reflects the published regulations and does not replace legal advice. The terms of the individual policy and the requirements of the authorities are decisive.