If a loved one dies, there are many administrative tasks to take care of and decisions to make. Our checklist will help you navigate through the maze of rights, obligations and regulations that you have to be aware of after a death.
1. Inform the family
The first step is to inform close relatives about the death. Organising everything that needs to be done can be overwhelming, so ask family members for support. Alternatively, you could also provide a private funeral home or burial office with the authority to take care of all the formalities. There are different regulations for each canton or municipality, so it’s best to look at the relevant website for more information.
2. Death certificate
If the person died in a hospital or care home, then you will automatically receive a death certificate signed by a doctor. If the person died a natural death outside of a medical institution, for example at home, then contact your GP or the emergency services. They will confirm the death and issue a death certificate.
3. Register the death
To do so, you will need the following documents:
- Death certificate from a doctor or medical institution
- Family register of the deceased person
- Identity card / passport of the deceased person
- Settled foreign nationals permit
- Any other documents requested by the civil register office
4. Funeral
The funeral company will discuss the deceased person’s wishes with you:
- Did they want to be cremated or buried?
- What should the urn or coffin look like?
- When will the funeral take place?
- How many guests are coming (only close family, open to the public?)
- At what cemetery is the deceased going to be buried?
- Will there be a religious ceremony?
- What type of grave did they want?
5. Obituary
As a general rule, the relevant authority will publish an official obituary in a regional paper or on relevant websites. In addition, loved ones often choose to create a private obituary in the form of a funeral announcement that provides information on the death as well as the burial and funeral. The funeral director will help you to write and print the obituary and have it published in the paper.
6. Home
If the person who has died lived in a rental apartment, you will need to speak to the management company or landlord as soon as possible to inform them of the death. They will let you know when the apartment needs to be emptied.
If the deceased owned their own home, all further steps will be clarified as part of the inheritance process.
7. Authorities, contracts and running costs
- AHV, IV, supplementary benefits office, social security office: if the person has died towards the end of the month, you will need to call these offices to ensure that any annuity contributions are stopped
- Inform the bank and post office
- Leasing fees
- Inform the tax office
- Health insurance, pension fund, additional insurances
- Cancel telephone and internet contracts, newspaper or magazine subscriptions, clubs/associations, SBB subscription, etc.
- Inform Spitex, meal delivery service, etc.
8. Inheritance
- Is there a will? In that case, you must present it to the authorities and get a notarised power of attorney for the heirs.
- The rules of intestate succession apply automatically if the deceased did not have a will.
- Determine the heirs.
- Create an inventory of real estate, jewellery, vehicles, etc., for the distribution of inheritance.
- Secure any loans or assets.
- Have the tax office carry out a tax inventory.
9. Benefits for surviving dependants
- Widower’s or widow’s pension
- Orphan’s pension
- Supplementary benefits
- Survivor’s pension from the pension fund
- Insurance policies or life insurance
About Ágnes
Ágnes Erdős, Product Management Life Expert
Ágnes has been working as a product manager at Generali since January 2023, and is responsible for digital pillar 3a and risk products. Ágnes has more than ten years of experience as a life insurance product manager. She began her career at Generali in Hungary, where she was responsible for single premium investment products for banks.
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