💶 Death grant and coverage of funeral costs

The statutory death grant of the health insurance funds was abolished in 2004. What exists today instead – and what does not.

Death grant § 64 SGB VII § 74 SGB XII Funeral costs Civil servants' allowance (Beihilfe) Social welfare office

In brief

A flat-rate "death grant" (Sterbegeld) from the health insurance fund, as every fund member received until the end of 2003, has no longer existed since 1 January 2004. The term is still used in insurers' advertising, but there it means a private death grant insurance – not a statutory entitlement.

Instead, several much narrower entitlements exist side by side today: a death grant from the statutory accident insurance in the event of death from a work accident or occupational disease, a possible contribution to the funeral through the civil servants' allowance (Beihilfe) for civil servants (regulated differently depending on the employer and federal state), and coverage of the necessary funeral costs by the social welfare office if the persons actually obliged cannot reasonably be expected to bear them.

Step by step

Check for accidental deathIf the death was the result of a work accident, a commuting accident or a recognised occupational disease, apply for the death grant to the responsible Berufsgenossenschaft or Unfallkasse (accident insurance institution) (§ 64 SGB VII).
Check civil servants' allowanceIn the case of a civil service or pension relationship, ask the responsible Beihilfe office whether and in what amount a death grant is still provided there.
Check private insuranceCheck life or death grant insurance policies as well as group insurance through employers or associations for a benefit on death.
Apply to the social welfare office for the funeral costsIf the assets of the deceased and of the relatives liable for the costs are not sufficient, submit an application under § 74 SGB XII, if possible before commissioning a funeral director.
Keep documentsCollect the funeral director's invoices, the death certificate and proof for all applications.

Deadlines

if possible before the invoice

Under the principle of knowledge in social assistance law, an application to the social welfare office for coverage of the funeral costs should if possible be made before the funeral director's invoice is paid – retroactive reimbursement of invoices already paid is often no longer possible§ 18 SGB XII

4 years

General limitation period for claims to social benefits, including the death grant from accident insurance§ 45 SGB I

Watch out – common mistakes

There has been no "death grant" (Sterbegeld) from statutory health insurance since 2004 – a corresponding advertising term today refers to a private insurance, not a statutory entitlement.
A death grant from accident insurance is only paid in the case of a recognised work or commuting accident or occupational disease, not for a death from any other cause.
Whether and in what amount a civil servants' allowance death grant still exists depends on the employer and federal state – it is not uniform across Germany.
Anyone who wants the social welfare office to reimburse funeral costs should, if possible, submit the application before the invoice is paid.

In depth · legal basis, figures and practice – for advisers and professionals

Abolition of the statutory death grant in 2004

Until the end of 2003, statutory health insurance paid a flat-rate death grant under §§ 58, 59 SGB V (old version). With the Statutory Health Insurance Modernisation Act (GMG) of 14 November 2003, this benefit was removed from the GKV benefits catalogue without replacement on 1 January 2004.

Death grant from statutory accident insurance (§ 64 SGB VII)

If an insured person dies as a result of a work accident, commuting accident or a recognised occupational disease, the responsible accident insurance institution pays a flat-rate death grant amounting to one seventh of the reference value (Bezugsgröße) applicable at the time of death (§§ 63 Abs. 1 Nr. 1, 64 SGB VII); the exact euro amount changes every year with the reference value and is therefore not stated here.

Funeral costs under § 74 SGB XII

The social assistance provider covers the necessary costs of a funeral to the extent that the person obliged to arrange it cannot reasonably be expected to bear them. It is not a requirement that the deceased person received social assistance themselves during their lifetime. The social welfare office at the place of death is generally responsible; if social assistance was previously received, the provider previously responsible.

Who is responsible

Berufsgenossenschaft/Unfallkasse (accident insurance institution; death grant under SGB VII)
Beihilfe office (for civil servants)
Social welfare office (§ 74 SGB XII)

Quick questions

Worum geht es bei „Death grant and coverage of funeral costs“?

The statutory death grant of the health insurance funds was abolished in 2004. What exists today instead – and what does not.

Which deadlines and figures matter?

if possible before the invoice: Under the principle of knowledge in social assistance law, an application to the social welfare office for coverage of the funeral costs should if possible be made before the funeral director's invoice is paid – retroactive reimbursement of invoices already paid is often no longer possible (§ 18 SGB XII)
4 years: General limitation period for claims to social benefits, including the death grant from accident insurance (§ 45 SGB I)

What should I do first?

Check for accidental death: If the death was the result of a work accident, a commuting accident or a recognised occupational disease, apply for the death grant to the responsible Berufsgenossenschaft or Unfallkasse (accident insurance institution) (§ 64 SGB VII).
Check civil servants' allowance: In the case of a civil service or pension relationship, ask the responsible Beihilfe office whether and in what amount a death grant is still provided there.
Check private insurance: Check life or death grant insurance policies as well as group insurance through employers or associations for a benefit on death.

What do I need to watch out for?

There has been no "death grant" (Sterbegeld) from statutory health insurance since 2004 – a corresponding advertising term today refers to a private insurance, not a statutory entitlement.
A death grant from accident insurance is only paid in the case of a recognised work or commuting accident or occupational disease, not for a death from any other cause.
Whether and in what amount a civil servants' allowance death grant still exists depends on the employer and federal state – it is not uniform across Germany.

Evidence

§§ 63, 64 SGB VII (gesetze-im-internet.de)
Gesetz zur Modernisierung der gesetzlichen Krankenversicherung (GMG) of 14 November 2003
§ 74 SGB XII (gesetze-im-internet.de)
§§ 18, 45 SGB I (gesetze-im-internet.de)

As of

As of September 2026. · Sources and method

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