A Practical Matter at a Hard Time
When a privately insured person dies, their surviving spouse has to sort out their own continuing health cover, often while dealing with everything else a bereavement brings. The right steps depend on how the survivor was insured: whether they had their own PKV policy, were separately insured in GKV, or relied on arrangements connected to the deceased.
The Common Situations
- Survivor with their own PKV: their policy continues in their own name. The main task is administrative, including any change to premium payment arrangements.
- Survivor in GKV: their statutory cover continues independently of the deceased’s PKV.
- Survivor relying on a pension route: a surviving-dependant pension can affect which health-insurance route applies, so this needs checking.
- Beihilfe cases: where the deceased was a civil servant, surviving dependants may have their own Beihilfe entitlement, which shapes the private cover needed.
Act on cover early: health insurance must be continuous, so confirm the survivor’s cover promptly rather than leaving it. Most survivors already hold their own policy, which simply continues, but the position should be checked, not assumed.
Steps to Take
Notify the insurer of the death and confirm the survivor’s own cover status. Where the survivor has their own PKV, arrange any change to how the premium is paid. Where a surviving-dependant pension or Beihilfe entitlement is involved, check how it affects the health-insurance route, since it can change the most sensible option. If the survivor’s situation is unclear, take advice early, so continuing cover is secured without a gap at an already difficult time.
Frequently Asked Questions
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