If you are reading this in difficult days: we are thinking of you, and we will try to help briefly and clearly. The order of things to do is simpler than it seems right now, and you don’t need to sort it all out at once.
- The first steps: notifying the doctor, the medical examination, then contacting a funeral service provider.
- The death certificate is the basis for most further matters – it is issued by the registrar.
- Notifying the insurer comes after that, through its own phone line or online platform – it can wait beyond the first days.
The first hours
In the case of a death at home, the doctor should be notified first (the family doctor or an on-call service) – they carry out the medical examination; in a hospital or institution, the institution handles this. After that – not immediately, but when the family is ready – comes the funeral service provider, who takes over transporting the deceased and the practical side of the arrangements. In these hours, no financial decisions need to be made – the insurance can wait.
The first days: documents and arrangements
The death certificate is issued by the registrar – the funeral service provider typically helps with this process too. This document is the basis for most further steps: it will be requested by the insurer, the bank, and various authorities. Organising the farewell proceeds at the family’s own pace; if there were wishes arranged or written down in advance – for example in the family folder – it helps a great deal now.
Notifying the insurer
If there is a funeral expense (or other life) insurance policy, it’s best to file the claim through the insurer’s own phone line or online platform – this is the primary, fastest route. Filing typically requires the death certificate, the policy details, and the beneficiary’s identification documents – the insurer will provide the exact list. For the detailed process, see filing a claim with the insurer, and for the documents: document list.
What you don’t have to carry alone
A good part of these tasks can be shared: the registry paperwork, the notifications, and gathering the documents can be assigned to different family members – the checklist helps with this in a tick-off format. If the insurance matter gets stuck anywhere or a question comes up, my clients’ families can also call me: in a stuck or disputed case, I support the family’s side with the insurer. And most importantly: the paperwork will wait until you are ready – there is a separate piece on finding that balance.
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