The final step has the longest list but is the most predictable: contracts and benefits do not react to a death by themselves. Each notification goes out separately with a copy of the certificate — and pension benefits run on short deadlines.
Contracts, pensions and insurance afterwards
Contracts do not end by themselves: some pass to the heirs, others open a special right to terminate. At the same time there are benefits that must be claimed quickly.
✓ Verified: 01/08/2026
WHAT TO DO
› Details and tips
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Max recommends:
Subscriptions kept charging for four more months because I assumed they would lapse. They do not — each needs its own letter.
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Lea recommends:
Go to the pension authority in the first weeks. Some benefits have short deadlines and cannot be recovered later.
Useful Tools
- Zentrales Testamentsregister legal-info
Central register of wills: where testamentary documents are registered and how the court locates them.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Does the tenancy end with the death? ▾
No, not automatically. The law provides special rules for tenancies: a defined group of people may take over, and the parties have a special right of termination within a set period. Acting quickly matters, otherwise rent keeps accruing.
What about insurance and subscriptions? ▾
Terminate in writing and enclose a copy of the death certificate. Some contracts end, others pass to the heirs, others again create a right to terminate. Almost nothing ends by itself, and direct debits continue.
Are there benefits for surviving family? ▾
Yes, the pension system provides for surviving spouses and children where the conditions are met. Some benefits carry short application deadlines, so this contact belongs in the first weeks rather than at the end of the list.
What happens to the deceased’s bank account? ▾
The account does not vanish: the bank converts it and grants heirs access on proof of their entitlement. Direct debits can continue running, which is why the bank belongs among the first places you notify.