When a loved one dies, and despite this painful period, it is necessary to take certain steps beyond organizing their funeral. Thus, organizations such as, for example, the deceased’s company, their bank, their pension funds, their health insurance fund, their insurance companies, their electricity, water, telephone suppliers, etc. , must be notified of his death, and for some within specified time limits. The deceased’s estate must also be planned by contacting a notary. Overview of the main organizations to be notified following the death of a loved one.
The town hall of the place of death
Within 24 hours after the death of a loved one is confirmed by a doctor who issues a death certificate, the first organization to contact is the town hall of the place of death in order to declare the death.
The town hall’s civil status service then draws up a death certificate, which is transmitted to INSEE, and which is given to relatives in several copies.
This death certificate is in fact a document required by a large number of organizations to carry out procedures following the death of a loved one.
Please note: the declaration of death to the town hall is in principle carried out by the hospital or clinic if the death occurred in these health establishments. Funeral directors can also take care of this declaration.
The deceased’s employer
If the deceased was an employee, it is necessary to notify their employer within 24 to 72 hours of their death.
A process which aims in particular to possibly claim the sums owed to the deceased by his employer, documents which concern him such as his pay slips, certificates of attendance, etc., and if necessary also to recover the personal effects of the deceased .
France Travail if the deceased relative was a job seeker
If the deceased relative was unemployed and registered with France Travail, you must notify this organization by going directly to its counter or by calling the number 39 49 within 8 days following the death in order to suspend and stop the payment of unemployment benefits.
In the case of a deceased person who was married, in a civil partnership or in a cohabitation, their surviving spouse may claim to receive the death benefit paid by France Travail in one installment and which is equivalent to approximately 4 months of unemployment benefits that the deceased received. .
The request for death benefit must be made by the spouse to France Travail by post. This written request must mention the file number of the deceased jobseeker and be accompanied by a copy of the death certificate, as well as proof of spouse status.
Banking organizations and credit institutions
Always within a maximum of 8 days following the death of a loved one, the bank(s) in which the deceased had an account must be notified by telephone, but preferably by sending a registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt afterwards.
To find out about existing bank accounts and any safe deposit boxes held, it is possible for a relative of the deceased, his heirs or a notary to consult the National File of Bank and Similar Accounts (Ficoba) free of charge upon request.
This approach to the banks is intended to block his bank accounts, but also his securities portfolios (shares, bonds, PEA, etc.), because the available sums will enter his estate, and to put an end to any powers of attorney which had been granted.
In the case of a joint account, the surviving spouse can continue to carry out all banking transactions even if half of the available sums go to the heirs of the deceased.
Notifying the banks and credit organizations of a deceased loved one can also make it possible to activate death insurance linked to the loans taken out and to review the insurance contracts taken out as part of a loan.
Pension funds
If the deceased was retired, their relatives must promptly notify (within 8 days) their basic and supplementary pension funds.
Concerning the basic pension of the deceased, it is a question of contacting the regional Retirement and Occupational Health Insurance Fund (CARSAT) on which the deceased depended by post, indicating their Social Security number, their name and first names, the date and place of his death and attaching a death certificate.
This procedure serves to stop the payment of the basic pension of the deceased loved one. You should know, however, that the pension for the month of death is paid in full, regardless of the date of death.
On the other hand, notifying the deceased’s basic pension fund allows the spouse, or ex-spouse, to request a survivor’s pension from all of the deceased person’s pension plans.
The Primary Health Insurance Fund or the Agricultural Social Mutuality
The Primary Health Insurance Fund (CPAM) or the Mutualité sociale agricole (MSA) on which a deceased relative depended is automatically notified of their death through the national identifier management system (SNGI), created by the National Health Fund. old age insurance (Cnav), which processes the civil status and Social Security number of beneficiaries for all matters relating to social protection organizations.
Despite everything, relatives of the deceased must contact these organizations within 30 days of the death of their loved one, firstly to send the deceased’s Vitale card, but also to request the allocation of a death benefit. if the deceased was an employee, financial assistance paid by Social Security intended to cover the costs linked to the death and to financially support the people who were dependent on the deceased, but also to obtain, if necessary, reimbursement of illness costs still owed by health insurance for the deceased person.
Mutual insurance and provident organizations
Following the death of a loved one, their welfare organizations and mutual health insurance must also be notified within 8 days. A process which allows you to request a possible death benefit or an annuity provided under a contract taken out by the deceased.
These organizations can also provide financial assistance to relatives of the deceased, intended, for example, to cover part of the funeral costs.
The Family Allowance Fund if applicable
In the event that the deceased relative was a beneficiary of the Family Allowance Fund (CAF), it is necessary to notify the organization of their death in order to review the rights of their loved ones.
The CAF supports bereaved relatives, particularly to help them obtain benefits, such as the Family Support Allowance (ASF), in the event of financial difficulties.
The organization also offers personalized social and psychological monitoring of loved ones of the deceased for a period of up to 1 year.
The educational establishments of the children of the deceased
Notifying the schools attended by the children of a deceased relative is also a formality to be planned. The death of a parent has consequences in particular on the payment of school scholarships from which the family can benefit.
Tax services
Within 2 months following the death of a loved one, you must notify the tax administration of their disappearance in order to establish or validate their income tax return, or to regularize the payment of property taxes and/or property taxes. housing owed by the deceased.
Informing the tax administration of the death of a loved one who was married or in a civil partnership also allows the surviving spouse to update the withholding tax rate for income tax.
A procedure also necessary if it concerns the death of a child who was attached to his or her tax household.
Please note: relatives of the deceased must also send the inheritance declaration to the tax authorities of the place where the deceased was domiciled within 6 months of the death. A period extended to 1 year if the death took place abroad. The purpose of this process is for heirs to know if they must pay, and how much, taxes on the estate of their deceased loved one.
A notary office
Following the death of a loved one, you must take care of their estate and make an appointment as soon as possible, in any case within 6 months maximum, with a notary who will take care of this step.
Recourse to this public officer is obligatory, and also recommended in other cases, if real estate is included in the estate, if the latter represents a sum of 5,000 euros or more, or if the deceased has drawn up a will.
Insurance organizations
In the month following the death of a loved one, and even within the following 15 days, the insurance organizations where they had subscribed to contracts must be notified, preferably by registered letter, in order to modify or close them.
In the case of the existence of life insurance, relatives must inform the insurer of this death by registered letter accompanied by a death certificate and indicating the references of the life insurance contract.
The same approach should be taken for the deceased’s car insurance and home insurance, also with the aim of modifying their contracts or closing them.
To note : with regard to the deceased’s car insurance contract, the latter is not terminated upon his death. In fact, it continues automatically for the benefit of his heirs.
Suppliers of water, electricity, gas, telephone, Internet, etc.
After the death of a loved one and in the following month, it is necessary to notify all organizations with which the deceased had a subscription such as water, electricity, gas, telephone, Internet suppliers, etc.
Depending on the situation and needs of the relatives of the deceased holder of these subscriptions, this approach makes it possible to inform these organizations of this change in situation, and to interrupt or modify current contracts.
The National Agency for Secure Titles for the vehicle registration document of the deceased
Following the death of a loved one, heirs have the option of keeping, selling, donating or destroying the deceased’s vehicle.
In all cases, the new owner of the vehicle must take steps to change the holder of the registration certificate, that is to say the vehicle registration document. This formality now requires going through the dematerialized service made available by the National Agency for Secured Titles (ANTS).
