What financial assistance is available after a death in Switzerland?
Introduction
A death turns the lives of loved ones upside down. On top of grief, there are often financial worries: how to cover funeral costs? How to maintain the family's standard of living? Fortunately, Switzerland has a social protection system that provides several forms of financial assistance after a death.
These benefits come from different sources: the AHV pays widow's, widower's or orphan's pensions. The 2nd pillar (LPP) provides capital or a pension to beneficiaries. Cantons and municipalities offer allowances for funeral expenses. Life insurance and the 3rd pillar complement this system.
But between the different organisations, eligibility conditions and deadlines to respect, families often feel lost. This guide details all the death benefits available in Switzerland, the procedures to obtain them and payment timescales. You will know exactly who to contact, which documents to prepare and what amounts to expect to secure your financial situation.
📌 Summary (TL;DR)
Several forms of financial assistance exist after a death in Switzerland. The AHV pays widow's, widower's and orphan's pensions subject to conditions. The 2nd pillar (LPP) provides capital or a pension to beneficiaries. Cantons offer funeral allowances. Life insurance and the 3rd pillar complement these benefits.
Procedures vary according to the organisation: AHV compensation fund, pension fund, cantonal administration. Payment times range from a few weeks to several months. Gather the necessary documents quickly and respect claim deadlines to avoid losing any rights.
📚 Table of contents
Federal assistance after a death
The Swiss Confederation offers several forms of financial assistance after a death via the AHV and AI. These benefits aim to support the deceased's loved ones facing loss of income.
The main federal assistance includes widow's or widower's pension, orphan's pension and 2nd pillar (LPP) benefits. These death allowances are paid subject to specific eligibility conditions.
Amounts vary according to family situation and contributions paid during working life. It is essential to report the death quickly to your AHV compensation fund to activate your rights.
Widow's or widower's pension
The widow's pension is paid if you were married and have dependent children, or if you are over 45 with at least 5 years of marriage. The average monthly amount is around 1,200-1,500 CHF in 2024.
The widower's pension is only granted if you have minor children in your care. It ceases as soon as the youngest child reaches 18.
In the event of remarriage, the pension stops permanently. Cohabitation does not affect payment, unlike marriage.
Orphan's pension
The deceased's children are entitled to an orphan's pension until age 18, or 25 if they continue their education. The monthly amount reaches around 600 CHF for a child who has lost one parent.
If the child loses both parents, the pension doubles and amounts to around 1,200 CHF per month. This benefit can be combined with other social assistance or family allowances.
The application must be submitted to the AHV compensation fund of the deceased's last employer or your canton of residence.
2nd pillar benefits (LPP)
The pension fund pays death capital or a survivor's pension according to its regulations. Priority beneficiaries are the spouse, children and registered partner.
Amounts vary considerably depending on the retirement savings accumulated and the fund's provisions. Some regulations also provide benefits for cohabiting partners subject to conditions.
You must claim your rights within 5 years of the death. Contact the employer's pension fund quickly to find out what death benefits you are entitled to.
Cantonal and municipal assistance
Death assistance in Switzerland varies greatly from one canton to another. Some offer generous supplementary benefits, others provide minimal support.
Municipalities can pay allowances for funeral expenses, emergency social assistance or cantonal supplementary benefits. These schemes mainly target families in precarious financial situations.
Contact your municipality's social service in the weeks following the death. Disparities between cantons are significant: Geneva and Vaud offer more assistance than other regions.
Allowances for funeral expenses
Several cantons pay specific assistance to cover funeral costs. In Geneva, this allowance can reach 3,000 CHF depending on income. In Vaud canton, the amount varies between 1,000 and 2,500 CHF.
These funeral allowances are subject to strict income conditions. You must demonstrate that the family's financial means are insufficient to cover the costs.
Submit your application to the municipal social service with proof of income and invoices from funeral directors.
Cantonal supplementary benefits
Supplementary benefits (PC) complement AHV/AI pensions when these do not cover basic needs. They are granted according to income and wealth criteria.
This assistance can include reimbursement of medical expenses and, in some cases, a contribution to funeral costs. Amounts depend on your personal situation and canton.
Contact your canton's supplementary benefits service to assess your rights. The application can be submitted at the same time as the AHV pension application.
Private insurance benefits
Life insurance and the 3rd pillar pay death capital to designated beneficiaries. These benefits are in addition to public assistance and can represent significant amounts.
The financial support from private insurance usually arrives 2 to 4 weeks after submitting the complete file. This speed helps families meet immediate expenses.
To find out more about how these schemes work, consult our guide on life and death insurance in Switzerland.
Life insurance and 3rd pillar
The 3a pillar imposes a legal order of beneficiaries (spouse, children, parents), whilst the 3b allows beneficiaries to be freely designated. Capital paid varies according to the contracts taken out.
Taxation is advantageous: in most cantons, direct descendants are exempt from tax on capital received. This tax optimisation deserves attention when planning succession.
Contact all insurers with whom the deceased had a contract. For more details, read our article on life and death insurance.
Supplementary insurance and legal protection
Some household, liability or legal protection insurance includes modest death cover (500-2,000 CHF). Check all the deceased's insurance contracts, even those that seem unrelated.
Travel insurance can cover repatriation and funeral costs in the event of death abroad. These benefits considerably lighten the financial burden on families.
If the death occurred outside Switzerland, consult our guide on procedures in the event of death abroad to find out about all available assistance.
Eligibility conditions and practical procedures
To obtain financial assistance after a death, you must gather several official documents and contact different organisations in a specific order.
The procedures may seem complex, but following a structured method simplifies the process. First prepare all the necessary documents before contacting funds and insurance companies.
Some deadlines are imperative: do not miss them, as they can result in permanent loss of your rights. Note all your communications and keep copies of letters sent.
Documents to gather
You will need the death certificate (official, with apostille if necessary), family certificate or family record book, salary certificates for the last 12 months, and all insurance contracts.
Add the will if it exists, bank documents, and proof of income and wealth. Make several certified true copies of the death certificate: each organisation requires a copy.
The death certificate is obtained from the civil registry office of the municipality where the death occurred. Other documents come from the employer, insurance companies and tax authorities.
Organisations to contact as a priority
Follow this order: 1) AHV compensation fund (within 30 days), 2) Pension fund of the last employer, 3) All insurance companies, 4) Your municipality's social service, 5) Current employer if you work.
Each organisation has specific forms to complete. Some offer appointments to support you with administrative procedures.
You can appoint a notary or pension adviser to manage these formalities. This option is useful if the situation is complex or if you feel overwhelmed.
Payment and claim deadlines
Death benefits are not paid immediately. Each organisation applies its own processing times, generally between 2 and 8 weeks.
Strictly respect claim deadlines: the limitation period is 5 years for AHV and LPP, but some insurance companies impose shorter deadlines (1 year).
In the event of abnormal delay or unjustified refusal, you can submit a complaint then an appeal. Document all your procedures to facilitate any administrative appeals.
When are benefits paid?
The AHV pays the first pension 1 to 2 months after the complete application. Pension funds (LPP) take 4 to 8 weeks depending on their internal organisation.
Private insurance is generally faster: allow 2 to 4 weeks after receipt of the complete file with death certificate and signed forms.
Municipal assistance has variable deadlines, often between 4 and 12 weeks. In financial emergency situations, some municipalities grant advances on benefits.
Claim deadlines not to miss
The limitation period for AHV and LPP benefits is 5 years, but act within 3 months of the death to avoid any problems. This period runs from the moment you should have known about your rights.
Private insurance often imposes a declaration deadline of 1 year. After this deadline, you permanently lose your rights to death capital.
For municipal assistance, enquire quickly as local regulations vary. Missing deadlines results in automatic rejection of your application with no possibility of appeal.
Special situations and combining assistance
Certain situations require particular attention: cohabitation, registered partnership, adult children in education, or death following an occupational accident.
The rules for combining different death benefits are complex. Some forms of assistance coordinate with each other, others are fully cumulative. AHV and LPP can be combined without reduction.
Capital received can have tax and inheritance implications. To understand the implications, consult our article on inheritance tax in Switzerland.
Cohabitation and registered partnership
Cohabiting partners are not entitled to AHV survivor's pensions, even after decades of living together. Only private pension provision (3rd pillar, life insurance) allows you to protect your partner.
Check the beneficiary clauses of all your insurance contracts without fail. Without explicit designation, the cohabiting partner receives nothing, even if you lived together for 20 years.
Registered partnership offers the same rights as marriage since 2007. Registered partners benefit from AHV pensions and LPP benefits in the same way as married spouses.
Death following an occupational accident
Accident insurance (LAA) pays higher benefits than AHV in the event of work-related death. Survivor's pensions reach 40% of insured salary for the spouse, 15% per child.
These LAA benefits coordinate with AHV and LPP according to specific rules. The total pensions cannot exceed 90% of the deceased's last salary.
Contact the employer's accident insurer within 48 hours. Payment times are generally faster than with other social insurance, often 3 to 4 weeks.
After a death in Switzerland, several forms of financial assistance can help loved ones: widow's, widower's or orphan's pensions from the AHV, 2nd pillar benefits, cantonal allowances for funeral expenses, and capital from private insurance. Each situation is unique and combining these benefits remains possible depending on your profile.
The essential thing is to act quickly. Gather the necessary documents, contact the relevant organisations and respect claim deadlines. Do not hesitate to seek help from municipal social services or death insurance to support you with these administrative procedures.
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