ca. 100-200 € (Arztkosten), Sterbeurkunde: 15 €, jede weitere: 8 €, ca. 3.000-10.000 € je nach Art, 0 €, Erbschein: nach Nachlasswert (ca. 0,5-1%), 0 €

What happens if I miss the deadline?

Der Totenschein ist Voraussetzung für alle weiteren Schritte!

Death in family in Bremen 2026 – Fristen & Checkliste

Step 1⏱ 5–10 Min

Get death certificate

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Frist: Immediately after death · Death certificate is required for all further steps!

A doctor must certify death and issue death certificate. For death at home: call family doctor or emergency medical service.

📄 Required Documents

Deceased's ID card(Required)

Original – will be collected and invalidated by registry office

💡 Weitere Tipps

Medical on-call service: 116 117
In Bremen: Qualified examination by specially qualified doctor required
3 copies of death certificate are issued
For unnatural death: call police (110)

Medical on-call service↗

Step 2⏱ 5–10 Min

Report death to registry office

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Frist: 3 working days after death · Deadline: By 3rd working day after death at latest!

Death must be reported to registry office of place of death. This is often done by funeral home.

📄 Required Documents

Death certificate (original)(Required)

Deceased's ID card(Required)

Original – will be collected and invalidated by registry office

Deceased's birth certificate(Required)

Marriage certificate (if married/widowed)(Optional)

Divorce decree (if divorced)(Optional)

If divorced – final decree from family court

Registration certificate (if not registered in Bremen)(Optional)

💡 Weitere Tipps

Registry office Bremen-Mitte: Hollerallee 79, Tel. 115
Registry office Bremen-Nord: Gerhard-Rohlfs-Str. 62, Tel. 115
Funeral homes usually handle the registration
Order multiple death certificates (for insurance, banks, etc.)
Processing time: approx. 5 days

Report death Bremen↗

Step 3⏱ 5–10 Min

Organize funeral

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Frist: 10 days after death · Burial deadline in Bremen: 10 days after death (earth burial) or after cremation.

A funeral must take place in Germany. The funeral home helps with organization.

📄 Required Documents

Death certificate(Required)

From registry office – original or certified copy

Burial instructions (if available)(Optional)

💡 Weitere Tipps

Burial types: Earth burial, cremation, sea burial, forest burial
Bremen cemetery for information on grave sites
In financial hardship: Apply for social burial at Social Services Office

Bremen cemeteries↗

Step 4⏱ 5–10 Min

Cancel insurance and contracts

All insurance and ongoing contracts must be notified or cancelled.

⚠️Life insurance often has notification deadlines - act quickly!

⏰ Promptly💰 0 €

📄 Required Documents

Death certificate (copies)(Required)

Insurance documents(Required)

💡 Weitere Tipps

Priority: Life insurance, accident insurance, burial insurance
Also notify: Health insurance, pension insurance, bank, landlord
Cancel contracts: Electricity, phone, internet, subscriptions
Notify employer (if employed)

Consumer advice – cancel contracts↗

Step 5⏱ 5–10 Min

Settle inheritance

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Frist: 6 weeks for rejection · Inheritance can include debts - rejection possible within 6 weeks!

Inheritance automatically passes to heirs. A certificate of inheritance can be requested from probate court.

📄 Required Documents

Death certificate(Required)

From registry office – original or certified copy

Will (if available)(Optional)

If available – was with deceased, notary, or district court (Central Register of Wills)

Family register(Required)

If available – contains all family certificates, was with deceased

Heirs' ID cards(Required)

💡 Weitere Tipps

Probate court: District Court Bremen, Domsheide 16
Will is opened by probate court
Certificate of inheritance often required for real estate and bank accounts
With debts: Consider rejecting inheritance

District Court Bremen↗

Step 6⏱ 5–10 Min

Check pension claims

Survivors may be entitled to widow's/widower's pension or orphan's pension.

⚠️Pension application within 12 months for retroactive payment from date of death!

⏰ 12 months for full retroactivity💰 0 €

📄 Required Documents

Death certificate(Required)

From registry office – original or certified copy

Marriage certificate(Required)

For widow's pension – from registry office where married (approx. €12)

Deceased's pension information(Optional)

🏛️ Lokale Behördeninfo

•Free consultation: 0800 1000 48028

💡 Weitere Tipps

German Pension Insurance Oldenburg-Bremen: Schwachhauser Heerstr. 32-34
Death quarter: 3 months full pension of deceased
After that: Large or small widow's pension depending on requirements

Apply for survivor's pension↗

Step 7⏱ 2–5 Min

💚 Check life insurance & provisions

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Statute of limitations: life insurance claims expire after 3 years – don't wait too long!

After a death: check if the deceased had life or risk life insurance. These must be actively reported to the insurer – they are not automatically paid out. Also for your own provision: now is the moment to protect your family.

🏛️ Lokale Behördeninfo

📞� Contact insurer directly with death certificate

💡 Weitere Tipps

📋 Check documents: policies, bank statements, tax assessments
🏦 German Life Insurance Database (DaLiD): free search
💡 For own provision: protect dependants now – from €5/month

👉 Compare life insurance free*💚 Compare life insurance ↗

⏱ 2 Minuten💰 Kostenlos🔒 Unverbindlich

Death in Bremen

Get death certificate

📄 Required Documents

Report death to registry office

📄 Required Documents

Organize funeral

📄 Required Documents

Cancel insurance and contracts

📄 Required Documents

Settle inheritance

📄 Required Documents

Check pension claims

📄 Required Documents

💚 Check life insurance & provisions

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

📋What you should do next: