Teller Report

Death: You must absolutely do this when a relative dies

3/19/2021, 7:53:10 AM

Life insurance, taxes, pay TV: It is a misconception that contracts and obligations automatically end when you die. If heirs do not want to be asked to pay, they should quickly sift through the dead man's papers. Otherwise a lot of money will be lost.


When a person dies, he leaves one thing above all: lots of contracts.

For example the one with his landlord, the car insurance, the care service and his telephone provider.

But relatives in mourning often let the sifting through the papers drag on for weeks.

Mostly with the firm conviction that death will automatically terminate all contracts and insurance anyway.

But that's a fairy tale.  

"Inaction can be a big mistake," warns Bianca Boss, spokeswoman for the Association of Insureds (BdV).

Because: Most contracts continue to run even after death.

If the bereaved do not want to pay for superfluous subscriptions, memberships and policies, they should get to work quickly.

There are often strict deadlines.

Some contracts even involve hours.