FAQs - Survivors' pensions and death grants
My health insurance guarantees a generous death grant to my family when I pass away. Will my family still be entitled to this grant if I die abroad?
YES — Your family is entitled to this grant, even if you die in another EU country. Your family should apply for a death grant from the health insurance institution where you are registered in your country of residence. They will forward your request to the right authority.
I live in Italy and receive pensions from Italy and Denmark. Danish death grants are quite generous. Will my husband be entitled to it when I pass away?
NO — You live in Italy and receive an Italian pension. As a result, your husband is only entitled to an Italian death grant, whether you are also receiving pensions from other countries or not. Unfortunately, death grants do not exist in Italy. As a result, your husband will not be entitled to any death grant when you pass away.
Which country should pay death grants?
As for all other categories of benefits, social security institutions have to take account of periods of insurance or residence completed under the legislation of any other EU country when this is necessary to assess your entitlement to death grants. The death grants will be paid by the institution of the country where the deceased person was insured, regardless of the EU country where the entitled persons live.
My spouse has recently passed away. Am I entitled to a survivor's pension if I live in a country different from where my spouse worked?
In general, the rules which apply to pensions for surviving spouses or orphans are the same as the ones applying to invalidity and old-age pensions. Survivors' pensions have to be paid regardless of where the surviving spouse resides in the EU.