Financial assistance for funerals in France

The very high cost of funerals is the main reason for Advitam's existence. We want to provide quality funerals at a fair price. In addition to this reduced cost, it is important to know that there are various financial aids that can fully reimburse funeral expenses, provided that you meet the criteria.

Required documents for financial assistance for funerals in France

Regardless of the steps to be taken to obtain financial assistance for funerals, it is essential to have at least the deceased's ID, their death certificate, and civil status documents that justify the applicant's relationship to the deceased, such as the family record book or a birth certificate, for example.

Depending on the assistance requested, there are often other documents to provide to prove that the criteria are met. You can also find information on the organizations to contact in our guide dedicated to the steps to take in case of death.

Organizations to contact for financial assistance

French social security death benefit

Regardless of the steps to be taken to obtain financial assistance for the funeral, it is imperative to have at least the deceased's identification, death certificate, and civil status documents that justify the applicant's relationship to the deceased, such as the family record book or a birth certificate, for example.

Depending on the aid requested, there are often other documents to provide to prove compliance with the criteria. You can also find information on the organizations to contact in our guide dedicated to the steps to take in case of death.

If the deceased was still actively working at the time of their death, Social Security pays a death benefit. The amount of this benefit varies depending on the deceased's affiliation and salary.

• For private sector employees, the capital is €3,738 (2023).

• For those with civil servant status, it depends on the situation but can be up to one year's salary.

To speed up the release of funds for funeral financing, it is important to inform the deceased's employer quickly so that human resources managers can handle the necessary steps. Some information will also need to be provided to Social Security, but in most cases, the employer supports families in the process.

Generally, the death benefit goes directly to the direct heirs, unless the deceased expressly stated otherwise in a notarized document. Inmost cases, the sum goes to children, spouses, parents, etc. If none of these direct successors come forward to claim the death benefit, "non-priority beneficiaries" can unlock the funding after submitting a request to Social Security.

Insurances

At the time of a loved one's death, it is advisable to contact the insurance company they were affiliated with to check for a possible funeral insurance policy. If this is the case, the insurance company is required to provide financial assistance based on the monthly premium paid by the deceased during their lifetime. With some insurers, it is even possible to use third-party payments. The family does not pay any fees, as the insurance company takes care of the full financing of the funeral ceremonies and services.

Health Insurances

Executives have supplementary health insurance in addition to Social Security. At the time of signing the contract, the deceased had designated the beneficiaries of the supplementary health insurance during their lifetime. If not, the sum goes to the direct heirs according to the order of succession. In addition to a monthly pension paid to the beneficiaries, the family also receives financial support for funeral expenses. As a general rule, the amount of this supplementary benefit is equivalent to three times the capital paid by Social Security.

Funeral Insurance Plans

Some people, during their lifetime, have taken out funeral insurance. If this is the case, the family benefits from full assistance with all funeral and burial expenses, up to and including the reception.

Banks

If Social Security assistance takes time, the deceased's spouse or children can request access to their deposit and savings accounts to finance the funeral. Upon presentation of the documents mentioned at the beginning of this article, the bank may grant access to the deceased's capital under certain conditions.

On the other hand, some bank accounts come with death insurance. If this is the case, the beneficiary is determined at the time of the account's creation, and the entire insurance amount is paid to them upon the account holder's death.

Local authorities

If the family is unable to pay for the funeral of a deceased person who has no insurance, the municipality takes care of the expenses. The municipality selects a funeral home that will perform the funeral free of charge and will allocate a plot in the communal cemetery. The family will have five years to purchase this plot. If they fail to do so, the body will be placed in the ossuary.

Special cases for financial assistance

Death of a disabled person

Only families of a disabled person receiving an invalidity pension from Social Security can obtain assistance for funeral expenses. As with retirees, the amount of funding depends on the deceased's affiliation scheme.

Death of an unemployed person

In order for the family to be eligible for financial assistance, the deceased must have been an unemployed person receiving benefits. If the benefit period had ended, the capital is no longer available. The capital paid is equivalent to the amount that would have been received if the deceased had been employed.

Inheritance

Descendants can also be reimbursed for funeral expenses through the inheritance left by the deceased. Since the inheritance process usually takes longer than the funeral arrangements, it will be necessary to advance the funds and then be reimbursed.

Funeral expenses will not be counted in the inheritance and will therefore not be subject to tax.

Can one request financial assistance when they have no family relationship with the deceased?

It is not uncommon for the deceased's family members not to participate in the funeral. In this case, any other person close to the deceased can take care of the funeral arrangements. However, the process of obtaining financial assistance becomes much more complicated.