Refund of unused health insurance contributions

Refund of unused health insurance payments after death

What can be reclaimed, and how do you apply with GKV and PKV?

After a person insured in Germany dies, their family or heirs often ask:
Can health insurance premiums that were paid in advance be refunded? And what happens to amounts that were not actually used?
Whether the deceased was insured under statutory health insurance (GKV) or private health insurance (PKV), the refund depends on the type of insurance, the time of death and the kind of payment made.

This article explains which items can be claimed and sets out the practical steps for submitting an application.

1. Can money be refunded from statutory health insurance (GKV)?

In the statutory system, there is no entitlement to a refund of the regular monthly premiums, even if the insured person hardly used any services.
GKV is based on the principle of solidarity, not on an individual account balance for each member.

However, after the insured person’s death, the following situations are important:

Situation	Legal position
Premiums were debited after the date of death	These can be reclaimed, because the insurance membership ends on the date of death.
Premiums were paid in advance (e.g. quarterly)	The unused portion for the period after death can be refunded.
Family insurance contributions were paid but coverage has ended	Heirs are entitled to request a review and a refund of any overpaid amounts, if applicable.

Claims are submitted on behalf of the heirs, and they must provide proof of death and the membership number.

2. What about private health insurance (PKV)?

With private health insurance (PKV), the rules are different and often more flexible. In many cases, it is possible to:

reclaim part of the premiums paid in advance after the insured person’s death,
especially if they paid several months or a full year upfront.

However:

The refund conditions vary from one insurer to another.
A formal written request must be submitted, usually including:
- the death certificate (Sterbeurkunde),
- proof of the relationship or heirship (such as a certificate of inheritance – Erbschein or a notarised power of attorney – Vollmacht).

Some PKV insurers also reimburse end-of-life care costs or expensive medical treatments that the family paid out of pocket if these costs were covered in principle but not yet settled before death.

3. What steps are required to request a refund?

For all cases, the following steps are recommended:

Write a formal letter to the health insurance company
Attach the death certificate (Sterbeurkunde)
Provide the membership number or a copy of the old insurance card
State the bank account details for the refund
In some cases, also attach:
- a certificate of inheritance (Erbschein), or
- a certified power of attorney (Vollmacht) for the person acting on behalf of the heirs

The request should be submitted within a reasonable period of time, preferably within six months of the death, to avoid losing rights due to administrative deadlines.

4. Are there other amounts that can be claimed?

Yes, among others:

Advance payments for medical services that were not used
Medicines or medical devices that were paid in cash but not yet reimbursed by the insurer
Premiums for supplementary insurance policies (e.g. dental insurance – Zahnzusatzversicherung) if the actual coverage never started

In such cases, it is necessary to submit original invoices and proof of payment.

5. Important practical notes

If premiums were paid monthly and the insured person died in the middle of the month, no part of that month is usually refunded, unless additional premiums were debited after the date of death.
So-called Beitragsrückerstattung (no-claims bonuses) can only be reclaimed after death if this is explicitly regulated in the contract.
Insurance companies normally pay refunds only to legal heirs or persons with a valid legal authorisation.

Conclusion

It is possible to reclaim health insurance payments that were debited after death or were not actually owed, both in GKV and PKV, provided that:

a death certificate is submitted,
a formal written request is made,
and the necessary legal documents (such as certificate of inheritance, power of attorney, bank details) are enclosed.

The refunded amount may not be very large, but it is still a legitimate financial entitlement that heirs should not simply ignore.

The editorial team of this website aims to provide accurate information based on thorough research and multiple sources. Nonetheless, errors or uncertainties may occur. Please treat the content as an initial point of reference and always consult the competent authorities or professional advisers for binding information.