Who to notify after a death
3 tasks in suggested order
1. Check which bodies are notified automatically – and which are not
After a death is reported, the civil registry office automatically notifies a number of public bodies. Other bodies must be notified by the surviving relatives themselves.
After the death has been reported; make your own notifications to bodies that are not informed automatically as soon as possible.
Bodies notified automatically include the statutory social insurance system, the Central Register of Residents/residence authority, passport authority, AMS and probate court. The official list shows which additional notifications you need to make yourself.
Death certificate/extract from the death register and any other evidence required by the respective body.
There are exceptions even within the same category: only the statutory insurance institutions grouped under the umbrella association are notified automatically; other insurers may need to be notified separately.
Official source: oesterreich.gv.at
2. Review contracts, insurance policies and memberships
Ongoing contracts do not all end automatically on death. Depending on the case, tenancies, bank accounts, insurance policies, subscriptions, memberships, the ORF contribution, energy, telephone and internet contracts must be terminated, transferred or changed.
Review them as soon as possible after the death; for insurance policies that provide a benefit on death, the official portal recommends notifying the insurance company without delay.
Contact the respective contractual partner, responsible company or institution.
Contract documents and the death certificate/extract from the death register; additional evidence may be required depending on the contract.
Before cancelling, check whether a contract can or should pass to heirs or other persons. Life insurance and other death-benefit insurance may be subject to special evidence and entitlement rules.
Official source: oesterreich.gv.at
3. Clarify the digital estate and online accounts
The digital estate includes online accounts, email, social networks, payment and media services, websites and digitally stored data. After the estate is transferred by the court, the heirs generally also succeed to rights and obligations created online.
Identify these after the death and deal with them step by step within the scope of your legal authority; arrange any necessary deletion, transfer or contract changes with the respective provider.
Contact the respective online service or provider; legal questions may also be relevant in the estate proceedings.
Prepare an overview of existing accounts/contracts and the evidence required by the provider. Use access credentials only where this is legally permissible and they are actually available.
Do not delete data or accounts on your own if they may be relevant to estate proceedings or to other entitled persons. Providers may require the death certificate and, where applicable, the court order transferring the estate (Einantwortungsbeschluss).
Official source: oesterreich.gv.at
