Financing of transport
We help to obtain funding for the implementation of funeral services and the transportation of deceased persons. Transporting the body from abroad is a considerable expense. The cost depends on the distance across which the transport is carried out and on the means of transport. Bringing the body of a deceased individual from Slovakia, Germany or the Czech Republic costs PLN 3,500 to PLN 7,000 (approx.). From England, the cost ranges from PLN 6,500 to PLN 13,000 (approx.), and between PLN 8,000 and PLN 15,000 (approx.) from Italy. The cost of bringing back those we love from the United States depends on the region and the weight of the deceased. Bringing a body from Chicago, along with a fee for collection from the airport, costs around PLN 30,000and around PLN 24,000 from New York. The cost is always lower in the case of bringing an urn with ashes. In the case of bringing an urn from the US, it may be an expense of PLN 12-15,000. The most expensive service we provided was bringing the body of a deceased sailor working in Japan. The total cost reached almost PLN 100,000. Fortunately, the majority of this was covered by the insurer.
Before travelling abroad, it is worth taking out comprehensive insurance. It is also worth carefully checking the terms and conditions set out by the travel agency. Although, in theory, such a policy usually covers the cost of bringing the body to Poland, it also often contains certain conditions. For example, we cannot be sure of reimbursement if the deceased suffered from chronic diseases, took one’s own life or was under the influence of intoxicants. We strongly encourage you to scrutinize your insurance and check exactly what it covers.
Benefit from the Social Security Institution - ZUS
A funeral allowance paid by ZUS or KRUS is payable in the event of the death of an insured person or recipient of a disability pension or state pension. It is intended to cover the cost of bringing the body back to Poland and having the funeral here. The allowance is also available to persons who, at the time of their death, did not have settled rights to a pension or disability pension but met the conditions to obtain it, as well as the family member of each of the persons mentioned above. The allowance will also be paid to the organizers of the funeral of the deceased whose death occurred while receiving sickness benefit, rehabilitation benefits or maternity pay.
If the deceased person was receiving pre-retirement benefits or was on a state pension, he or she is entitled to a funeral grant of the same amount as a person fully insured. The same applies to family members of a person receiving pre-retirement benefits. However, in the event of the death of an unemployed person, you can apply for an allowance if the deceased was dependent on an insured person. In particular, the provisions regulate the payment of benefits for uniformed services.
A funeral grant is intended to cover the costs of the funeral so is therefore paid to the person who has covered the expenses. A social welfare home, district or municipality authority or representatives of a church or trade union are also entitled to receive an allowance if they have covered the cost of burial. If the expenses related to the funeral have been covered by several persons or institutions, then the reimbursement is due proportionally to each party.
There are occasions where a ‘lonely’ person dies and a distant friend or a neighbour deals with the funeral. In such a situation, the benefit shall be paid to that person on presentation of invoices proving the costs incurred. It should be remembered, however, that bills will only be covered up to the amount of expenses incurred, which cannot exceed the funeral grant currently available. Expenses exceeding the amount of the allowance are non- refundable.
At present, the funeral allowance amount is PLN 4,000and application for its payment must be submitted within one year from the date of death. If it is not possible to submit the application within 12 months due to subsequent finding of the body or to identify the deceased, this should be done within a year of the death certificate issuance. You should then present a certificate from the police or the prosecutor's office, or a complete copy of the death certificate showing the circumstances of the subsequent finding of the body.
OFE - Open Pension Funds
According to the law, in the event of the death of an OFE member, the funds accumulated on his/her account are subject to payment to persons designated or inheritance, and the payment does not involve any costs on the part of the entitled person. Many people do not realize that they are entitled to receive such funds or do not know how to get them. In order to meet the interests and expectations of such persons, pension companies take additional measures to inform entitled persons about their rights and the rules for withdrawing funds from the deceased member's account, including the possibility of obtaining funds accumulated on the sub-account of the deceased OFE member in ZUS. In accordance with the accepted good practice procedure, PTE, after obtaining information from ZUS about the death of an OFE member, will notify the entitled persons about the possibility of withdrawing funds. At the same time, PTE sends the necessary forms required to initiate the payment procedure and provides information regarding the necessity to present documents constituting the basis for its performance, in particular the death certificate of an OFE member. Irrespective of these procedures, the necessary information should also be available on the websites and helplines of individual OFEs.
Insurance policy
Every person who uses travel agencies purchases an insurance policy when choosing a trip. It is vital to choose the policy according to one’s health condition. Individuals suffering from various chronic diseases must take these into account. In the case of the death of a person close to us, we must check whether the deceased had purchased any insurance policy using a credit or debit card. Few people know that such policies also have insurance against the transport of a body from abroad. It is therefore necessary to ascertain whether the deceased person had purchased individual policies or was insured through their workplace.
Contact us: +48 22 831 00 36