PROCEDURES ON DEATH IN SPAIN

1.  DEATH AT HOME 2.  DEATH IN HOSPITAL 3.  DEATH WITHOUT A WILL 4.  LIASING WITH THE TANATORIO 5.  LIST OF ORGANISATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS TO BE CONTACTED 6.  OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Download these in Instructions as an MS Word document

1.  DEATH AT HOME

If the deceased has been treated recently by a Doctor ie within the last 4 weeks then contact him and advise of the death.

The Doctor will attend and issue a death certificate and arrange with the Tanatorio to collect the Deceased.  Unless the body has been left to science, and documents have been obtained from the university of Alicante.

If the deceased has not been treated by a Doctor recently, then contact the local police and advise of the death giving details of name and address of deceased.

Have passport and Residencia of the Deceased available as means of identification for the authorities, and the names of the next of kin.

The Doctor or Police will contact the Tanatorio, who will come to collect the Deceased.  Whilst waiting for the Tanatorio to attend ensure that rings, or necklaces have been removed from the deceased.  On arrival the staff of the Tanatorio will need to know if a burial or cremation is required, or if the deceased has left their body to science.

Immediately telephone any relatives who may wish to attend a service of remembrance as of course they will have to make arrangements at work and organize travel.

Contact a local minister to officiate at a service, if one is to be held.

If a death insurance is in existence then contact the paying office to inform them of the death. Payment may be made direct to the Tanatorio.

2.  DEATH IN HOSPITAL

If the death occurs whilst hospitalized and you are not present, you may be notified by telephone from the hospital or the Guardia Civil.

Contact the funeral director of SAMPER LA INMACULADA. TEL 96 6701818, if you want the funeral arrangements to be in Torrevieja.  Those who die in the Vega Baja Hospital often have funeral arrangements made at the Tanatorio in Orihuela, which is very close to the hospital.  In these cases arrangements must be made with that Tanatorio. (see part 4 )

Give instructions to remove the body of the deceased from the hospital and have it taken to the Tanatorio.  Ensure any documents that were with the deceased in hospital are returned to the Tanatorio ie passport, Residencia, Driving licence etc.

They should be collected from the Tanatorio.

Visit the Tanatorio within 24 hours to make funeral arrangements with the Director.

If the deceased was hospitalized in Alicante General Hospital or San Juan, or San Vincente Hospitals, then the funeral Director at the Tanatorio in Torrevieja could, on your instruction, have the body cremated in Alicante.  This arrangement is less costly and does not require the presence of relatives. The ashes will then be returned to Torrevieja and held until the arranged Rememberance service at the Tanatorio.

There is no crematorium in Torrevieja.  The nearest is located at San Pedro.  Should you wish the deceased to be buried in the local cemetery in Torrevieja, then the Funeral Director will make these arrangements which are less costly.

3.  DEATH WITHOUT MAKING A SPANISH WILL

Grant of probate from the Probate Office in the UK is needed to prove who has the right to inherit. It then should be translated into Spanish by an official translator, and must have the Hague Convention Apostille attached.

To seek Public Deed of Inheritance the Spanish solicitor must obtain the following:-

1.    GRANT OF PROBATE FROM THE UK

2.    DEATH CERTIFICATE FOR SUBMISSION TO THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE TO VERIFY IF A WILL WAS EVER REGISTERED WITH THEM.

3.    A CERTIFICATE FROM THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE WHICH CERTIFIES IF A WILL EXISTS.

4.    TITLE DEEDS OF THE HOUSE AND OTHER PROPERTY IN SPAIN

5.        A CERTIFICATE FROM EACH BANK WHERE ACCOUNTS EXIST, STATING THE DETAILS AND BALANCE OF EACH.

4.  LIASING WITH THE TANATORIO

It will be necessary to attend the Tanatorio as soon as possible, ie the next day, in order to make arrangements for either a burial or cremation and this is done by filling out a simple form of contract. Arrange details of the service, if one is required.  Specify the minister, ie RC, Protestant, Evangelical or other.  Flowers if required can be ordered for the service.  Any special requests should be discussed such as a particular piece of music to be played or facilities to view the coffin open prior to the service itself.

Have the following documents or information ready when you attend:-

Passport or Residencia

Particulars of Insurance Company if applicable.

Names of Parents of Deceased

Cremation or Burial required.  In the case of an internment in the Torrevieja Cementary no plaque is available now from the Tanatorio.  This must be arranged privately by the Family.  The cemetery can advise on suitable masons or marbolistas, in the area who will undertake to make, inscribe and install a plaque.

The cost of the Burial includes the deeds to the niche, valued for 50 years

Whether a service of rememberance is required at the Tanatorio.(it can be held elsewhere of course )

Arrange dates and times.

Whether you require flowers.  Floral tributes arranged by the Tanatorio eg wreaths, boquets, sprays have the donors name on a large ribbon.  Any personal messages should be on a card placed by the donar just prior to the service.

Having agreed all the Arrangements, ask for a total cost.  Arrange to have a full breakdown of the bill and ascertain when payment is required.  A deposit may be required.  If there is a funeral policy, advise the insurers immediately as payment may be made direct to the Tanatorio.

The Director at the Tanatorio will supply the Death Certificate.  At this time ask for at least 5 copies of the death certificate for the DSS in the UK, the insurance company and other interested parties ie Banks in Spain and UK.  Advise the British Consul and send the Passport to them.  They will also advise the Townhall.

You will be presented with an invoice.  The costs at present are :

Approximately 2000€ to 3000€ but may be less depending on choices available (Feb 2008)

5.  LIST OF ORGANISATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS TO BE CONTACTED

British Consul                                                DVLC re driving licence from uk

Death Insurance Company                          Traffico re driving licence in Spain

Department of Social Security                    Banks and Credit cards

Town Hall re Padron de Habitantes            Investments

Private Pension scheme                              Clubs and Societies

6.  OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION

It cannot be stressed enough the importance of making a Spanish will.  This is in order to simplify the sorting out of affairs, following death.

It is also much simpler to be insured for funeral costs as these are rising all the time.  One call to the insurance company should ensure immediate payment of all expenses, thereby alleviating the additional worry of raising funds at short notice.

Inheritance Tax is payable even if bank accounts are in joint names.  Half of the account will be frozen when the bank is notified of the death by the next of kin.  Before advising the Bank about the death, open a new account, at a different bank, in the surviving spouse’s name using money from the existing joint account.  Leave sufficient funds in the joint account to cover immediate standing orders and then arrange for cash transfer from your new account each month to cover future standing orders.  Make sure that pensions and any other income sources from the UK are advised to make payments transferred to the new account.

Inheritance tax is payable also on half the property even if in joint names.

It will be necessary in due coarse to sign new contracts with the central services, ie water, gas, electricity, telephone etc.  At this time you can arrange new standing orders with the bank.