What happens to an employee's pension assets after his or her death?

What happens to the pension assets after the death of an employee depends on the marital status or any partnership of the deceased. Regardless of any partner's pension, children are entitled to an orphan's pension under certain conditions.

The benefits paid out differ depending on the type of death (accident or illness) and are set out in your company's retirement provision strategy.

Marriage/registered partnership
If the deceased was married or lived in a registered partnership, surviving dependents have a claim to a partner's pension. If the person dies before retirement, there is also a claim to a lump-sum death benefit.

Domestic partner
Domestic partners who have lived in a joint household for at least five years are also entitled to a pension. In the case of separate dwellings, the claim to a partner's pension is examined individually. If there is no pension entitlement, insured persons can make their domestic partners beneficiaries for the lump-sum death benefit.

Those who live alone
In the case of single persons, the pension assets are distributed in accordance with the BVG beneficiary regulation. However, you do have the option to change the legal order. In addition to persons who have received significant support, children who no longer require support, parents, siblings or other legal heirs may also be taken into account. It is not possible to transfer one's own pension assets to other persons such as ex-partners/colleagues or foundations.