DKV Protección Familiar — funeral insurance with repatriation to the home country

What this policy is

DKV Protección Familiar is lifelong funeral insurance. It covers not just the cost but the whole arrangement: the funeral service, the paperwork and the administrative and legal formalities. The family has neither to find the money nor to deal with the documents.

Repatriation of foreign residents in Spain is part of the basic cover, at no extra cost. That is precisely why our clients take this policy. There is one exception: it is not available under the single-premium option.

DKV arranges and pays for transporting the body from the place of death in Spain to the international airport nearest the place of burial in the country of origin, including all formalities, preparation and the coffin. One companion is entitled to a return ticket — economy flight or first-class rail. Insured people with dual nationality have a specific capital sum for this cover.

What the basic cover includes

Funeral service — following the customs of the town where you live, in the form you choose.

Regulating capital — covers the gap if the service finally provided costs more than the one contracted. You choose 5%, 10%, 15% or 20% of the capital.

Transfer and free choice of cemetery — preparation and transport to any town in Spain.

Repatriation — as described above.

Family assistance — a dedicated case manager guides the family through the entire process: arranging the service, administrative steps and official documents.

Bereavement support — psychological help by phone for a year, or up to three face-to-face sessions.

Psychological support in palliative care — a free 24-hour specialist line for the insured and their relatives, up to five face-to-face sessions and further ones at special rates.

Legal assistance — telephone advice from a lawyer on inheritance matters and on any private issue.

Free online will — drawn up with legal advice, including the notary fees and one amendment a year.

Payment protection — if you lose your job, become temporarily unfit for work or are hospitalised, DKV pays your premiums: one monthly instalment for every 30 consecutive days, up to six instalments a year with a €3,000 limit. In hospitalisation the first payment comes after the seventh day.

Digital legacy management — closing email accounts, removing or memorialising social media profiles, taking down blogs and websites, deleting files in the cloud.

Basic worldwide assistance — trips of up to 90 days. Emergency medical expenses abroad up to €18,000, emergency dental care up to €500, extended hotel stay after hospitalisation up to €150 a day and €1,500 in total, the same for a relative’s accommodation, medicine delivery, remote medical consultation, early return on the death of a relative, and repatriation in the event of death abroad including the companion’s costs.

What can be added

Serviplus package: 24-hour medical chat, a dental package with 47 free treatments and an annual cleaning, access to the DKV Club with medical helplines and discounts, and reimbursement for serious dental trauma of up to €6,000 where more than three teeth are affected.

Exceptional expenses benefit — travel and accommodation for those who have to accompany or care for a relative.

Complementary worldwide assistance — extends repatriation cover for long stays abroad, and is also available to Spanish expatriates whose insured relatives live in Spain.

Hospitalisation — a daily benefit for hospital admission through illness, surgery or accident, up to 365 days.

Accident cover — a capital sum between €1,000 and €60,000 on death or permanent disability.

Protección Familiar Plus extension

Senior assistance — telecare and home care for people confined to bed for more than seven days.

Junior assistance — teaching support at home or in hospital for children aged 6 to 16 who cannot attend school.

Family legal protection — damage claims and legal defence in private and family matters, up to €2,000 in costs, with advice on a living will.

Complete pet assistance — round-the-clock advice on dogs and cats, preferential terms, and handling a pet’s death with cover up to €250.

Four premium options

Mixed premium — renewed annually, the rate follows the insured person’s age from 0 to 70. From 71 it becomes level.

Semi-natural premium — adjusted every five years. Between 67 and 71 it turns into a level premium.

Level premium — set from the outset by age at inception and held stable, with revaluation of premiums and capital sums.

Single premium — for people over 70, paid once at inception. Note: this option has neither repatriation nor payment protection.

Who it is for

For foreigners living in Spain, because of repatriation. For families on middle or lower incomes. For people living alone who do not want to leave the burden to distant relatives. The usual age at inception is 25 to 65. For children under 6 the policy is free.

DKV puts the associated costs of a death — transfer complications, legal and inheritance matters — at an average of €4,500, and that is before the transfer itself.