What to do in case of decease ?

When a loved one dies, it is normal for us to be totally helpless and shocked by the news. We are never really prepared for this event and do not always know what to do in the early hours. This guide is intended to help you.

The death of a relative must be declared within two days to the civil registrar of the municipality where he or she has taken place.

Note that depending on the place of death, the steps or obligations may be different :

• if the death occurs at home: the nearest relatives (by joint order, children, spouses of children, other family members or any person who witnessed the death) are required to report it immediately by calling the family doctor.
• if the death occurs in a hospital, any medical facility or in a detention facility: the institution in question undertakes the first steps by informing the family and relatives and proceeds to the declaration of death.
• if the death occurs on public roads: the police, who will be called to the scene of the accident, is responsible for informing the family and relatives. The declaration of death is thus made by a doctor dispatched to the spot. The police are authorized to explain to you the steps to take and with which organization.
• if the death occurs abroad: it is the responsibility of the foreign authority to inform the Swiss representation in question who will forward the death certificate to the municipality of origin of the deceased person.

The death certificate can be obtained by contacting the Office of Civil Status where the death occurred.

In this act, will be mentioned the identity of the deceased as well as the date and place of his death. This extract of the register is very important because it can be asked by any body (public services, banks, insurance, …) asking for proof of death.

Funeral Services Cassar, through its 15 agencies located in the canton of Vaud, accompanies you in the preparation of the funeral.

Our team of professionals is at your disposal 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, we attach great importance to show a great personal availability towards families in mourning, to give them attention and quality listening and to privilege the human dimension of our activity. Our vast experience is very useful so that the steps as well as the administrative formalities are accomplished in agreement with your family.

We take care of all the formalities inherent in the death :

• intervention at the place of death, care of the deceased, mortuary toilet, clothing with personal effects or mortuary clothing
• administrative procedures with the different authorities
• according to the will of the deceased, we install it at his home or in a funeral room
• choice of burial: cremation or burial
• choice of ceremony: religious, secular, informal, intimacy or not
• place of the ceremony: parish, funeral center, other places …
• drafting and transmission of death notices
• floral arrangements for the funeral ceremony
• supply of the various funeral articles (coffin, urn, …)
• thank you cards
• organization, if necessary, of the transfer abroad

It is also important to inform any organization or person of your loved one’s death so that the contracts or withdrawals in progress are terminated. These organizations will ask for the death certificate to prove it.

Below you will find a detailed but non-exhaustive list of organizations to alert :

• the employer (if the person was still active)
• the AVS pension fund
• the landlord of the apartment
• the bank or banks
• the insurance company or companies (auto, household, life insurance, 3rd pillar, …)
• tax and cantonal administrations