Reporting someone's death goes beyond reporting death from a crime or natural cause to the police. The incident must be made known to the State, private institutions and banks to stop all the accounts and open positions of the deceased before proceeding with the phase of dividing the inheritance among the entitled parties. Follow the instructions here to get an idea of how to act; remember that funeral homes often offer such a service.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: To the police
Step 1. In the event of a violent or unnatural death, it is important to notify the police
Call 112 and notify the police. Give them the exact address; if you don't have access to a phone, go to the nearest store and ask someone to call 112.
Step 2. Avoid touching any objects around your body unless you are trying to perform some resuscitation procedure
Step 3. Wait for the police to arrive
There will probably also be an ambulance.
Step 4. Identify the body at the police station or immediately at the place of death if necessary
Contact a funeral home. You will need the death certificate to proceed with all the paperwork related to the death.
- A doctor must fill out the death certificate stating the cause. You can call your doctor (in case of natural death or from illness) or the emergency medical service during the hours of availability.
- The funeral home will help you with all of these procedures.
- The time required to obtain the certificate varies according to the circumstances in which the death occurred. If investigations and an autopsy are necessary, the times could be extended. In this case, contact the police for all the necessary information.
Step 5. Choose the funeral home
They will help you with all the preparations and paperwork.
Method 2 of 3: To the City
Step 1. If you are abroad contact your embassy
Try to get the passport number and social security number of the deceased, as well as any information about the circumstances that occurred. You may need to go to the embassy in person.
Step 2. Go to the registry office of your municipality
With the death certificate issued by the doctor, report the person's death.
The Municipality, in turn, will issue you a certificate certifying the cancellation of the deceased from public registers as a living person
Step 3. Contact the barracks / ward if the deceased was a military man
Step 4. Report the death to the immigration office of the police headquarters, if the person was not an Italian citizen
Method 3 of 3: To Private Entities
Step 1. Immediately call the personnel department of the company where the deceased worked
You need to speak to someone from HR or another manager. If the person was in receipt of a pension, contact INPS or the relevant pension institution.
Step 2. Find the documents related to life insurance, if the person had one
Contact the insurance company and report the death. You will need to fax or otherwise fax the death certificate to initiate the refund process.
Step 3. Call the bank where the deceased had their checking account
You may need to go to the counter in person, present the certificate and fill out a form.
Step 4. Go to other finance companies
It may be necessary to contact several institutions if the deceased had outstanding loans, private pensions, so that he can honor the payments and change the headings of the accounts.
Step 5. Write to Experian and any other credit companies that the person was a customer of so they can close their accounts
Write a formal letter and attach a copy of the death certificate.
- Unless otherwise stated in the contract with the insurance / credit company, write a registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt.
- Keep all receipts and a copy of any letters you sent.
- Solicits a response from the credit / insurance agencies within the time limits set by law.
