Step zero: check whether they were insured after all
Before anything, verify the actual status. 'Uninsured' means: no employment contract, no pension, no unemployment benefit or sick pay at the date of death. Surprisingly often, the family discovers the deceased did count as insured — a small survivor's pension, an old part-time contract, an indemnity.
The check takes one phone call to the territorial pension house with the deceased's CNP (personal numeric code). We do it the day you call us — if the full allowance applies, the file goes down the standard route, with assignment, and the family advances nothing.
This matters double for diaspora families: a parent in Romania may have had a pension you didn't know about. Don't assume — check.
CNPP — the death allowance: conditions and beneficiariesRoute 1 — family member of an insured person: 4,596 RON
If the uninsured deceased was a family member of someone insured or retired, that person receives half the allowance — 4,596 RON in 2026. Typical cases: the stay-at-home spouse of a pensioner, a minor child, a student child up to 26 in the parent's care, a dependent parent of an insured adult child.
The file goes to the pension house of the supporting person (not the deceased): death certificate, proof of kinship and dependency, proof of funeral costs, the supporter's pension stub or insurance certificate.
Our Essential package can be fitted to this amount — tell us the situation on the first call and we calculate exactly what's covered.
Route 2 — city-hall funeral aid
For families with no insured supporter at all, social assistance law provides local aid. Two main forms: funeral aid for families receiving the minimum inclusion income (Law 196/2016), and emergency aid granted by local council decision for exceptional situations.
The request is filed at the city hall of the deceased's home town, at the social assistance directorate (in Bucharest — the sector DGASPC). The amount differs from one locality to another, because each local council sets it — from a few hundred to a few thousand RON, in cash or in kind.
Usual documents: standard request form, death certificate, the claimant's ID, proof of residence, proof of funeral costs (invoices, receipts), and where relevant, proof the family receives social assistance. Keep every receipt from the funeral.
Example procedure — DGASPC Sector 3, Bucharest: funeral aidRoute 3 — people with no next of kin
If the deceased has no family, or the family can't be found, the burial is arranged by the municipality where the death occurred, under Law 102/2014. The burial is done decently, in a public plot.
This often concerns elderly people living alone. If you're a neighbour, a friend, or a distant relative who learned of such a case — including from abroad — notify the city hall, or call us and we'll connect you with the responsible service.
Deadlines, and one golden rule
The pension-house allowance (including the 4,596 RON half) can be claimed within the general 3-year limitation period from the date of death. City-hall aid follows local deadlines — as a rule, file as close to the event as possible.
The golden rule on every route: keep every invoice and receipt connected to the funeral. All three procedures require proof of costs, and missing receipts are the most common reason files get rejected. We issue itemized invoices exactly for this purpose.
