Who qualifies for the funeral aid
This is a one-time payment Romania gives the family when an insured worker or a retiree passes away. The full 9,192 RON RON goes to:
- Anyone actively contributing to Romanian social insurance at the time of death — salaried employee, freelancer with social contributions, etc.
- Anyone receiving a Romanian state pension — old-age, disability, or survivor pension
- The surviving spouse of a Romanian pensioner
The half amount — 4,596 RON
If the deceased was a dependent family member of a Romanian pensioner — a stay-at-home spouse who never paid into social insurance, or a minor child — the benefit is half: 4,596 RON.
This is separate from any pension the surviving spouse already draws. It doesn't reduce or replace it.
The exact 2026 number — and why it changes every year
9,192 RON RON applies from March 30, 2026, under Law 44/2026. The amount is set at 100% of Romania's average gross monthly salary, recalculated each year through the state social insurance budget law.
For a death between February 13 and March 29, 2026, the previous amount — 8,620 RON — applied. If the date falls in that window, verify with CNPP. Anything from March 30, 2026 onward: 9,192 RON RON.
File when the deceased was an employed or self-employed person
If the deceased was a salaried worker or an independent professional with social insurance contributions, the claim file must include:
- CNPP standard application — Annex 11 (available at all CNPP offices and cnpp.ro)
- Official death certificate — issued by the Civil Registry (we obtain this)
- Claimant's Romanian ID — whoever is signing on behalf of the family
- Employer certificate confirming insured status at the date of death, with contract number and insurance period
- Marriage or birth certificate proving the claimant's relationship to the deceased
- Bank account statement in the claimant's name (for direct transfer) or a declaration for postal mandate
- Assignment-of-rights proxy to the funeral home — one form, signed at first meeting (Option A only)
- Funeral home invoice — attached to file (required for Option B reimbursement)
File when the deceased was a retiree
For retirees, the process is nearly identical to the above — the employer certificate is replaced by the pension stub:
- CNPP standard application — Annex 11
- Official death certificate
- Claimant's Romanian ID
- Deceased's pension stub, or — if unavailable — a certificate from the pension house showing the pension file number
- Marriage or birth certificate proving relationship
- Bank account statement or declaration for postal mandate
- Assignment-of-rights proxy (Option A)
File when the deceased was an uninsured family member
When the deceased was a dependent of a living Romanian pensioner — a stay-at-home spouse, a minor child, a parent in the pensioner's household — the benefit is 4,596 RON and the file is different:
- CNPP application — the same Annex 11 form as for an insured person's death (what changes is the supporting paperwork)
- Official death certificate of the dependent who passed away
- The living pensioner's Romanian ID — the pensioner, not a third party, is the claimant
- Proof that the deceased was in the pensioner's care: marriage certificate, birth certificate, or custody document
- The living pensioner's pension stub
- Bank account statement or postal mandate declaration
- Assignment-of-rights proxy signed by the pensioner (Option A)
Two ways to claim it
Option A — Sign it over to us. At our first meeting you sign a one-page assignment of rights. We file the claim with CNPP in your name, CNPP transfers the 9,192 RON RON to our account within 3 business days, we deduct it from your invoice. For our Essential and Traditional packages, the family pays zero out of pocket.
Option B — You pay us first, then claim reimbursement. You pay our invoice in full, then submit the claim to CNPP yourself with the invoice attached. CNPP pays 9,192 RON RON to your bank account in 3 business days. This makes sense only for Premium packages — where the funeral costs more than 9,192 RON RON and you want the aid as a partial refund.
Mistakes that delay payment
Around 15–20% of CNPP claims come back with a request for additional documents. The most common causes:
- The employer certificate doesn't specify insured status at the exact date of death — it must state the contract was active on that date, not just show a general employment period
- A bank statement is submitted instead of the pension stub — CNPP only accepts the original pension slip or a certificate from the pension house
- Wrong form used — for individuals, Annex 11 is the application in BOTH cases (death of the insured/pensioner or of a family member); Annexes 12a/12b are employer (legal-entity) forms
- The bank account in the file belongs to a different person than the claimant — CNPP pays only the person who signed the application
- Death certificate is an uncertified photocopy — bring the original or a notarised copy
Edge cases worth knowing
- Died abroad — the same 9,192 RON RON applies, claimed once repatriated to Romania. Attach the repatriation invoice to the file.
- Pension from another EU country — that country's funeral benefit applies. You can't claim both for the same person from two countries.
- Was never insured and never a pensioner — no Romanian funeral aid. The only exception: uninsured dependents of a living pensioner get the half amount, 4,596 RON.
- Multiple relatives could claim — only one file, one payment. The family decides who files; CNPP pays once.
What 'assignment of rights' actually means
A legal mechanism under the Romanian Civil Code: you transfer to us your right to receive a specific payment from CNPP, in exchange for the funeral services we deliver. One form, one signature, no notary needed.
At our first meeting, you sign the assignment form. We compile your documents — death certificate, pension stub or employer certificate, your ID, the marriage or birth certificate — and submit everything to the county CNPP office. CNPP runs its checks, approves, and transfers 9,192 RON RON to our account in 2–3 business days.
Why families use this: zero out-of-pocket. We handle every queue and form. You don't need to visit any office.
