If your former spouse died as a result of an insured event, for example an accident at work, you may receive a pension. The same applies to registered civil partnerships. An insured person is entitled to a pension if he or she provided maintenance to former spouses or former registered civil partners during the last year before the death or if there was a corresponding claim to maintenance.
You must submit an application to this effect to the relevant employers' liability insurance association or accident insurance fund.
The pension is 30 percent of the deceased person's annual income. Monthly payments begin 3 months after the death. You will receive the pension for a maximum of 21 months.
You will receive the pension equal to 40 percent of the deceased person's annual income if you:
- Are raising a child,
- are older than 47 years of age, or
- are incapacitated, unable to work or unable to work within the meaning of the statutory pension insurance.
It may be that other persons are entitled to the pension in addition to you, for example, if the deceased person was married and divorced several times. In such a case, the pension is divided according to the duration of the marriage or civil partnership with the deceased person.
If you have an income, the pension is reduced.