Death cannot be predicted, even if it’s expected. If your loved one passed away at home, take some time and space to process the situation and take a deep breath. Sit down, have a drink, and if needed, call your closest ones. You don’t have to immediately contact a funeral service in this difficult moment; you can simply call emergency services, who will confirm the death. After that, you can say your goodbye in peace. When you’re ready, call a funeral service to arrange the transport.

A doctor, coroner, or police may recommend a funeral service to you. However, it is entirely up to you to decide which funeral service to choose. Your decision cannot be questioned or obligated by anyone.

Have you decided to turn to us? Then you can arrange an early or, conversely, a later arrival with us so that you have as much time as you need for the farewell. Before we arrive, you can wash and dress the deceased or wait for our assistance, or you can provide the clothing later, and we will take care of everything. We will clearly explain the next steps, even in the environment of your home.

If your loved one passed away in a hospital, nursing home, long-term care facility, or hospice, you will likely be informed of the death by the staff as soon as possible. They will also ask if you have already chosen a funeral service. They may already have a contract with a specific service that they will call to take care of the deceased. However, you are not obligated to continue using the chosen service.

If this situation arises, you can contact us, and we will arrange contact with the funeral service to take over your loved one, so you don’t have to worry about anything. This is a common practice, and you don’t have to be concerned about any changes. We will handle everything for you.

Contacting a funeral service is necessary within 96 hours of the death. It doesn’t mean that we have to immediately discuss the funeral; it simply lets you know that you can count on our services. You don’t have to visit us in person; a phone call or an online contact form is enough. If you choose a personal meeting, we will arrange it at the office that is most accessible to you.

What if you don’t meet the specified timeframe? In that case, the hospital or funeral service, according to the law, must contact the municipality to arrange a social funeral. However, if we are informed in time that you will take care of the funeral, we will only proceed according to your needs and preferences.

What documents to bring when arranging a funeral?

The following documents are necessary for arranging a funeral:

Your ID card

Certificate of examination of the deceased issued by a doctor or coroner

ID card and health insurance card of the deceased, if available

You can also bring clothing for the deceased (except shoes), but it can be provided later as well.

We will take care of everything that is possible, including communication with the authorities. If you provide us with the health insurance card, we will return it to the insurance company on your behalf. The documents you bring will be sent by registered mail to the registry office, which will issue the death certificate within 30 days and send it to the address you provide. With the death certificate, you can arrange the widow’s or widower’s pension and cancel any necessary services such as insurance, phone, SIPO, rent, and other contracts.

We will arrange the suspension of the pension if needed and notify the registry office to contact a notary. The notary will later send you a summons for probate proceedings. If you were receiving a care allowance, you need to contact the provider of the allowance within 8 days of the death. We will explain and provide guidance on all these procedures.

When arranging the funeral, we will create an obituary that matches your vision. We will then print as many copies as you need right away. It can be just one copy or several hundred copies, depending on your preference. We can also send the obituary to you by email in PDF format so you can distribute it electronically or have it printed yourself. We can take care of the printing; just give us a call or send an email, and we will send you the requested number of copies to your provided address or have them ready for pick-up at the office location you choose.

Would you like to create a unique and personalized obituary? We also offer the option of having a designer create the obituary. We will discuss the details together to ensure that you are satisfied with the result.

The registry office has 30 working days from receiving the information from the funeral service to send the death certificate. We will send all the necessary documents to the registry office as soon as possible. For further dealings with the authorities, the original death certificate will be sufficient, although a copy can be provided upon agreement.

Why do you need the death certificate? The document is required for processing the widow’s, widower’s, or orphan’s pension, canceling all arranged services such as insurance, phone, SIPO, rent, and other contracts (utilities, phone, etc.). You will also present the death certificate to the notary for probate proceedings.

You will receive a registered mail with a notice from the notary to attend the first round of notarial proceedings. So, you don’t have an obligation to pass on the information further. However, remember to keep the invoice for the funeral and proof of payment, which we will provide or you can download from your banking system if you choose to pay by invoice. The notary includes this amount in the calculation of the inheritance.

How long after the death will you receive the notice? It can be within weeks or even months. The court assigns the notary, and unfortunately, we cannot influence the speed of the court.

You can come to pick up the urn with the ashes after 3 weeks from the cremation or earlier by prior arrangement if desired. You can retrieve it from our office in Říčany or Prague-Uhříněves, depending on our agreement. If you prefer, we can also deliver the urn to your home at a time that suits you. After 3 days, you can also pick up the urn at the crematorium office; just present the confirmation we issue.

How long can you keep the urn with us? We can store the urn for you free of charge at one of our locations for up to 1 year; unfortunately, we cannot do so for a longer period due to legal limitations. We always monitor the storage duration, and if it approaches 1 year, we will contact you to arrange the handover.

If your loved one has passed away, you are entitled to time off work, which varies depending on the type of relationship. We can issue a certificate for your employer at our office or send it to you by email.

You are entitled to 2 days of leave in the case of the death of a spouse, partner, or child.

You are entitled to 1 day of leave in the case of the death of a parent, sibling (also parent or sibling of your spouse), spouse of your child, or sibling.

You are also entitled to leave of up to 1 day to attend a funeral in the case of the death of a grandparent, grandchild, grandparent or grandchild of your spouse, or a person with whom you lived in a household.

In all cases, you are also entitled to leave for the time necessary to arrange the funeral (if you are taking care of the arrangements), which can be up to 1 day.

Employees who attend the funeral of a colleague can also take leave if agreed upon with the employer.

The entitlement to funeral benefits now applies to those who need to arrange a funeral for an unprovided child or the unprovided parents of a child. The current amount of the benefit is 5000 CZK, and you can apply for it at the Labour Office.

A widow’s, widower’s, and orphan’s pension is arranged at the Czech Social Security Administration in your place of permanent residence. To set up the pension, you will need a death certificate, which will come from the registry office within 30 business days, a pension determination, and a marriage certificate. If you have difficulty getting around, you can give your relatives a power of attorney (even unverified) to help you arrange the pension.

The interests of survivors suffering harm from the state or an institution (such as a hospital or other health or care facility) are represented by the ombudsman, who is the public rights protector. For out-of-court settlement of consumer disputes, you can contact the Czech Trade Inspection.

As a reliable source, we recommend the website umirani.cz, founded by the domestic hospice Cesta domů (Path Home). The project is funded by grants and donations.

On the website, you can read about the experiences of healthcare professionals, social workers, or therapists. Other people who have found themselves in difficult life situations, such as being seriously ill, caring for a dying person, or experiencing the loss of a loved one, also share their stories here. While reading, you can find answers or solace you are looking for, and you can also express your support to these people. Alternatively, you have the opportunity to share your own story, which can be valuable and helpful to someone.

Talking about funerals is not very common in our country, and many of us are afraid to broach the topic in order not to evoke unpleasant feelings or concerns in our loved ones. However, discussing funerals should be natural and could be beneficial. By doing so, we can save those who will remain after us from uncertainty about how we envision our funeral.

How to start such communication? Sit calmly with someone you trust and discuss everything that is important to you. For example, where the funeral should take place, who should be invited, what music you prefer, and whether someone close should give a eulogy or express wishes. You can even write everything down and send it to someone close via email for greater peace of mind. You will have the assurance that your preferences will be considered, and your loved ones will have a foundation to rely on in the decisive moment.

If you don’t have anyone close with whom you can discuss these matters, websites like mojesmrt.cz can help. There, you can choose and record everything and send it to someone you trust. It is perfectly fine to make arrangements in advance. You and your loved ones will know that you will be taken care of exactly as you wish.

Yes, if you feel inclined, you can pre-arrange and choose your funeral in advance. You and your loved ones will have the assurance that you will be taken care of exactly as you envision. Contact us anytime, by phone, online, or in person, and together we will discuss the possibilities to ensure that you are prepared if it suits you better.

According to your preferences, we will select the funeral location, floral decorations, music, decide who should deliver a eulogy if desired, prepare obituary notices, and handle all other necessary matters.