Take care of your family’s finances if something happens to you
Important things to remember
- How do you and your family get financial security?
- Checking your cover is easy - you can do it here
How are you covered if you become ill?
You can have various insurance that will help if you become ill.
Loss of ability to work insurance ensures that money goes into your account every month if you have lost income because you are too ill to work for a period of more than three months. How much money goes in depends on the cover you have chosen and the associated terms and conditions.
In order to receive payouts, your ability to work must be reduced by at least half or two thirds (depending on your cover).
Critical illness insurance pays out a lump sum if you suffer from a critical illness that meets the criteria for diagnosis in the insurance terms and conditions in force at any given time. Critical illness may include special forms of cancer, a cerebral hemorrhage or chronic kidney failure.
Health insurance ensures that you receive quick and effective treatment from specialists or in a private hospital. This can help shorten your period of illness.
Accident insurance pays out a lump sum if you are affected by an accident that leads to permanent disability. How much is paid out depends on how seriously you have been injured.
How is your family covered if you die prematurely?
If you have a pension scheme through your work, you will generally have death insurance. This ensures that your
your next of kinWho are your next of kin?
If your pension scheme was set up in 2008 or later, your next of kin are (in order):
- Spouse or civil partner
- Cohabiting partner who has either lived with you for two years or with whom you have children
- Heirs apparent, i.e. children, grandchildren, etc.
- Heirs under a will
- Other heirs
If your scheme was set up in 2007 or earlier, your cohabiting partner is not eligible. In other words, your children/heirs will receive payouts if you do not have a spouse/civil partner.
If you want people other than your next of kin to receive the money, you can add one or more special beneficiaries on your pension scheme.
You are always entitled to give preferential treatment to your (divorced) spouse, your issue (children, grandchildren, etc.), stepchildren and your cohabiting partner. You can include who you want to on certain types of insurance. You can set up beneficiaries by writing to AP Pension.
If you have included a named beneficiary, you can change your decision at a later date if you no longer think that the beneficiary should receive a payout. You can write to AP Pension in this case too.
receives financial security in the form of a lump sum if you die suddenly. If you have a children’s pension, your children will also receive a monthly payment until they reach adulthood.
Who will get your money on your death?
If you have pension savings and/or insurance that will be paid out on your death, it is generally your
your next of kinWho are your next of kin?
If your pension scheme was set up in 2008 or later, your next of kin are (in order):
- Spouse or civil partner
- Cohabiting partner who has either lived with you for two years or with whom you have children
- Heirs apparent, i.e. children, grandchildren, etc.
- Heirs under a will
- Other heirs
If your scheme was set up in 2007 or earlier, your cohabiting partner is not eligible. In other words, your children/heirs will receive payouts if you do not have a spouse/civil partner.
If you want people other than your next of kin to receive the money, you can add one or more special beneficiaries on your pension scheme.
You are always entitled to give preferential treatment to your (divorced) spouse, your issue (children, grandchildren, etc.), stepchildren and your cohabiting partner. You can include who you want to on certain types of insurance. You can set up beneficiaries by writing to AP Pension.
If you have included a named beneficiary, you can change your decision at a later date if you no longer think that the beneficiary should receive a payout. You can write to AP Pension in this case too.
who will receive payouts. If you want others to have the money, you must enter them as beneficiaries in your pension scheme. Contact us to do this.
Find out more about inheritance and beneficiariesRules on succession
According to the rules on succession, your estate will be distributed as follows if you have not made a will:
If you are married/have a civil partner but no children, your spouse/civil partner will inherit your entire estate.
If you are married/have a civil partner and children, your spouse/civil partner will inherit half your estate and your children will inherit the other half to be divided among them. If a child does not survive you, your child's children will inherit. Spouses with co-ownership have the right to remain in undivided property with joint children.
If you are unmarried/do not have a civil partner but have children, your children will inherit everything.
If you are unmarried/do not have a civil partner or children, your parents will inherit everything to be divided between them. If one or both parents are dead, their children inherit the deceased parent's share. If a sibling does not survive you, the siblings’ children (your nephews and nieces) will inherit.
If you want your estate to be distributed differently, you need to make a will.
Can cohabiting partners protect each other?
Yes, by:
- making an ordinary will or an extended joint will, allowing them to inherit as if they were spouses.
- being designated “Next of kin” if set up after January 1, 2008.
How do you use your insurance?
If you become ill, you must notify AP Pension yourself in order to receive payouts. If you die, AP Pension will be notified automatically and will then contact your next of kin. Find out more about how to use your insurance.
How do you view your insurance policies?
You can see your cover in the event of illness, accident or death by logging on to Min Pension (Danish content only). If you have the Mobil AP app on your phone, you can also see your cover here.