I propose to allow public access to certain data in the civil registry on a limited basis. Specifically, for information on whether a person is alive or dead.
The death of a loved one is undoubtedly one of the most stressful events in our lives. To put it mildly, it is frustrating that, at such times, we also have to think about where all we have to report that someone has died. That the bills will no longer be in their name, that they will no longer subscribe to the newspapers, that they will no longer be registered for the supplementary health insurance scheme, and there are many other things.
At the same time, opening up this information would be a legal commitment:
- all periodical publishers to check regularly (e.g. monthly) whether their subscribers are still alive
- all insurance companies to check monthly whether anyone who has taken out a life insurance policy with them has died and to notify the person named as beneficiary on the policy
- banks to check monthly whether any of their customers has died and, in the event of death, to report to the competent probate court any liabilities and/or claims of that deceased person
- the DURS to make a final 'accounting' in the event of death and to report the results to the competent court
There would probably be other cases where the possibility (and obligation) of such an insight would be useful for citizens.