Based in Paris. Service available in Spanish.
When a relative passes away after having lived, worked or owned assets in France, there may be funds still to be claimed: a life insurance policy taken out during those years, an inheritance involving French assets or bank accounts, or both. Insurers and the French administration do not make the process difficult intentionally, but they require extensive documentation to verify that claimants are the rightful heirs.
The involvement of a lawyer admitted to the bar in France simplifies the entire process: it gives institutions legal assurance that the claim is legitimate, organizes the documentation and manages the deadlines. At WD & Associés we support Spanish-speaking heirs in recovering French inheritances and life insurance benefits, providing full support in Spanish from Paris.
The process can be handled entirely remotely from Spain or Latin America“The involvement of a lawyer admitted to the bar in France speeds up the process and protects heirs throughout the proceedings.”
Our service covers every aspect of recovering inheritances and life insurance benefits in France, from identifying the assets through to the actual transfer of funds:
Identification of policies through the AGIRA service, handling of documentation with the insurer, and follow-up through to actual collection. Even if the insurance contract has not been kept.
Inventory of assets located in France, filing of the inheritance tax return with the French tax authorities, and coordination with the local notary for distribution in accordance with the law.
Direct communication with insurers, banks, notaries and the French tax authorities on behalf of the heirs. No need to travel to France.
We also advise on how to obtain documents that are not readily available (apostilled death certificates, proof of kinship, asset inventories) and we handle the powers of attorney required to act on behalf of heirs before French institutions.
Initial consultation
We review the case: type of asset (insurance policy, inheritance, bank account), number of heirs and available documentation. We present a tailored proposal.
Gathering documentation
We identify and obtain the necessary documentation: death certificates, proof of kinship, asset inventories and powers of attorney.
Dealing with institutions
Direct communication with insurers, banks, notaries and the French tax authorities. Monitoring of deadlines and responses to requests for additional documentation.
Inheritance tax return
Filing of the inheritance tax return with the French tax authorities where applicable, together with a review of the tax implications of the recovery.
Collection and transfer
Coordination of payment and support until the funds are available to the heirs. Handled entirely remotely.
French institutions are legally required to verify the legitimacy of claimants before releasing any payment. Without a local contact familiar with the system, the process can be significantly prolonged. The three main reasons:
Language and bureaucracy. Forms, notarial deeds and communications with the French administration are in French and require very specific information. A misinterpretation can delay the process by weeks or months.
Documentation requirements. Apostilled certificates, proof of kinship, asset inventories and powers of attorney are all required. Gathering these documents from abroad in the formats required by the French system is difficult without a local contact.
Proof of legitimacy. Insurers and the administration are legally required to verify that claimants are indeed the rightful heirs. A lawyer admitted to the bar in France acts as a guarantor of that legitimacy.
Winter Dávila & Associés handles direct communication with insurers and French bodies, gathers and organizes the documentation, and follows up until the funds are collected or transferred.
Recovering an inheritance or life insurance benefit in France from abroad requires a contact with a local presence and knowledge of the system. Our firm is based in Paris.
This means we know the insurers, the notaries, the tax authorities and the real timeframes of the French process. We do not work through intermediaries: we act directly with each institution.
And we do it in Spanish. For heirs in Spain or Latin America, having a lawyer who is fluent in both the French system and the language removes the main barrier in this type of proceedings.
From Paris, in Spanish