DELA life insurance

What DELA life insurance does

DELA Lebensversicherungen is the German branch (Zweigniederlassung Deutschland) of Dutch cooperative insurer DELA Natura- en levensverzekeringen N.V., founded in Eindhoven in 1937 as a burial association and active in Germany since 2018 with its branch office in Düsseldorf. The company is structured as a cooperative (Kooperative) comparable to a German Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit, meaning there are no shareholders and profits are returned to members via Mitgliederdividende (member dividends) and reduced premium increases. DELA's portfolio centers on two core insurance products: Sterbegeldversicherung ("sorgenfrei Leben"), a lifelong burial insurance policy with coverage between €3,000 and €20,000, and Risikolebensversicherung ("DELA aktiv Leben"), term life insurance providing up to €500,000 of coverage (€600,000 for real-estate financing) with a simplified six-question health underwriting flow and no medical examination in most cases.

The technical stack supporting these products is conventional insurance technology rather than a proprietary platform play. Online applications are processed through sum.cumo Sapiens, signed electronically via inSign, and identity-checked via Schufa. The company offers a differentiated digital services bundle beyond the insurance contract: legally-reviewed Vorsorgedokumente (patient directive, power of attorney, custody directive, and pet disposition), Wunschbestattung funeral packages through partner Deutsche Bestattungsfürsorge (€5,000-€10,000 with 20-year price-performance guarantee), the Ersthilfe-Programm pairing immediate insurance payout with psychological first-line support, free bereavement and emergency checklists, and a children's book series (Lynn) on grief. Swiss Re provides reinsurance capacity for risk transfer.

The revenue model is overwhelmingly subscription-based, with recurring monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual premiums on Sterbegeldversicherung and Risikolebensversicherung policies, supplemented by transaction-fee revenue from Wunschbestattung funeral packages. Distribution is hybrid: direct online self-service via dela.de, a Vertriebspartner sales agent network with a dedicated partner portal, an inside-sales phone line, and a referral program via Tellja GmbH paying up to €45 per successful conversion. Pricing varies by age, health, nicotine status (non-smoker defined as 12+ months nicotine-free), coverage amount, payment frequency, and policy duration, with monthly billing carrying an approximately 3% surcharge versus annual. Premiums are guaranteed for the policy term. DELA targets the broad German consumer market of individuals and families needing funeral cost protection (average German funeral cost €6,000-€8,000) and income replacement, with a deliberate positioning around cooperative values, transparency, and simplified underwriting. The DELA Group serves 5.6M+ insured customers across the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany with 3,900+ employees.

Name

DELA life insurance

Legal name

DELA Natura- en levensverzekeringen N.V.

Website

https://dela.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1937

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Dutch-founded cooperative insurer (est. 1937) offering burial and term life insurance to 5.6M+ members across the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany, operating without shareholders and reinvesting profits in members through dividends.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Life Insurance

NAICS

Direct Life Insurance Carriers (524113), Direct Life, Health, and Medical Insurance Carriers (52411)

SIC

Life Insurance (6311), Insurance Carriers, Nec (6399)

akta.pro primary industry

Final Expense / Burial Life Insurance (FSAIABAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Final Expense Term Life Insurance (FSAIAAAI), Bereavement & Grief Support Services (Family Aftercare) (HSABAFAI)

Keywords

• Burial insurance
• Term life insurance
• Bereavement provision
• Funeral cost coverage
• Advance care documents

Headquarters

HQ city

Düsseldorf

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Funeral Insurance Premiums (Sterbegeldversicherung): Recurring premium payments for funeral insurance coverage. Premiums can be paid monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or annually. Duration options include single payment, until age 65, 75, 85, or lifetime. Coverage sums range from 3,000 EUR to 20,000 EUR.
2. Term Life Insurance Premiums (Risikolebensversicherung): Recurring premium payments for term life insurance with coverage sums typically based on 3-5 times annual gross income. Premiums calculated based on age, policy duration, occupation, hobbies, health factors including nicotine use, and coverage amount.
3. Wunschbestattung Service: Partner services through Deutsche Bestattungsfürsorge offering funeral planning packages ranging from 5,000 EUR basic to 10,000 EUR premium, providing 20-year price-performance guarantee.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

DELA sells funeral insurance (Sterbegeldversicherung) and term life insurance (Risikolebensversicherung) directly to consumers in Germany, with coverage of EUR 3,000-20,000 for funeral costs and up to EUR 500,000 (EUR 600,000 for real estate financing) for term life. The offering is rounded out with legally reviewed advance care documents (Familienschutz), custom funeral planning via Deutsche Bestattungsfürsorge, and an Ersthilfe-Programm providing psychological first-line support to bereaved families.

Product overview

DELA is a burial and life insurance provider organized as a cooperative (Kooperative), offering two core insurance products: Sterbegeldversicherung (burial insurance under the "sorgenfrei Leben" brand) and Risikolebensversicherung (term life insurance under "DELA aktiv Leben"). The portfolio includes complementary services such as Vorsorgedokumente (legally reviewed advance care documents including patient directive, care proxy, and pet disposition), Wunschbestattung (custom funeral planning via Deutsche Bestattungsfürsorge), the Ersthilfe-Programm (psychological support for bereaved), and various free checklists and children's books for death and grief education. All products emphasize transparency, flexible premiums, and comprehensive family protection without complex fine print.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DELA sorgenfrei Leben: Burial insurance product (Sterbegeldversicherung) with lifelong coverage and flexible premium payment options.
• DELA aktiv Leben
• Deutsche Bestattungsfürsorge

Products and services

• DELA Sterbegeldversicherung (sorgenfrei Leben) Burial insurance providing lifelong coverage with sums between EUR 3,000 and EUR 20,000 to cover funeral costs. Offered with or without health declaration (with 24-month waiting period). Includes free child insurance up to EUR 3,000 per child, international repatriation, and inflation protection. Starting from EUR 3.64 per month.
• DELA Risikolebensversicherung (DELA aktiv Leben) Term life insurance providing financial protection for families. Coverage up to EUR 500,000 (or EUR 600,000 for real estate financing) with only six simple health questions required for applicants under 46. Offers flexible contracts with optional increasing coverage and death benefit acceleration for terminal illness. Starting from EUR 2.65 per month.
• DELA Vorsorgedokumente (Familienschutz) Collection of legally reviewed advance care documents including patient directive, organ directive, care proxy, child custody directive, and pet disposition (Tierverfügung). Available digitally and free of charge to DELA customers.
• DELA Wunschbestattung Custom funeral planning service offered in partnership with Deutsche Bestattungsfürsorge. Provides four funeral packages ranging from EUR 5,000 (basic) to EUR 10,000 (premium), with a 20-year price-performance guarantee, including funeral organization, urn shipping, memorial services, and household liquidation.
• DELA Ersthilfe-Programm First-aid program providing immediate financial payout plus free psychological first-line support for bereaved families through certified psychologists, legal consultations, and personal contacts. Includes organizational support with documents and checklists.

Quantifiable outcome

• Average funeral costs in Germany: 6,000-8,000 EUR with 3.1% annual increase
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Deutsche BestattungsfürsorgecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership for Wunschbestattung (desired funeral) services. Deutsche Bestattungsfürsorge provides a nationwide network of certified funeral directors to implement customer funeral wishes. They offer four funeral packages ranging from 5,000 EUR basic to 10,000 EUR premium, with 20-year price-performance guarantee. Customers can convert their DELA funeral insurance capital into concrete funeral services.
• Tellja GmbHsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerTechnology partner for referral/marketing program. Tellja provides the platform infrastructure for DELA's recommendation program where customers can generate referral links and earn up to 45 EUR per successful recommendation. The partner portal allows referral tracking and status monitoring.
• Swiss Re Insurance Company LtdsupportingOthersReinsurance partner for risk transfer. Swiss Re receives policy data to assess risk exposures and may provide support for individual claims handling.
• Eye-Able (Web Inclusion GmbH)supportingTechnology or IntegrationAccessibility technology provider that helps DELA website comply with German accessibility laws (BFSG/BFSGV). Eye-Able provides translation solutions and accessibility features to make content accessible to users with different needs.
• sum.cumo Sapiens GmbHsupportingTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner hosting DELA's online application platform (Antragsstrecke). They provide the digital infrastructure for insurance applications and policy processing.
• inSign GmbHsupportingTechnology or IntegrationProvides electronic signature technology (inSign) for online insurance applications, enabling customers to digitally sign documents during the application process.
• Schufa Holding AGsupportingOthersIdentity verification partner. Schufa conducts identity checks during the application process to verify applicant identity and combat fraud.
• Personio GmbHsupportingOthersHR technology partner providing applicant tracking and human resources management software for DELA's recruitment processes.
• Mittwald CM Service GmbH & Co. KGsupportingTechnology or IntegrationWebsite hosting provider for DELA's German website (dela.de).
• Aeternitas e. V.supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner for burial cost studies. Aeternitas analyzed burial costs in Germany over 5 years, providing data that helps DELA communicate market context (3.1% price increase, 20%+ over 5 years).
• BMO Global Asset ManagementsupportingOthersInvestment management support partner. BMO supports DELA's active voting rights exercise at shareholder meetings and engagement activities for responsible investment.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Allianz Leben: Largest life insurer in Germany and the dominant incumbent in term life and broader protection products. Comparable as a direct life insurance carrier with similar core products (term life, end-of-life protection) but vastly larger scale, broader portfolio, and shareholder-owned governance.
• HUK-COBURG Lebensversicherung: Large mutual insurer offering life and other protection products with strong direct and online distribution in Germany. Comparable on member-owned governance and life-insurance focus, but broader product portfolio and stronger German brand recognition than DELA.
• Generali Deutschland Lebensversicherung: German arm of Generali Group offering life insurance alongside P&C and health products. Comparable in life and term life coverage, broader portfolio, and significant German market presence, but shareholder-owned and far larger.
• Zurich Gruppe Deutschland: German subsidiary of Zurich Insurance Group offering life and other protection lines. Comparable in life insurance and group benefits, with broader international backing but shareholder-owned and multi-line rather than cooperative.

Direct peers

• Debeka Lebensversicherung: Germany's largest mutual-style insurance group (Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit) with a strong life insurance and burial-pre-need franchise. Most structurally comparable to DELA given its member-owned model, focus on life products, and similar target demographic of cautious, value-driven German households.
• LV 1871: Munich-based mutual life insurer with a long German heritage, specializing in term life and biometrical products. Closely comparable to DELA's Risikolebensversicherung offering, similar mutual governance, and similar focus on simplified online underwriting.
• Hannoversche Lebensversicherung: Direct-to-consumer German life insurer known for straightforward term life products and a strong digital channel. Highly comparable to DELA's online distribution and simplified term life offering, though without the funeral insurance specialization or cooperative structure.
• Cosmos Lebensversicherung: Direct insurer within the Generali group specializing in online life insurance and Sterbegeldversicherung. Closest direct competitor in the German funeral insurance niche with similar digital-first positioning, but part of a larger corporate parent rather than cooperative.
• Volkswohl Bund Lebensversicherung: Dortmund-based mutual life insurer with member-owned structure and a focus on term life and biometric products. Closely comparable to DELA on mutual governance, life-product focus, and German mid-market customer base.

Regional players

• Delta Lloyd / NN Group: Dutch-headquartered insurance group (NN Group) with life and pension products in the Netherlands and Belgium, historically overlapping with DELA's home markets. Comparable on life insurance carrier model and Benelux footprint, though serving a different geographic cluster than DELA's German operation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DELADeutschland
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCpoVnoN2CRB5E-FVF_uxctQ/featured?disable_polymer=1
• Facebookfacebook.com/DelaVersicherung
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dela-lebensversicherungen
• Instagraminstagram.com/delalebensversicherungen

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about DELA life insurance