The Deutsche Sterbekcasse Verein was an inner organization which maintained a burial fund to help with the funeral costs of a deceased member.  The fund operated on a cooperative basis and disbursed a death benefit to a member at the time of death.

Burial funds such as this one also existed in Germany and were operated as lateral branches of approximately ten large German Institutes for Life Insurance.  Most however were smaller private associations, in which the participation was either only of a certain number of persons or of a certain number of members.  They still exist and operate in Germany today.

Many however became inefficient and without sufficient increases in  premiums and without correct calculation of the premium reserves were disbanded as it is thought this verein did.