Terminal Illness & End-of-Life Planning in Croatia: 5-Step Official Checklist

1. 1

   Coordinate Palliative Care (*Palijativna skrb*), Home Nursing, and HZZO Coverage

   In the Republic of Croatia, palliative care is organized as a public health service under the Healthcare Act (Zakon o zdravstvenoj zaštiti) overseen by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Croatia (Ministarstvo zdravstva) and is covered in full under compulsory health insurance administered by the Croatian Health Insurance Fund (Hrvatski zavod za zdravstveno osiguranje - HZZO) [1][2]:

   • Establishing palliative status (ICD-10 code Z51.5) and county coordinator registration: Ask the ill person's chosen family medicine doctor (izabrani liječnik obiteljske medicine) or hospital specialist to record the medical need for palliative care (diagnosis code MKB Z51.5) and refer the patient to the Centre for Coordination of Palliative Care (Centar za koordinaciju palijativne skrbi) at the county health centre (dom zdravlja) [1][2].
   • Mobile palliative teams (mobilni palijativni timovi) and home healthcare (zdravstvena njega u kući): Once registered with the county palliative coordinator, a multidisciplinary mobile palliative team (mobilni palijativni tim - MPT) coordinates specialist home visits, pain control, and symptom management alongside the community health nurse (patronažna sestra) and HZZO-contracted home nursing care (zdravstvena njega u kući bolesnika) prescribed by the family doctor [1][2].
   • Orthopedic and medical aids, transport, and inpatient hospice beds: Through the Croatian Health Insurance Fund, the family doctor or specialist issues electronic prescriptions (e-doznaka) for orthopedic and medical aids (ortopedska i druga pomagala) and free county medical equipment lending libraries (posudionica medicinskih pomagala for hospital beds, anti-decubitus mattresses, and oxygen concentrators), as well as non-emergency medical transport (sanitetski prijevoz) and referrals to hospital palliative beds or accredited hospices (such as the Marija Krucifiksa Kozulić Hospice in Rijeka or county palliative wards) [1][2].
2. 2

   Record Medical Treatment Preferences and Appoint a Healthcare Representative

   Patient autonomy, informed consent, and representation in medical decision-making in Croatia are governed by the Act on the Protection of Patients' Rights (Zakon o zaštiti prava pacijenata) and the Family Act (Obiteljski zakon) [1][4]:

   • Right to accept or refuse medical procedures: Under the Act on the Protection of Patients' Rights overseen by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Croatia, every patient with decision-making capacity has the right to full medical information and the right to accept or refuse a diagnostic or therapeutic procedure (except where refusal would endanger the lives or health of others) by signing a formal written statement in the medical record [1].
   • Anticipated orders (anticipirana naredba) and healthcare proxy in notarial form: Under the Croatian Family Act (Obiteljski zakon), an adult who currently possesses full legal capacity (poslovna sposobnost) can execute an anticipated order (anticipirana naredba) in the form of a notarial act (javnobilježnički akt) before a Public Notary of the Croatian Notaries Chamber (Hrvatska javnobilježnička komora - HJK) [4]. Through this instrument, your family member can designate a trusted person to act as their representative or guardian for personal and healthcare decisions and express binding preferences regarding medical procedures and care arrangements in the event they later lose capacity to give informed consent [1][4].
   • Delivering copies to the clinical team: Provide certified copies of the notarial deed and written treatment preferences to the chosen family medicine physician (izabrani liječnik obiteljske medicine), the county palliative care coordinator, and the treating hospital department so they are logged in the patient's central electronic health record (e-Karton) [1][2].
3. 3

   Execute Notarial Powers of Attorney (*Punomoć*) and Bank Mandates While Capacity Is Intact

   Under the Croatian Obligations Act (Zakon o obveznim odnosima), a family member cannot legally manage another adult's property, official filings, or bank accounts without an explicit mandate, and a power of attorney can only be granted while the principal has full legal capacity [4]:

   • General or special notarial power of attorney (javnobilježnička punomoć): Arrange for your family member to execute a notarized power of attorney (ovjera potpisa na punomoći) or a solemnized notarial act (javnobilježnički akt) before a Public Notary registered with the Croatian Notaries Chamber [4]. If the ill person is bedridden at home or hospitalized, Croatian public notaries are legally authorized to conduct official visits outside their office (izlazak javnog bilježnika na teren) to verify identity and mental capacity and execute the mandate at the bedside [4]. For selling, gifting, or encumbering real estate in Croatia, the power of attorney must be specific (specijalna punomoć) and explicitly identify the cadastral plot and land registry entry [4].
   • Bank account mandates (punomoć po računu): Croatian banks generally require the account holder to grant a bank-specific mandate (punomoć za raspolaganje sredstvima po računu) either at a branch or via a special notarized power of attorney containing the exact IBAN and banking powers required by the bank's compliance department [4]. Note that under Croatian law, powers of attorney over bank accounts terminate automatically at the moment of the account holder's death [4][5].
4. 4

   Activate Sickness, Disability, Attendance Allowance, and Caregiver Support Benefits

   Croatia provides financial and care entitlements for seriously ill residents and their family caregivers through the Croatian Health Insurance Fund, the Croatian Pension Insurance Institute (Hrvatski zavod za mirovinsko osiguranje - HZMO), and the Croatian Institute for Social Work (Hrvatski zavod za socijalni rad - HZSR) [2][3][6]:

   • Temporary incapacity for work (privremena nesposobnost za rad) and family caregiver leave: If the ill person is employed, their family doctor issues medical reports (Izvješće o privremenoj nesposobnosti za rad) for paid sick leave (bolovanje), funded by the employer for the first 42 days and thereafter by the Croatian Health Insurance Fund (with 100% compensation up to the statutory cap for specific categories or after 18 months of uninterrupted oncology/serious illness treatment rules) [2]. Employed spouses or close family members can also obtain short-term paid HZZO leave to care for an acutely ill family member (njega člana obitelji) or unpaid carer's leave under the Labour Act (Zakon o radu) [2].
   • Disability pension (invalidska mirovina) and Physical Impairment Allowance: Where an advanced illness causes partial or total loss of working capacity (djelomični ili potpuni gubitak radne sposobnosti), the family doctor submits medical documentation for an expert evaluation by the Institute for Expert Evaluation, Professional Rehabilitation and Employment of Persons with Disabilities (ZOSI) through a claim filed with the Croatian Pension Insurance Institute (in person or online via the Central State Portal e-Citizens) [3][6].
   • Inclusive Allowance (inkluzivni dodatak) and Parent/Carer status: Under the Inclusive Allowance Act (Zakon o inkluzivnom dodatku, which consolidated the former personal disability allowance and assistance and care allowance - doplatak za pomoć i njegu), seriously ill persons with severe functional impairments can apply at the regional office of the Croatian Institute for Social Work (Hrvatski zavod za socijalni rad) for a monthly tax-free cash benefit to cover care and disability costs, as well as social services such as home assistance (pomoć u kući) [1][3].
5. 5

   Organize the Will (*Oporuka*), Croatian Register of Wills, and Property Records

   Reviewing succession and property documentation while your family member retains testamentary capacity (oporučna sposobnost) ensures a smooth future probate process (ostavinski postupak) [4][5][6]:

   • Executing a valid will (oporuka) and registering it in the Croatian Register of Wills: Under the Croatian Inheritance Act (Zakon o nasljeđivanju), a testator can make a private holographic will (vlastoručna oporuka, entirely handwritten and signed personally), a written will before two simultaneous witnesses (pisana oporuka pred svjedocima), or a public will (javna oporuka) drafted by a Public Notary or Municipal Court judge [4][5]. Any will can be deposited with a Public Notary and recorded in the Croatian Register of Wills (Hrvatski upisnik oporuka) maintained by the Croatian Notaries Chamber, ensuring that the probate commissioner automatically locates it [4][5]. Bear in mind statutory compulsory share rules (nužni dio) for descendants and spouses/partners, as well as lifetime maintenance contracts (ugovor o doživotnom uzdržavanju or ugovor o dosmrtnom uzdržavanju), which must be solemnized by a notary or judge [4][5].
   • Checking Land Registry (zemljišne knjige) and civil status records via e-Citizens: Use the Joint Information System of Land Books and Cadastre (Zajednički informacijski sustav zemljišnih knjiga i katastra - Uređena zemlja) and the Central State Portal e-Citizens to verify that real estate ownership (vlasnički list) and civil registry records (e-Matice) are accurate and free of unrecorded transfers [5][6]. If your family member holds foreign citizenship or owns assets in another EU country, consult a notary regarding a choice-of-law clause under the EU Succession Regulation (Regulation (EU) No 650/2012) [4][5].

Official Authorities & Verified Contacts

Official Sources Checked by Clarvia

1. [1]
   National Programme for the Development of Palliative Care in the Republic of Croatia — Ministry of Health of the Republic of Croatia (Ministarstvo zdravstva)
2. [2]
   Croatian Health Insurance Fund (HZZO) - Compulsory Health Insurance, Palliative Care, and Medical Aids — Hrvatski zavod za zdravstveno osiguranje (HZZO)
3. [3]
   Submitting Applications for Disability and Pension Rights (Podnošenje zahtjeva) — Croatian Pension Insurance Institute (Hrvatski zavod za mirovinsko osiguranje - HZMO)
4. [4]
   Notarial Services - Powers of Attorney, Wills, Lifetime Contracts, and the Croatian Register of Wills — Croatian Notaries Chamber (Hrvatska javnobilježnička komora - HJK)
5. [5]
   Succession and Probate Proceedings in Croatia (Ostavinski postupak) — Central State Portal of the Republic of Croatia (gov.hr)
6. [6]
   Inheritance Law, Wills, and Civil Registry Services in the Republic of Croatia — Central State Portal of the Republic of Croatia (gov.hr)