Most families dealing with a death abroad have travel insurance. Most of them also discover that understanding what it covers, and getting the insurer to act quickly, is harder than the policy summary suggested.
This guide explains how repatriation insurance works, what the common exclusions mean in practice, and what to do when you hit a delay.
What travel insurance covers for repatriation
A standard comprehensive travel insurance policy will include a section on repatriation, sometimes labelled “bringing the body home” or “mortal remains cover”. This typically covers:
- The cost of engaging a local funeral director in the destination country
- Embalming or preparation to meet international transport requirements
- Coffin (usually a zinc-lined sealed casket)
- Air freight
- UK-side receiving funeral director fees
What it does not usually cover is the cost of the UK funeral itself (the service, burial or cremation, flowers, notice). That is a separate expenditure.
The insurer coordinates everything. You call their 24/7 assistance line. They take the case number, contact their appointed funeral directors, and manage the process. In an ideal world, you give them the key details and they handle the rest.
The exclusions that catch families out
Pre-existing medical conditions
This is the most common exclusion cited. Most policies require you to declare pre-existing conditions at the time of purchase. If your loved one had a heart condition, cancer, or any serious ongoing illness, and the policy was not updated to cover it, the insurer may decline the claim.
“Decline” does not always mean refusing everything. Some insurers will cover emergency medical treatment for an unrelated illness while abroad, even if they exclude repatriation costs related to the declared condition. Read the policy carefully.
Age limits
Annual travel insurance policies often impose higher premiums or coverage limits for travellers over 65 or 70. Some policies are simply not available over a certain age, or exclude repatriation altogether if the traveller is above the limit. Check the policy documents rather than the summary.
Adventure activities
Deaths resulting from activities listed as excluded (often things like skiing, scuba diving, motorcycling, quad biking) may not be covered. This is particularly relevant in countries like Thailand, where road accidents involving motorbikes are common.
COVID-19 and future pandemics
Many policies now include pandemic-related exclusions. If a local authority lockdown prevents repatriation, some insurers will not cover additional storage costs incurred as a result.
When the insurer is slow
Speed matters in repatriation, particularly in hot climates where the body deteriorates more quickly without proper refrigeration. An insurer that takes 48 hours to approve each step of the process can create real problems.
If you are experiencing delays:
Call the assistance line, not the claims department. The 24/7 assistance line is specifically set up to deal with emergencies in real time. The claims department handles completed claims. You want the assistance line.
Ask for a case manager by name. Anonymous phone queues allow responsibility to diffuse. Asking for the specific person assigned to your case creates accountability.
Document everything in writing. Send a follow-up email after every call confirming what was agreed and what the next step is. If a claim is later disputed, you have a record.
Escalate formally. If the insurer is not moving, ask formally to escalate to a supervisor. Follow up in writing. Reference the Financial Ombudsman Service if appropriate. Insurers in the UK are regulated by the FCA, and persistent, documented delays in emergency situations are taken seriously.
If there is no insurance
You are not the first family to face this. A significant proportion of repatriations are funded privately.
The process is the same. You need a funeral director at the departure end and a receiving funeral director in the UK. You will be asked to pay a deposit before transport begins, with the balance due before or on arrival.
Payment by credit card is common, as families sometimes claim via a credit card Section 75 protection mechanism where there is a failed service. More commonly, families pay directly or, in some cases, apply for an emergency loan.
Some charities assist with repatriation costs in specific circumstances, particularly where the death was the result of crime, or where the family is in severe financial hardship. The FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) maintains a list of organisations that may be able to help.
Claiming after the fact
If you have paid repatriation costs out of pocket and believe your policy should cover them, you can still claim after the fact. Keep all receipts, invoices, death certificates, and correspondence. Submit a formal claim with full documentation.
If the insurer rejects the claim and you believe the rejection is unfair, the Financial Ombudsman Service handles disputes of this kind without charge to the complainant. Their decisions are binding on the insurer.
The main thing to remember
Insurance is useful, but it does not remove the need for you to be proactive. Insurers have their own appointed coordinators and they move at their own pace. If the pace is not fast enough for your situation, you are entitled to push.
Call us if you want an independent view on whether the process being described to you sounds reasonable, or if you want to understand your options.