A death abroad during a business trip, secondment, or long-term expatriate posting creates a specific set of questions for families. The employer’s role, the insurance arrangements, and the documentation requirements all differ from a tourist death, even though the underlying repatriation process in each destination country follows the same steps.
The employer’s first role
UK employers who send staff abroad typically hold business travel insurance policies covering all travelling employees. These policies include emergency medical treatment, repatriation of remains, and often a benefit covering the travel costs of a family member to attend. The family should contact the company’s HR department or whoever manages travel arrangements early in the process.
Ask specifically: who is the insurer, what is the policy number, and what is the 24-hour emergency line? The HR team will also need to notify the employer’s own insurers of the death, which they should manage internally.
Employers hold a duty of care to employees working abroad under UK health and safety legislation. Where the death occurred in the course of employment, both employer’s liability insurance and the business travel policy are likely to be relevant. The employer’s response team should coordinate with local contacts in the destination country and keep the family updated.
Contractors and self-employed workers
British nationals working abroad as independent contractors or self-employed individuals are responsible for their own insurance. Many hold annual multi-trip business travel policies. Families should search the deceased’s email and document records for a policy number. If no policy is found, costs fall to the estate or family, and a repatriation coordinator can advise on options.
For the full picture of what repatriation costs without insurance, see repatriation without travel insurance.
Long-term expatriates
A British national who had been living abroad for work, with local residency and a settled life in the destination country, brings more complexity than a short business trip. The physical repatriation of the body involves the same documentation process as any other case: the local death certificate, authentication by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or equivalent authority, embalming certificate, and body export permit. The additional complexity comes from parallel matters that the family must address separately.
Bank accounts are typically frozen on death under the laws of the country of residence. Property, vehicles, and other assets in the destination country fall under local inheritance law. These are handled by a solicitor in the destination country or an international probate specialist in the UK, not by the repatriation coordinator. The two processes run alongside each other and do not need to be resolved in sequence.
For cases where the deceased held dual nationality, the question of which country’s procedures apply can affect timelines and documentation. See our article on dual national deaths and which country’s process applies.
Documentation and timeline
The documents required are the same as for any repatriation: local death certificate (authenticated), embalming certificate, and body export permit. In some countries the authentication must go through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; in others through a notary or equivalent authority. The local funeral director assembles these documents in coordination with the repatriation coordinator.
Timelines depend on the country and whether a post-mortem is required. A sudden death during a work trip will typically trigger a local post-mortem before the body is released, in the same way as any sudden death. The post-mortem requirement does not depend on employment status.
For detail on what the British Embassy or Consulate issues in each scenario, see FCDO documents for repatriation.
The FCDO 24-hour helpline is +44 (0)20 7008 5000. Repatriate Service can be reached on +44 7703 577246 at any hour, or via the enquiry form below.