Making a Life Insurance Claim Abroad: A Practical Guide

Introduction

Life insurance policies are taken out with the expectation that they will pay out — but the process of making a claim, particularly from abroad, is rarely straightforward. The insurer needs to be satisfied that a genuine, valid claim is being made by the right people in the right way.

This guide sets out the practical steps for making a life insurance claim when the insured has died outside the UK, what documentation is required, what complications commonly arise, and how to ensure the process proceeds as smoothly as possible under difficult circumstances.

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Immediate Steps After a Death Abroad

Notify the insurer promptly

Most policies require notification "as soon as reasonably practicable" — in practice, within a few weeks of the death. A brief initial notification — by email or phone — is sufficient at this stage. Formal claim documents take time to assemble; the notification establishes the date from which the insurer begins the process.

Initial notification should include:

• The full name and date of birth of the deceased
• The policy number (if readily available)
• The date and country of death
• A brief statement that a formal claim will follow

Obtain the local death certificate

In most countries, a death certificate must be obtained from the local civil registry authority or equivalent. The process, timing, and format differ by country:

• In the UAE, a death certificate is issued by the relevant emirate's civil registry, typically within a few days of death
• In Thailand, the death certificate is issued by the local district office (Amphoe) and a separate document for foreign nationals may be required from the Foreign Ministry
• In Spain, the civil registry (Registro Civil) issues the death certificate; a separate certificate from the Spanish Ministry of Justice may be required for international use
• In Cyprus, the Civil Registry and Migration Department issues death certificates

In some countries, a cause of death certificate (separate from the registration of death) must be obtained from the hospital or attending physician. Confirm what documents are available and whether they are on the insurer's required list.

Obtain a certified translation

Any document in a foreign language must be accompanied by a certified English translation for use with a UK or Isle of Man-regulated insurer. Certified translations are provided by qualified translators and include a signed statement confirming accuracy.

Translation costs vary: £50–150 for standard languages (Spanish, French, German, Arabic), £100–250 for less common languages (Thai, Indonesian, Greek). Allow 2–5 business days for standard languages, longer for complex documents.

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The Formal Claim Process

Completing the claim form

The insurer's claims team will send a claim form on notification. The form typically requests:

• Personal details of the deceased
• The cause of death (as stated on the death certificate)
• The name, relationship, and contact details of the claimant
• Details of the policy (policy number, sum assured, type of cover)
• Whether the policy was written in trust (and if so, requesting trust documents)

Complete the form accurately and completely. Incomplete claim forms cause delays. If any section is unclear, ask the insurer's claims team for guidance before submitting.

Attending physician statement (APS)

For claims where the insurer's underwriting file does not contain recent or complete medical information — particularly for larger sums assured — the insurer may request an attending physician statement: a report from the deceased's doctor confirming the medical history relevant to the claim.

If the deceased was treated abroad, the APS may need to be obtained from a foreign medical practice, which may involve translation and notarisation. Allow extra time for this requirement.

Non-disclosure investigation

For large claims, the insurer routinely conducts a non-disclosure review — a check that all material facts were accurately disclosed at application. This is not an accusation of fraud; it is standard procedure. The review examines the medical records available at the time of application against what was declared on the application form.

Issues arising from a non-disclosure review include:

• Full avoidance: if a material non-disclosure is found, the insurer may void the policy and return premiums (or refuse the claim entirely, depending on the terms)
• Reduction in benefit: in some cases, a non-disclosure results in the benefit being adjusted to what would have been payable had the correct information been disclosed (and a higher premium charged)
• No issue: the review confirms all disclosures were accurate — the most common outcome for well-submitted applications

The non-disclosure review adds time to the process — typically 2–6 weeks — and is handled by a specialist team within the insurer.

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Documents Required: Checklist

For a standard international life insurance claim:

• Original death certificate or certified copy
• Certified English translation of the death certificate (if in a foreign language)
• Cause of death certificate (if separate from the registration certificate)
• Certified translation of the cause of death certificate (if required)
• Completed insurer claim form
• Original policy document (or a lost policy declaration if the original is unavailable)
• Proof of identity of the claimant (certified copy of passport)
• If policy is in trust: copy of the trust deed, list of current trustees, evidence of trustee identity
• If no trust: grant of probate or letters of administration (if required by the insurer)
• Bank account details for the payment (account name, account number, sort code or IBAN/SWIFT)

For critical illness claims, additionally:

• Specialist medical report confirming the diagnosis and date
• Evidence the survival period has been met
• Copies of diagnostic reports, pathology results, or surgical records as relevant

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What Can Go Wrong: Common Issues

Policy not written in trust

If the policy is not written in trust, the death benefit forms part of the deceased's estate. Before the insurer can pay out, the estate must obtain a grant of probate or letters of administration from the relevant court.

In England and Wales, probate can take 6–12 months or longer for complex estates. During this period, the insurance proceeds cannot be released. The beneficiaries must wait — and may need to fund estate administration costs in the meantime.

A policy written in trust pays directly to the trustees within weeks of the claim being approved — no probate required.

Action: ensure all life policies are written in an appropriate trust at the time of taking out the policy. Retrofitting a trust is possible but may have IHT implications.

Outdated beneficiary nomination

Many clients nominate a beneficiary at the time of taking out the policy — a spouse, for example — and then do not update the nomination after a divorce, remarriage, death of the original beneficiary, or addition of children.

If the nominated beneficiary has died, the trustees must decide how to exercise their discretion (for a discretionary trust) or the proceeds may default to the estate (for a bare trust or unarranged policy).

Action: review beneficiary nominations whenever a major life event occurs.

Non-disclosure issues

As noted above, a material non-disclosure at application can void the policy or reduce the benefit. The most common non-disclosure issues on international claims are:

• Undisclosed medical treatment abroad — conditions treated by a foreign doctor that were not reported to the insurer at application
• Undisclosed hazardous activities — extreme sports, private flying, or high-risk travel taken up after the policy was written but not updated with the insurer
• Incorrect declaration of country of residence — applying for a policy while resident in one country but actually living in another

Exclusion clauses triggered

Most policies exclude death resulting from war, terrorism (some older policies), self-inflicted injury, and hazardous activities. If the circumstances of death fall within an exclusion, the claim will be declined.

Check the specific exclusions in the policy document before a claim is needed — not during the claims process.

Policy lapsed due to non-payment

If the direct debit or standing order for premiums has lapsed — a banking change, a currency conversion issue, or a simple oversight — the policy may have lapsed. Most insurers provide a grace period (typically 30–60 days) before lapse, with provisions to reinstate the policy, but a lapsed policy at the time of death results in no payout.

Action: set up a reliable payment mechanism and monitor premium payments regularly.

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Repatriation of Proceeds

International life insurance proceeds can be paid in the currency of the policy (typically GBP, USD, or EUR) into a bank account in most countries. The insurer's claims team will advise on available currencies and payment methods.

If the proceeds need to be converted to a different currency (for example, a USD policy paying into a Thai baht account), using a specialist currency exchange service rather than a retail bank can save 1–3% of the proceeds on the exchange rate.

Confirm with the insurer whether there are any restrictions on payment to the intended destination country and account. In some jurisdictions, documentation of the source of the funds may be required for anti-money-laundering purposes.

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Working With a Claims Adviser

Navigating a complex international life insurance claim — particularly if non-disclosure issues arise, the policy is in a trust, or the death occurred in a jurisdiction with difficult documentation requirements — benefits from specialist support.

A claims adviser who knows the insurer's internal processes, the documentation standards, and the common points of contention can significantly accelerate the process and reduce the risk of a dispute.

At Global Investments, we support clients through the claims process — not just the initial placement. If you or a client needs assistance with an existing claim, contact us.

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How Global Investments Can Help

We place international protection policies correctly from the outset — with appropriate trust structures, accurate underwriting disclosures, and current beneficiary nominations — so that the claim process is as straightforward as possible when it eventually arises. We also provide claims support to clients whose policies we have placed.

This guide is for general information only. Claims processes and documentation requirements vary by policy, insurer, and jurisdiction. Always consult the specific policy terms and the insurer's claims team for guidance relevant to the specific claim.