Travel Insurance for Death Overseas
Learn how travel insurance for Canadians may help your family if you die overseas
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At a glance
- Coverage for the unthinkable: World Nomads offers plans for Canadian residents that include travel insurance for overseas death
- Bringing you home: If you die while you’re travelling, travel insurance may cover the costs to return your remains to Canada
- Support for loved ones: Your friend or family member may be reimbursed for certain expenses they incur (up to maximum limits) if they need to travel to identify your body
- Extra protection: Additional benefits may be available to your family if your death is due to a flight or travel accident
- Why should you consider travel insurance that covers death overseas?
- What’s Covered for Overseas Death
- Exclusions
- Maximum Limits
- What Your Family and Friend Needs to Do if You Die Overseas
- Tips for Staying Safe While Travelling
- FAQs
Why should you consider travel insurance that covers death overseas?
You may not worry about what happens to you after you die, but your family will, particularly if it happens overseas. Although it’s unlikely that you’ll die on your trip, it could happen. Canada’s Annual Consular Data Report stated there were around 1,500 Canadian deaths that happened abroad from 2024-2025. The priority of your loved ones will be to bring you home – and that will come with additional costs.
World Nomads single trip and annual multi-trip travel insurance plans include benefits for overseas death that may help cover certain expenses such as transportation costs to return your remains to Canada and cremation or burial within your destination. If you die while on an overseas trip and a friend or family member needs to travel to identify your body, your travel insurance benefits may cover expenses such as airfare, hotel accommodations, meals, and taxis. If you die due to a flight or travel accident, your beneficiary or next of kin may receive additional compensation (up to maximum limits as shown in your policy documents). During this stressful time, our team may also be able to help navigate overseas laws, different languages and formalities.
What’s Covered for Overseas Death
- Return of your remains back to Canada
- Local cremation or burial in your overseas destination
- Reasonable additional expenses if someone needs to travel to identify your body
- Accidental death benefits for certain flight or travel accidents
Exclusions
- Suicide
- Deaths resulting from the use of drugs or alcohol
- Criminal acts that result in death
- Participation in activities not listed as covered in your policy documents
- Pre-existing conditions, as outlined in your policy documents
- Any expenses within Canada once your remains are returned to your next of kin
- Terms and conditions apply; read your plan documents to understand the coverage
Maximum Limits
| Standard Plan | Explorer Plan | Epic Plan | Annual Plan |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Return of Remains (Preparation and Transportation): Up to $5,000 CAD Identification of Remains: Economy/charter airfare and up to $500 Flight Accident: Up to $50,000 Travel Accident: Up to $10,000 Get a quote |
Return of Remains (Preparation and Transportation): Up to $5,000 Identification of Remains: Economy/charter airfare and up to $500 Flight Accident: Up to $100,000 Travel Accident: Up to $25,000 Get a quote |
Return of Remains (Preparation and Transportation): Up to $5,000 Identification of Remains: Economy/charter airfare and up to $500 Flight Accident: Up to $150,000 Travel Accident: Up to $50,000 Get a quote |
Return of Remains (Preparation and Transportation): Up to $5,000 Identification of Remains: Economy/charter airfare and up to $500 Flight Accident: Up to $100,000 Travel Accident: Up to $25,000 Get a quote |
What Your Family and Friend Needs to Do if You Die Overseas
It’s essential that your family or travel buddy get in contact with our 24/7 Emergency Assistance Team as soon as possible, so that our team can support them from the time you die until your remains have returned home.
To help our Emergency Assistance team assist them quickly, they'll need the following:
- Your policy number
- Your location
- As many details as possible about the circumstances surrounding your death
So, leave a copy of your policy with your family or friend, just in case they need to use it.
Tips for Staying Safe While Travelling
- Register with Canadians Abroad to stay updated on emergency situations.
- One way to try to avoid unnecessary injuries is to pick activities that align with your health and fitness abilities. World Nomads Travel Insurance for Canadian residents may cover over 250 adventure sports and activities, but you and your doctor should assess your own personal health to determine which ones you should participate in.
- Save your policy number and the 24/7 Emergency Assistance phone number in your cell phone-just in case. If a medical emergency does happen, you’ll want to be able to easily access that quickly.
- Leave a copy of your travel insurance policy with a friend or family member as well. If you die while travelling, they will need your policy number if they intend to file a claim.
FAQ
Here are our most frequently asked questions about cover for death overseas. You can also find the answers to other questions in our Help Center or you can ask the customer service team.
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What happens if my body can’t be found?
If you’re in a flight or travel accident during your trip, and your body is missing for 12 months, we will presume that you have died because of the accident. Your designated beneficiary may receive travel insurance benefits (up to maximum limits as shown in your policy documents). If you didn’t assign a beneficiary, the benefits will be paid to your spouse or to your estate.
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What does my family need to do if I die while travelling?
It is a good idea to leave a copy of your travel insurance policy with a family member or close friend, just in case they need to use it. If you die while travelling, they will first need to reach out to our 24/7 Emergency Assistance team. They will also need to file a claim online. They’ll need to know your policy number, and provide other documentation. For example, your next of kin will need to sign an authorization to release medical information and they will need a statement from your attending physician.
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Who will receive compensation from my travel insurance benefits if I die in a flight accident?
After we’ve reviewed the claim and determine that it meets the terms and conditions for payment, any benefits payable will be paid to the beneficiary that you named and have on file with us. If you didn’t assign a beneficiary, the benefits will be paid to your spouse. If you do not have a living spouse, the benefits will be paid to your estate.
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If I die on my trip, do I have to be buried in that destination?
No, World Nomads single trip and annual multi-trip travel insurance plans include benefits for overseas death that may help cover certain expenses such as transportation costs to return your remains to Canada (up to maximum limits as shown in your policy documents).
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If I have a bad accident overseas and survive, will I be able to go back to Canada?
If it is deemed medically necessary that you should go back to your home province, your repatriation benefits may help cover the costs to get you back to Canada for treatment (up to maximum limits as shown in your policy documents). You must be pre-approved for these benefits by calling the 24/7 Emergency Assistance Team. Terms and conditions apply.
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Are benefits for overseas death automatically included in World Nomads Travel Insurance plans?
Yes, all of the single trip and annual multi-trip plans include travel insurance for death overseas that may include benefits such as return of remains and expenses for a friend or family member to travel for the purposes of identifying your body (up to maximum limits as shown in your policy documents).
Travel Insurance Benefits: how we can take care of you
Trip Cancellation
Insurance protection for your hard earned vacation in the event of unexpected cancellation.
- Standard Plan: $2,500
- Explorer Plan: $10,000
- Epic Plan: $15,000
- AMT Plan: $10,000
Trip Protection
- Unexpectedly hospitalized?
- Travel buddy unfit to travel?
- Close relative suddenly dies?
We’ve got your back.
Emergency Evacuation & Repatriation
We’ll get you to hospital or home quickly.
- Standard Plan: $250,000
- Explorer Plan: $500,000
- Epic Plan: $750,000
- Annual Plan: $500,000
Emergency Evacuation & Repatriation
- Banged up abroad?
- Need a hospital urgently?
- Medevac home?
Help starts here.
Gear & Baggage Protection
Coverage for the theft, damage or delay of your bags, tech and sports gear.
- Standard Plan: $1,000
- Explorer Plan: $2,000
- Epic Plan: $5,000
- Annual Plan: $2,000
Protect your gear
- Passport or tech stolen?
- Airline lost your gear?
- Bags delayed?
Help starts here.
Protect your health
- Emergency Medical & Dental Expenses
- Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation
- Bedside Companion Travel and Subsistence
- Emergency Professional Services
- Return of Remains
- Return of Travel Companion/Dependent Children
Protect your trip
- Trip Cancellation
- Trip Interruption
- Trip Delay
- Optional Cancel for Any Reason (Explorer or Epic)
- Trip Exchange (Explorer, Epic or AMT)
- Rental Vehicle Damage (Explorer, Epic or AMT)
Protect your stuff
- Baggage and Personal Effects Theft or Damage
- Baggage and Sporting Equipment Delay
- Travel Documents Theft or Damage
- Sporting Equipment Theft or Loss by a Common Carrier
- Covered Adventure Sports listed in Policy
Assistance Services
- 24/7 Worldwide Emergency Medical Assistance
- Worldwide Travel Assistance
- Personal Security Assistance
- Adventure Traveller’s Hotline
- Bag Trak
Before your trip, check the latest government advice for any travel alerts for your destination.