Denied Life Insurance Claims Due to Foreign Death: Will the Policy Pay if the Insured Dies Abroad?

Travel, international work assignments, and long-term stays abroad have become increasingly common. Yet many beneficiaries only learn after a loved one’s death that life insurance companies treat foreign death claims differently from domestic ones. While most life insurance policies do pay for deaths outside the United States, insurers often treat these claims as high-risk and may look for reasons to delay, question, or deny payment altogether.

As life insurance lawyers handling foreign death denials nationwide, we frequently see families blindsided by complex investigations, demands for foreign records, accusations of misrepresentation, or unfounded claims that the death cannot be verified. This guide explains how life insurance works when an insured dies abroad, the most common reasons foreign death claims are denied, and what you can do to protect your rights.

If your claim was denied or delayed because the insured passed away overseas, call (888) 510-2212 for a free case evaluation.

Does Life Insurance Cover a Foreign Death?

A foreign death claim arises when a policyholder dies outside the United States and a beneficiary files for benefits.
In general:

• Yes, most life insurance policies do pay out for deaths abroad,

• Unless a specific exclusion applies,

• And as long as the policy was in force at the time of death.

However, claims involving overseas deaths often trigger a much more rigorous review. Insurers may:

• Demand additional proof of death

• Investigate the cause of death

• Evaluate the policyholder’s travel history

• Look for inconsistencies in the application

• Delay processing while seeking international records

If the death occurred within the first two years of the policy (the contestability period), the insurer will review the original application for inaccuracies. If they cannot verify the death or find alleged misrepresentations, they may deny the claim.

Unfortunately, many families experience long delays because insurers continuously request more documents or treat foreign documents as “insufficient.” This real-world obstacle often becomes grounds for a wrongful denial.

Travel Insurance vs. Life Insurance Coverage for Overseas Deaths

Some travelers also carry separate travel insurance, which may include a limited form of accidental life coverage. These policies differ from traditional life insurance and only pay under narrow circumstances. The main types are:

1. Common Carrier Travel Coverage

Pays benefits only if the insured dies due to an accident on public or ticketed transportation (plane, bus, train, cruise ship).

2. Accidental Death Travel Insurance

Provides coverage if the insured dies or loses a limb due to an accident while traveling.

3. Flight Accident Insurance

Covers only accidental death occurring on a regularly scheduled commercial flight.

Traditional life insurance is far broader, but travel insurance can create confusion for beneficiaries who aren’t sure what type of policy the insured purchased. If the death occurred abroad but wasn’t accidental, travel insurance typically will not pay—however, a standard life insurance policy still should.

Common Reasons Life Insurance Companies Deny Foreign Death Claims

While most policies cover international deaths, insurers frequently deny or delay these claims using predictable justifications. Understanding these patterns helps beneficiaries fight wrongful denials.

1. Policy Lapse for Nonpayment

The first thing insurers check is whether the policy was active at the time of death.
If premiums weren’t paid or a grace period expired, the policy may have lapsed. Insurers deny many foreign death claims not because of the death itself, but because they argue the coverage was no longer in force.

Sometimes the lapse is wrongful or caused by the insurer’s own billing errors. A life insurance attorney can help determine whether the termination was valid.

2. Material Misrepresentation About International Travel

Life insurance companies often ask detailed questions about:

• Travel frequency

• Countries visited

• Length of travel

• Whether the insured expects to live abroad

If the insured failed to disclose planned travel or long-term residency abroad, the insurer may claim material misrepresentation—arguing they would have charged different premiums had they known.

We often see insurers deny claims years later based on vague or ambiguous travel questions on the original application form. These denials are frequently challengeable.

3. Failure to Disclose High-Risk Activities

If the deceased died abroad while participating in high-risk activities—such as scuba diving, mountain climbing, extreme sports, or private aviation—the insurer may claim the activity should have been disclosed on the application.

Even if the activity was unrelated to the actual cause of death, insurers sometimes use this as a basis to deny payment.

4. Insufficient Proof of Death

Validating a death that occurred in a foreign country may be difficult, particularly in regions with:

• Unstable governments

• Limited medical infrastructure

• Inconsistent recordkeeping

• Poorly translated documents

• Safety or terrorism concerns

Insurers frequently challenge the authenticity of foreign death certificates or demand more and more documentation. If the paperwork doesn’t look like U.S. records or is incomplete, they may argue the death cannot be verified.

This is one of the most common reasons foreign death claims are denied.

5. Suspicious or Unexplained Death

If the cause of death is unclear, inconclusive, or not well documented, insurers may label the claim as a “suspicious death.” This does not always mean the claim is immediately denied—but it almost always results in long delays and deeper investigation.

6. Suicide Within the First Two Years

Most policies contain a suicide exclusion for the first two years after issue.
If the insurer deems the death a suicide during this period, they can deny payment regardless of whether the death occurred in the United States or abroad.

7. Act of War Exclusion

Many policies exclude deaths caused by:

• War or acts of war

• Terrorism

• Political uprising

• Insurrection

If the insured died in a region affected by armed conflict or civil unrest, the insurer may rely on this clause to deny the claim.

Does Life Insurance Pay If the Insured Dies of COVID-19 Abroad?

Generally, life insurance policies do pay if the insured died from COVID-19 overseas.

However, insurers may deny payment when:

• The insured had accidental death coverage only

• The insured had a critical illness policy, not life insurance

• The insured made material misrepresentations

• The policy had lapsed

• There were travel advisories warning against entering the country

If COVID-19 contributed to the death, insurers may also request hospital records, test results, and proof that the diagnosis was legitimate.

What to Do Immediately If the Insured Dies Abroad

If a loved one passes away in another country, these steps can protect your rights and strengthen your future claim:

1. Notify the U.S. Embassy or Consulate

The U.S. Embassy can:

• Guide you through the local death registration process

• Help obtain official records

• Assist with communication between foreign agencies and U.S. authorities

• Prepare a Consular Report of Death Abroad

This document is often crucial in a foreign death claim.

2. Obtain an Official Death Certificate

Death certificates abroad may look very different from U.S. certificates. The Embassy can:

• Help verify legitimacy

• Assist in obtaining certified copies

• Provide notarized English translations

These documents play a major role in preventing delays and denials.

3. File the Life Insurance Claim Promptly

Every policy has a deadline for filing a claim. Missing it can result in denial. A life insurance attorney can:

• Identify required documents

• Prepare claim forms

• Submit a complete packet

• Communicate directly with the insurer

• Prevent unnecessary delays

The more complete the documentation, the faster the claim is processed.

4. Make the Necessary Arrangements

You may need to decide whether the deceased’s body will be:

• Buried abroad

• Transported back to the United States

• Cremated locally

If the insured died during the contestability period, consult an attorney before cremation, because insurers may request an autopsy.

What to Do If Your Foreign Death Claim Was Denied

Foreign death denials are among the most complex and most frequently mishandled claims in the life insurance industry. Insurers often rely on:

• Missing documentation

• Inconsistencies in foreign records

• Alleged misrepresentations

• Policy exclusions

• Travel-related risk classifications

A life insurance lawyer can:

• Review the denial letter

• Identify whether the insurer acted lawfully

• Gather international records

• Challenge wrongful investigations

• File an administrative appeal

• Sue the insurer for benefits if necessary

Our firm has handled countless foreign death claim denials, including cases involving missing records, long delays, contested autopsies, accusations of fraud, and disputes over policy lapse.

We offer contingency fees, meaning you pay nothing unless we win the case.

Read how we recovered $500,000 for a beneficiary whose claim was delayed due to a foreign death.

To schedule a free consultation, call (888) 510-2212.