Usually yes. A policy pays no matter where you die, unless it has an exclusion for that place or the application had false or missing facts.
Policygenius says most term and whole life policies do not have travel exclusions. If yours has none, your family gets paid even if you die in another country.
Tell the truth about travel when you apply. Policygenius says most insurers ask about trips you plan in the next two years. Leaving that out can be called fraud.
The first two years matter. Texas says a policy has a two year contestable period. If you die in that time, the company can check your application. After two years, it must pay no matter the cause of death.
Your family will need proof of death. The US State Department says a foreign death certificate is often not accepted in the US for insurance. For a US citizen who dies abroad, the US embassy or consulate can issue a Consular Report of Death Abroad.
If the person was not a US citizen, ask the insurer what proof it needs. Policygenius says a claim from another country may need extra forms, like IRS form W8BEN.
- Call the insurance company as soon as you can
- Get a certified death certificate
- For a US citizen, ask the US embassy about a Consular Report of Death Abroad
- Ask the insurer if it needs a translation
- Keep copies of everything you send
More questions
What if I moved back to Mexico after I bought the policy?
Policygenius says an address change to another country does not change your policy if it has no travel exclusion. Keep paying your premiums.
What if I die in the first two years?
The company can review your application first. If you gave wrong facts, Texas says it can deny the claim and return the premiums.
Words to know
- Whole life
- Permanent insurance that lasts your whole life as long as you pay. Premiums, death benefit, and cash value are guaranteed.
