It is essential to purchasing travel insurance covering mortal remains’ return when traveling outside Malaysia. If a death occurs while traveling, the costs and logistics of preparing and returning the remains home may become an additional burden for relatives or friends. It is often necessary to prepare for the worst possible outcome when planning a trip, even though no one likes to imagine the worst-case scenario. Even if the individual involved is killed, medical bills and other expenses should be the last thing on the minds of family members or friends.
What Is Repatriation Of Remains Insurance Policy
A repatriation benefit provides coverage for transporting a covered individual’s body back to their place of primary residence if they die from a covered illness or injury. The following benefits are also typically included in repatriation:
- Coordinating post-mortem examinations with local authorities
- Transport of the body to medical facilities, the coroner, and the airport
- Coffins or appropriate containers for the transport of remains
- Coordinate services, authorizations, and approvals for transportation with government agents
- Expenses associated with air and ground shipping
How Does The Repatriation Of Remains Insurance Work?
Repatriation of remains benefit would be available if the death occurred abroad outside the insured visitor’s home country. In the unfortunate event of a visitor’s death, visitor insurance with repatriation benefits is beneficial since it alleviates the financial burden on the visitor’s family. However, the language barrier between the two countries makes it challenging to understand how to recover the visitor’s body. Moreover, local laws and regulations, health standards, and transportation arrangements can all become overwhelming for a family that is already grieving. However, the repatriation policy eases all of these concerns. There is no need for the deceased family to worry about the transportation back home, the cremation costs (at the place of death), and other necessary formalities. The insurance company handles this. Their responsibilities include:
- Addressing the health regulations to prepare the body or the ashes for transit.
- Arranging for appropriate containers (embalming).
- Managing customs requirements or government authorizations.
In addition, the insurance company will cover the costs associated with a funeral or returning the body remains. The visitor insurance does not cover burial costs (at an additional charge). Ashes or remains of the deceased insured are usually transported to an airport or moved by ground transportation to the terminal closest to their primary residence in their home country.
Local Burial Or Cremation
Instead of repatriation of remains, the insurance company will pay for the burial or cremation of the insured person in the country of death, up to the specified policy maximum. The local tomb or cremation benefit cannot be used in conjunction with the Emergency Evacuation or Repatriation of Remains benefit and excludes coverage for death in a member’s home country. We at Fincrew Insurance understand that repatriating remains is a sensitive topic, yet we believe it is an essential benefit of travel insurance. For more information about this coverage, please feel free to contact us.
