International Life Insurance for Expats Living or Heading Overseas
Published / Last Updated on 14/03/2025
Do you currently live in the UK and plan to live, work or retire overseas? Or are you already living overseas?
Either way, have you thought about your life, critical illness, and sickness insurance needs? If not, you should consider international life insurance when/if needed?
Live in the UK?
- If you are UK resident with no current or definite plans to move overseas, then you should arrange life insurance cover with a UK insurance company.
- If you are UK resident with plans to move overseas, then many UK life insurers may not accept you for cover, in particular if you moving to or working in a less stable country.
- It may then be that you need to consider International Life Insurance cover from a specialist insurance provider based in the UK before you leave. We can help you with this.
- If you are moving to a ‘stable’ country, then you may consider arranging life insurance cover there. It may be worth comparing UK rates or specialist insurer rates to those of the country you are moving to.
Already Live Overseas and need Life Insurance Cover?
Most UK insurers will not be authorised outside the United Kingdom and as such, new products and services are usually only available to UK residents. Most UK insurers will also no longer be authorised in the European Union under financial services ‘passporting’ given Brexit, but some may have set up subsidiary firms.
- There are many British Expats and Foreign Nationals living all over the world that have existing life insurance policies in the UK. We can still help you with these.
- If you need new life insurance cover, you may need to approach a local adviser or local insurer to arrange cover.
- As well as insurers in the country that you live, there may also be ‘UK brand’ life insurance firms that have subsidiary firms authorised somewhere in Europe (if you live in EU) or even further afield if you live outside the EU that may be able to help you.
Employers Sending Employees Overseas
If you are UK employer and plan to send an employee to live/work overseas, have you thought about their insurance needs, if you offer ‘death in service’ life cover benefits or even issues arising for employer pension contributions etc.
