Travel Insurance to Cover Death in the Family

What You Need To Know

It's certainly not something you want to think about when planning a trip, but a sudden death or bereavement in your family is a potential (albeit unlikely) reason your trip might not be able to go forward as planned.

Travel insurance can cover a death in the family under certain conditions, allowing you to cancel or curtail your trip to deal with a serious situation.

If a family member passes away right before or during the course of your trip, it's likely you won't want to embark on your trip as normal. In that event, trip cancellation may be your only logical option.

Trip cancellation insurance is intended to help you recoup the prepaid costs of your trip so you can deal with a tragic and unforeseen situation — without the financial burden of having to pay for a cancelled trip.

Who Is Considered a Family Member for Travel Insurance

Just who is considered a family member by your travel insurance provider varies by policy, but these are the common relations typically covered:

Parents
Siblings
Partner/spouse that you cohabitate with
Children (biological or adopted)
Grandparents and grandchildren
In-laws
Nephews, nieces, aunts, and uncles

Family Travel Insurance vs. Travel Insurance for a Death in the Family vs. Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance: What’s the Difference?

It’s important to note that travel insurance for a death in the family is not the same thing as family travel insurance.

Family travel insurance cover is a policy you take out for an entire family going on a trip or family vacation; each traveler is named and pre-existing medical conditions are declared.

For death in the family insurance, your deceased family member doesn’t need to be named on your policy in order to make a claim. There are usually some restrictions, though, which we’ll discuss below.

Travel insurance for a death in the family is also separate from accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance. AD&D insurance compensates the beneficiary if the policyholder dies an accidental and unforeseen death — i.e., in a car accident or a plane crash — or if they lose a limb or a crucial function, such as sight, speech, or hearing.

Though it can be included with your travel insurance, AD&D is more commonly purchased as a stand-alone policy or added onto a life or health insurance plan.

Common Coverage Scenarios for a Death in the Family

What happens if a family member dies before my trip?

If a family member dies before your trip begins, you can make a claim to recoup your initial trip deposit — as long as you purchased your travel insurance policy as soon as possible after booking your trip.

Your insurance company will look into whether your family member died suddenly and unexpectedly or due to a pre-existing condition. If it’s the latter, it may not be covered.

What happens if a family member dies on a trip with me?

If a relative dies during the course of your family trip together, you should be able to make a claim to cancel or curtail your trip. In order for the claim to be successful, your deceased family member must have followed all medical advice and received the recommended vaccinations for the country or countries visited.

Once your claim is approved, your travel insurance should reimburse you for any unused portions of the trip you’ve already paid for, and may also help with the cost and logistics of transporting your family member’s remains back home.

What happens if a family member dies at home while I’m on a trip?

If a family member dies at home while you’re on a trip, you can possibly use trip interruption coverage to cut your trip short. Their death must have been unexpected and unforeseen in order for your claim to be successful.

What happens if a family member becomes terminally ill before or during my trip?

If a family member becomes terminally ill before or during your trip, it must be for an unexpected illness — not stemming from a pre-existing condition — in order to be covered.

In addition, you will need to have taken out travel insurance before you learned about their illness. Check with your travel insurance provider for exact terms.

Things to Know About Travel Insurance to Cover Death in the Family

If you need to make a claim on your travel insurance for the death of a family member who wasn’t traveling with you, the insurance company will likely look into the condition that caused their death.

Be aware that you will need to show some kind of medical documentation to your insurance provider. This can include a death certificate, a letter from a doctor, or medical records. The more proof you can provide about the nature of their death or illness, the better.

Though you don’t have to declare the pre-existing medical conditions of every single family member in your life to get insurance (that would be impossible!), you likely won’t be able to make a successful claim if the deceased had a pre-existing condition that led to their death.

It’s also important to buy travel insurance as soon as possible after booking your trip. If you need to cancel a trip due to a death in the family, your claim is more likely to be successful if your policy was taken out right away.

Even if you haven’t yet left for your trip, purchasing travel insurance after you find out about a family member’s death or terminal illness will not result in a successful claim.

Tips & Factors to Consider When Selecting a Travel Insurance Policy to Cover Death in the Family

Check how your travel insurance provider defines “family” and make sure it covers everyone important in your life.
Be sure to take out your policy as soon as possible after booking your trip; otherwise, the coverage for a death in the family may not be valid.
Check which medical proof of records your insurance company needs in order to make a successful claim.
Familiarize yourself with any exclusions on your policy, including who counts as family and what your insurance company considers a preexisting condition.

FAQs About Travel Insurance Death in Family

1. Does travel insurance cover cancellation due to a death in the family?

Most comprehensive travel insurance policies cover trip cancellation if an immediate family member dies before departure. The definition of “immediate family” will vary by provider, and other exclusions may apply, so check your specific policy wording.

2. Does travel insurance cover cancellation due to a family funeral?

If you already knew about the death when you booked the trip, then typically no.

However, if the death occurred suddenly after you booked your trip — and after you purchased travel insurance — then you may be able to cancel your trip and be reimbursed. But most policies don't specifically mention funerals.

3. When would a death in the family not be covered by travel insurance?

If the death resulted from a pre-existing or known condition, then it typically will not be covered by travel insurance. And if you failed to take out travel insurance right after booking your trip, it might not be covered. The person in question also has to be considered a family member as defined by the terms in your policy.

4. Can I cancel a flight due to death in the family?

Airlines may offer bereavement fares or flexible changes, but standard tickets usually have strict cancellation policies. You're more likely to have success cancelling and getting reimbursed via your travel insurance policy, if death in the family is included in your policy.

5. What is the definition of an unforeseen death or illness?

The exact definition will be outlined in your policy documents, but "unforeseen" typically means an unexpected event occurring after the policy’s effective date. It excludes known medical conditions, terminal illnesses, or events foreseeable before purchasing coverage.

You will usually need to provide proof that the death was unforeseeable, such as medical records or a doctor's note.

6. Do I need a pre-existing-conditions waiver for family members who are not traveling with me?

Some policies may require a pre-existing-conditions waiver to cover trip cancellations due to a non-traveling family member’s illness or death. If there is a family member who is in ill health when you book a trip, ask your insurance provider if you can declare their condition prior to purchasing.

Protect your trip with Redpoint travel insurance

Redpoint’s insurance is designed to give you the peace of mind to help you enjoy your trip to the fullest. Our policies include coverage for death in the family, so you can book your travel with confidence, knowing you’ll likely be covered in the event of a bereavement. Explore our three travel insurance plans — Ripcord, Cavalry, and Harbor — and get a quote for your next trip today.