An unexpected death away from home can be costly and difficult. If you travel for business or pleasure, you may want to consider purchasing insurance that will help your family with expenses in the event of an unexpected death on your travels. 

This is particularly important if you travel outside of Canada. If you or a loved one dies abroad your family will have to navigate things like foreign consulates and fees, extensive paperwork, and the cost of repatriating the deceased back to Canada. 

There are several types of travel insurance you can purchase. 

If you make funeral prearrangements and get a prepaid funeral plan you may be able to include travel death insurance in the plan. This can allow your chosen funeral home to assist if you choose a plan that covers international transportation. 

If you don’t have a prepaid funeral plan, or your plan doesn't include international transportation, you can purchase separate travel insurance. If you plan to travel outside of Canada, even for a day, you can buy travel health insurance before you leave. While there are many types of travel health insurance, some travel health insurance plans cover the preparation and return of the deceased to Canada in the event of an unexpected death. An internet search can help you find companies that provide this benefit. 

While you can purchase travel health insurance per trip, another option is to purchase a Travel Protection Plan (TPP) if you travel more than 50-75 km from home. When you purchase a TPP, you pay a one-time fee, typically around $450 to $500. It begins immediately and lasts for a lifetime with no additional payments or renewals required.

A TPP typically covers things like transportation back to your home community from anywhere in the world. The plan usually includes things like airfare for the deceased and a travel companion, preparation of all required documents, and assistance and coordination with local authorities. A TPP can potentially save your family up to nearly $30,000! 

While these types of plans are quite affordable, and usually not needed, the peace of mind they can offer is priceless.