Heartbreak on Holiday
Every year around 4,000 Brits die abroad, according to figures from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Most deaths happen in Spain – 856 in 2013-14 – but, taking into account the large British population there, the country that’s actually seen as riskiest for travellers is the Philippines. Here’s what you need to know, should the worst happen…
Losing a loved one on holiday is surely one of the most devastating situations imaginable. Presumably he or she was fit enough to travel, so the death is unexpected, and then there are all the complications and confusions that come with dealing with the legalities of the situation in a foreign language. Add to that the sense of being alone, far away from family and friends while struggling with grief and – well, it doesn’t bear thinking about. But, in the event tragedy does strike and your holiday companion passes away, there are people at hand to offer support.
The British Consulate
Not only will the British Consulate, Embassy or High Commission nearest to your holiday destination ask the UK police to inform family back home of what’s happened, they will also liaise with local authorities on your behalf. Those authorities may demand an inquest, which can be carried out without your permission, so having the support of consular staff at this time is vital. To find out the location of the closest consulate (always worth knowing anyway) log on to www.gov.uk/fco
Your Rep
If you’re on a package holiday with a tour operator, inform your Rep. They are trained to deal with this situation and speak the local language so lean on them for support and help translating.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Since mid-2015, all deaths abroad must also be registered with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the UK. This is important – without a death certificate you won’t be able to repatriate your loved one and there will be problems back home when it comes to Probate.
You need to inform the local Births, Deaths and Marriages office of the situation too. To register a death abroad officials will require the full name, date of birth and passport number of the deceased and also the name of the next of kin. To contact the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, log on to https://www.gov.uk/register-a-death
Your Insurance Company
Naturally most people whose loved one dies on holiday want to bring them home to be buried or cremated. According to Saga statistics, the average insurance claim for repatriation is £3,800 for a burial and £1,700 for a cremation, so it’s always worth being covered for this on your policy.
Your insurers will also be a great help in arranging the logistics of the repatriation – speaking to a local funeral director and arranging transport for your loved one’s final journey.
The documents you’ll require to sort out repatriation are a certified English translation of the foreign death certificate, authorisation to remove the body from the country and a certificate of embalming. Again, the local consulate will advise.
Probate
The fact your loved one died abroad shouldn’t affect Probate as long as the correct procedures were followed so, when you return home, contact us and we can give you the right advice. (Forms can differ when it comes to valuing the estate if the deceased actually lived overseas – again, we can advise.)
Speak to us
It’s also worth speaking to us before you travel about making a Will if you haven’t already done so – there’s nothing worse for the family of the deceased than dealing with all the stress of a loved one dying abroad and then having to cope with the fact they died intestate.
For advice on making a Will contact us today on 0208 537 3448 or wills@ashtongrace.co.uk
Ashton Grace – Specialists in Wills & Estate Planning