What To Do When Someone Dies Abroad
Steps to follow when someone dies abroad
Losing a loved one abroad is devastating because added to the shock to you and your family, are the difficulties of knowing what to do to make sure that their remains are safely repatriated. We do understand how challenging this can be to find the information you need and access providers to help you bring your loved one back home safely especially if you are in a foreign country or you are looking to arrange a repatriation remotely.
At Lutece International, as a global repatriation provider from the minute that you call us we can relieve the pressure that ensues from this sad occasion, our multilingual case coordinator will explain to you the process then will liaise with our local provider on the ground to manage arrangements on your behalf.
In many cases the initial instruction that could be given to you is to contact your country’s embassy in the country of death and a local funeral parlour. However, from our experience this can often lead to complications. The first and most important task is to find out if your loved one had an insurance policy.
If you have an insurance policy:
If you already know the details for your loved one’s insurance policy, make contact with them and they will advise if they have a supplier or protocol to follow. Please note that the insurance policy may be void if you start working with another company first so it’s imperative that you contact the insurer in the first instance.
If there is no insurance policy:
In the instance that you do not have any insurance, we would propose the following:
Contact Lutece International immediately, we can then help support you right from the start. A member of our team will be available to provide the advice and support you need to start the repatriation process. We are a multilingual team and via our global network of providers on the ground we can ensure your loved one is cared for and brought back home safely. Our services are available 24-hours a day, 7-days a week, 365-days a year.
If you would prefer to appoint a local funeral home in the country where your loved one died it is important that you ensure they have the relevant experience to avoid any delays or complications.
Register the death in the country of death, if you can. Contact your embassy in the country of death and ask for guide on how to register the death with the local authorities, often they will advise and they will be able to update their records held on their system for your loved one. If you can’t register the death don’t worry, we will help you with the death registration and translate the certified death certificate if needed.
Work with the local funeral home that you chose to facilitate the repatriation of remains. If you have instructed a funeral home already and they managed all the procedures and paperwork of the repatriation, sometimes it can be difficult for them to arrange for the flight or the local airport cannot reach the final destination, we can help with booking the flight even if it’s via another country and we can also help with custom clearance and the coffin collection at the receiving country if required. All what is needed from you is to provide us with the receiving funeral home details and we will deliver to them.
Booking funeral back home sometimes can complicate things, make sure first that your loved one is home first then you can proceed with the funeral arrangement.