Foreign Travel And Life Insurance!

When you hear about life insurance company concerns with foreign travel, do you ever wonder where they draw the line?

I recently shopped for coverage on a corporate jet pilot that did a fair amount of overseas flights. The best offer came back with the caveat that “Flights to locations considered safe and not on any US travel warnings list”. Well, one company’s safe is another company’s worst nightmare. I remember a client being declined a few years ago because he was helping develop a golf course and resort in Belize and was spending too much time there.

Anyway, first stop is the State Department International Travel Site . Interesting place! From there to their International Travel Information, Travel Warnings section.

Some are obvious. I’m thinking that insurance companies aren’t going to be real wild about offering good rates to someone that will be flying into a place where surface to air missiles are a form of currency.

Others I will admit I’ve never heard of and have a bit of trouble pronouncing, like CôTE D’IVOIRE.
Not a name I’ve seen on the evening news. I did notice that Belize is not on the list. Whew! I personally think they should leave countries off the list if the snorkeling is good.

There is some travel that should be an obvious concern to the person going there and anyone considering insuring them. The truth is that the mortality experience getting to and from your own airport is probably higher than going to most of these Travel Warning destinations.

Bottom line. Like so many underwriting guidelines, the only thing you can count on is that no two companies will see it the same way. Time to check in with your independent life agent and shop the market.