Life Insurance and Moving Countries: What Every Expat Needs to Know

Why Life Insurance Often Fails When You Move Abroad

Most expats make this critical assumption...

This is that your life insurance policy from back home continues to protect you abroad. But the truth is, once you relocate, your life insurance may stop working entirely. If you don’t know what to check, this could have devastating consequences for your family.

Today, we’ll show you exactly why this happens, and what you can do to prevent it. If you're an expat, this could be the most important financial step you ever take.

What You Think You Know About Expat Life Insurance

Many people believe that once life insurance is set up and premiums paid, the policy is secure. But expats fall into a hidden trap: life insurance and moving countries don’t always go hand in hand.

This may sound familiar to you. You’ve submitted a change of address notification and it's been acknowledged. The insurer continues to collect premiums for your life cover.

What's the big deal? Right!

Well, this doesn't mean that your policy is still valid. This is a common misconception — and one that could leave your loved ones unprotected.

We recently highlighted the importance of setting up a life insurance policy properly. Again, this is a very common mistake that many people make. The consequences of which can be devastating for your family. If you found yourself in this situation we showed you how to fix it. And if you were setting up a policy from scratch how to get it right the first time, whether you're an expat or not.

But what we’re showing you today is an even bigger issue — and it’s unique to expats.

That’s why we created the FREE Expat Life Insurance Confirmation Pack! It helps you quickly check whether your cover still works abroad.

Why Life Insurance Breaks Down After You Move

Understanding Underwriting: How Insurers Assess Risk

Every life insurance application goes through a process called underwriting. This is where the insurance company evaluates your personal and environmental risk factors:

• Age

• Health and weight

• Smoking and alcohol use

• Occupation

• Sporting or high-risk activities

• Travel patterns

• Where you live

When you applied, your policy was based on the risks present in your home country. That includes mortality rates, healthcare access, and political stability. All country-specific factors insurers analyse with great precision using actuaries. They assess mortality and morbidity trends in real time.

It allows them to determine how likely you are to die during the term of the policy. The higher the perceived risk, the more you pay.

Even if you didn’t need a medical exam, you were still assessed on these key risk indicators.

What Happens When You Move?

Once you relocate, those carefully calculated risk parameters change. And here’s the key point: your insurance premium no longer reflects your risk profile.

This puts the insurer in a position they don’t like...

That is absorbing unknown risk without updated compensation.

So what happens next?

The Reality of Life Insurance and Moving Countries

Most Policies Will Stop Covering You

In most cases, life cover ends six months after moving to a new country. Some insurers have a list of “acceptable” countries. If you move to one of these, coverage continues. Otherwise, the policy lapses — even if you continue paying premiums.

Some insurance companies offer coverage regardless of destination. Though this is usually only if you meet certain conditions. For example, maintaining a local bank account in your home country. If you fail to meet those conditions, the policy ends.

An insurer might continue to cover you in your current country of residence. Though that doesn't mean the same will happen if you move again. You must check every time you move.

Contradictions

Just because your insurer hasn’t told you your policy is void doesn’t mean you're still protected.

As we mentioned earlier you might have submitted a change of address notification. And it's even more confusing if the insurance company's still collecting premiums.

So, how can you find yourself in this position?

When you submit your change of address it goes to customer service for processing. They do exactly what you've asked them to do, that's changing your address details.

A confirmation letters generated and the premiums keep getting collected.

They don't have the technical expertise to raise this as an issue. So this why you can find yourself in this situation.

Regional Rules and Exceptions

If you're moving within a trading bloc like the EU, the situation may be different. Because of harmonised financial regulation, insurers assess risks regionally. When moving from France to Germany, for example. It's likely already accounted for in your original underwriting.

But once you leave that regulatory region, your risk profile is recalculated. The basis for your original policy may no longer apply.

And guess what? Insurers don’t like taking unknown risks.

Why Some Countries Are Too Risky to Cover

Insurers Often Refuse Certain Locations

There are countries that no insurance company will extend cover to. This could be due to war, political instability, or extreme environmental risks. Even insurers that advertise “global” policies usually have exclusion zones.

For example, Ukraine was considered safe only a few years ago. Now it's not. This exclusion list is constantly changing, which is why you must always check.

Policy Terms Can Change Too

Even if your insurer once confirmed your cover abroad, company policy might have changed since then. New management, new risk models, or updated terms and conditions can all affect your coverage.

This means that if you move these new terms can end your cover!

This is why you must not assume your policy still applies. Always ask:

"Am I still covered in [new country]?"

The Most Important Step for Expats

Always Get Written Confirmation

As we've established paying premiums does not guarantee coverage. Submitting a change of address isn’t enough. You must get written confirmation from your insurer that your policy remains active.

Use the FREE Expat Life Insurance Confirmation Pack

We created this simple toolkit to help you:

• Know the right questions to ask your insurer

• Understand your policy’s limitations

• Get written confirmation of coverage

Click below to get your FREE copy now!

Final Thoughts on Life Insurance and Moving Countries

Approximately 80% of insurers will not extend life cover once you relocate internationally. That means:

• Your cover may stop six months after moving.

• Continued premium payments don’t guarantee coverage.

• Even global insurers apply domestic policy terms.

• Some countries are automatically excluded from coverage.

Even those that do continue to offer cover abroad do so under specific conditions. They can also cancel your policy if your situation changes further.

Don’t Leave Your Family’s Future to Chance

If your life cover fails while you’re abroad, the consequences are serious. Your loved ones could be left without the financial protection you intended. That’s why you must confirm your cover every time you move — no exceptions.

Get your FREE Expat Life Insurance Confirmation Pack now! Make sure that you protect your family’s future.

Thanks for reading!

We’ll be back next week to explore how a failed life policy could affect your family in real terms.