Find out more about William Russell
The field is empty.
Overseas life insurance can provide invaluable financial protection for your loved ones if you die, but it isn’t always easy to work out exactly how much cover you need. Our guide can help you decide.
Lee Doran
Underwriting Manager
There are different types of international life insurance, for example, you may have heard of level term life insurance, decreasing term life insurance, and joint life insurance.
We provide annually renewable life insurance: you renew your policy each year without the need for medical questions or examinations, and your life benefit stays the same.
We include terminal illness cover and also offer optional personal accident benefit. So long as you adhere to the terms of your policy,
It won’t matter where in the world you pass away – with overseas life insurance, you’ll be covered.
As you might expect, the more coverage you take out, the more your monthly premiums will be. Therefore, you should think carefully about how much coverage you choose.
Before we start, does anyone depend on you financially? For example your spouse, children or parents.
Please choose at least 1 option!
Life insurance is designed to help your family cope financially when you pass away. If you suffer a serious injury that may have an impact on your finances, you could consider our optional accident benefit. It’s essential to understand precisely what is covered and what isn’t covered by your overseas life insurance.
Different countries have different laws when it comes to providing mortgages to expatriates and foreign nationals. In many countries, life insurance is a key requirement to getting a mortgage. Some countries may prefer you to take out a local life insurance policy, while others will be happy with an overseas life insurance policy.
William Russell’s global life insurance policy will help your family to continue your mortgage payments in the result of your death, but speak to your mortgage advisor first to see if our policy will cover you in the country you wish to purchase property in.
As an expat, digital nomad, or business traveller, it’s likely you will move between countries often, whether this is to return home, travel to new territories or commute across borders. You’ll need to be sure your international life insurance covers you anywhere in the world so that, if you die as a result of an illness or are the victim of an accident while not in your home country or country of residence, your life will still be insured.
Remember, some policies may have exclusions related to high-risk countries, and you may have to pay an additional premium if you intend to travel to these places. Examples of high-risk countries are places where:
At William Russell, we are sadly unable to cover people who are residents of and travel to these countries:
Many life insurance providers stipulate that you will not be covered if you die from a condition, you were already aware of at the time you started the policy.
This may include degenerative, hereditary, or lifelong illnesses such as diabetes. In these situations, you may be able to take out an additional level of cover. At William Russell, we cannot pay out in the event of death as a result of a pre-existing medical condition.
The cover may be provided if we are made aware of the pre-existing condition and our underwriters have agreed to cover in writing.
Your life insurance provider may state in their terms and conditions that they will be unable to insure you while you are in a high-risk country, such as a country that is actively at war, or where terrorism is common.
At William Russell, we will be unable to pay out if you die as a result of an act of war or terrorism while in a country that the British FCO advises citizens not to travel to.
See the British FCDO travel advice for all countries here.
It is a sad truth that many expatriates are more at risk of mental illness and therefore suicide. Unfortunately, many international life insurance providers will stipulate that you will not be insured in the event your death is ruled an act of deliberate suicide.
At William Russell, life insurance coverage for suicide begins after you have had your policy for one year or from one year from life benefit being increased.
Your insurer may place certain exclusions in your policy related to viral illnesses, infections, or other diseases, especially if you live in a part of the world where certain diseases are common and carry a high risk of mortality.
Diseases that may be specifically referred to in your policy include:
At William Russell, you’re covered if you die as a result of disease, so long as it is not excluded by your Certificate of Insurance – this includes COVID-19.
Life insurance benefits are typically paid when the insured party dies. Death benefits are not paid out automatically from a life insurance policy. The beneficiary must first file a claim with the life insurance company.
Depending on the insurance company’s policies, this may be done online or it may require a paper claims filing. No matter how you end up filing, the company normally requires paperwork and supporting evidence to process the claim and payout.
Your beneficiaries may be required to provide a copy of the policy, along with the claims form. They must also submit a certified copy of the death certificate, either through the county or municipality or through the hospital or nursing home in which the insured died.
If you are the associate, relative or employee of a William Russell member who has recently passed away, please firstly accept our sincerest condolences. We understand you may need time to grieve and process before consulting your loved one’s plan, so please rest assured life insurance claims can be made to William Russell anytime within 12 months of a person’s passing away.
Once you are ready, a claim is simple and straightforward to process and can be handled online. Simply visit our claims page to get started – all the information you need is there.
At William Russell, we have over 30 years’ experience of providing international life insurance exclusively for expats like you. Become a member today to enjoy worldwide coverage, giving you total peace of mind wherever you move to live and work.
Joe Holden Relationship Manager
If you’re ready to see prices for life insurance, click on ‘Get a Quote’ below to head on over to our online quote tool.
We’ll ask you a few details (your age, your location), and then we’ll show you prices – it only takes a few minutes!
A couple of days after you’ve received you quote, Joe will email or call you to find out how we can help you further. Joe won’t bug you, and you can opt out at any time.
It’s filled with handy information and tips for expats.
Living in a foreign country is a fantastic experience – but not without its risks. Here’s how to look after yourself abroad.
During a time of global crisis and uncertainty, how can long-term insurance products keep relevant?
Insurance is a huge global industry, but where did it all start? We take a look at the history of insurance.
We were one of the first insurance providers to cover people living abroad, and we’ve earned a reputation for our wonderful customer service.
The insurer behind our protection plans is part of the Allianz group
We’re proud of our award-winning service and our members rate it highly
You will get your own dedicated team member when you join
If you’re not happy with your health plan or the service we provide, and you haven’t yet made a claim, then we’ll refund the premium you’ve paid – no questions asked.
More results…