In writing this article it is important to acknowledge the profound grief and loss many families are currently experiencing with the numerous global incidents ongoing at present. Extremely sad and worrying times which we collectively hope will come to an end soon. Thoughts, prayers and condolences are with all who are affected.

For those grappling with grief, it can be a time of profound sorrow. But remember that healing is a personal journey. It’s okay to find moments of joy amid the grief and embrace the light that can shine through the darkness.

When an assistance company, insurer, company, funeral director, family member or other contacts us, this can only mean a loss of life, a requirement to assist with a local funeral, burial or cremation, and/or repatriation of mortal or cremated remains.

This is something none of us wishes for our clients and family members, especially when the death occurs away from home, in a foreign country where the family may not speak the local language or understand the rules and regulations.

Rules and regulations vary from one country to another; they are not identical or standard across the globe. Experienced international funeral repatriation companies understand this and are able to navigate, explain and guide the families throughout the entire process, taking a lot of the worry away.

Before the international funeral repatriation company is appointed, the deceased may have been treated in a hospital or ambulance, been on a commercial flight with a medical escort or in an air ambulance, and a tremendous amount of work may have taken place in order to medically treat the person. Personally I have great admiration for the tremendous work doctors, nurses, paramedics and support teams do in their attempts to save a life and the valuable support they provide to families.

We have seen more open discussions between family members ensuring that their funeral wishes are known and spoken about openly

Likewise, my admiration extends to the international coordinators managing the emergency assistance response on the travel insurance policies. They wear many hats and have to navigate around circumstances of loss against insurance cover under the policy terms and conditions in real time while speaking directly with bereaved family members. When the outcome is loss of life, this is not an easy job for them to do before appointing the international funeral repatriation company to manage matters on their behalf. Exceptional work done by all.

Travel and repatriations return to pre-pandemic numbers

Looking back over 2023, we note that the overall number of global repatriations is slightly up on pre-pandemic numbers, which would indicate that the travel insurance industry as a whole is also back up on the number of insureds travelling and cases they are managing. This is good news for the travel industry, positive news for us all.

In reviewing the countries where repatriations are taking place from, it is noted that for most of the European countries and those that border the Mediterranean, numbers are back up since the drop in repatriation numbers in 2020–21.

In reviewing countries outside of Europe, we are seeing the same trends with an increase in cases since the drop in numbers during 2020–21.

Repatriation of mortal remains is still the higher proportion of global repatriations, although there is an increase in families opting for a local cremation abroad and repatriation of cremated remains. It will be interesting to review these figures within the next couple of years to see if this trend continues.

Funeral trends in the UK

Looking at funerals within the UK in 2023, there was a rise in the number of pre-paid funeral plans, which indicates that people are looking at ensuring their funeral wishes are recorded and respected, and their families are not faced with the stress of the financial responsibility of paying for their funeral. In addition, funeral plans are now regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK, providing financial security and peace of mind. These funeral plans do not tend to cover repatriation costs from abroad, just the cost of the local funeral arrangements within the UK.

Cremations and ‘direct cremations’ are also on the rise: with the current cost of living, individuals are opting for these arrangements with or without a service. In the UK, ashes can be scattered and families can opt to have a private family gathering before doing so in their location of choice, or have a traditional service. Ashes can be scattered at sea or from a plane, or even turned into jewellery, glass wall art or fireworks.

Eco or green funerals have also increased: people are more aware of the environmental issues and opt for these arrangements as a more natural way for families to gather and say goodbye. This option may incorporate planting a tree in their loved one’s memory.

We have also seen more open discussions between family members ensuring that their funeral wishes are known and spoken about openly. This is extremely important when there are differences between family members in personal preferences concerning the type of funeral or the perceived wishes of a loved one. Communication is vital to avoid upsets and family fall-outs.

Differences in funeral traditions and regulations

It is important to note that not all countries follow the same traditions or offer the same options when it comes to funerals. In some countries, the coffin is not allowed to be opened upon repatriation; families do not have the opportunity to view their loved one and say their goodbyes before the funeral takes place. In the UK, all repatriations from abroad are reviewed by our UK coroner, who decides if a post-mortem is required first or provides permission for the funeral to take place. Identification of the deceased takes place either at the receiving family-appointed funeral home or at the coroner’s once permission has been provided by the coroner to open the coffin.

In some countries, cremation is not possible and repatriation of mortal remains is the only option

In some countries, cremation is not possible and repatriation of mortal remains is the only option. Some countries, meanwhile, do not allow families to scatter ashes. The rules and regulations of each country need to be adhered to at all times.

On an international level, funeral trends will vary from country to country, timelines for funerals vary from country to country, and part of our job is to ensure families are made aware of the rules and regulations of the country where their loved one has passed away.

For some families, due to faith or cultural differences it may be difficult for them to understand, the way in which this is communicated is vital in providing peace of mind and suggested solutions. This is where the expertise of the international funeral operatives is crucial.

Respectful innovation

Moving forward, continuing improvement of the methods in which we communicate with our clients and grieving families, ensuring that we continue to cater to all generations, and that our teams can easily adapt to whichever generation they are communicating with, will be equally crucial.

This includes continuing to improve our educational sessions and social media communication to establish meaningful connections with grieving families, embracing respectful innovation while maintaining care, dignity and respect for the families we serve.