Life Assurance & Protection — Built for Expat Life
Standard UK protection policies lapse or become invalid when you move abroad. International protection is different — designed to travel with you, pay out anywhere in the world, and remain in force regardless of where you live. We advise independently across all major offshore providers to find the right cover for your situation.
Your UK policy probably doesn't follow you abroad
What typically goes wrong with UK cover
- Group death-in-service schemes cease when you leave a UK employer
- Individual UK term policies may become voidable if you live abroad and fail to notify the insurer
- UK income protection policies typically exclude income earned overseas
- Claims processes require UK bank accounts and UK documentation
- Premiums may increase significantly if your country of residence changes risk profile
What international protection provides
- Portability — the policy follows you as you move between countries
- Multi-currency payouts — death benefits paid in GBP, USD, EUR or other currencies
- Global claims handling — no need to be in the UK to make a claim
- No residency restrictions — cover remains valid regardless of where you live
- Trust wrappers available for IHT planning across jurisdictions
International protection products
Each product has a dedicated page explaining how it works, who needs it, and the technical detail. Use the needs assessment or cover gap calculator below if you are unsure where to start.
International Term Life Assurance
A lump-sum payout to your family or estate on death within the policy term. Level or decreasing cover, multi-currency, portable globally. The most cost-effective form of protection for most expats.
Read guide Flagship
Universal Life Insurance
15 strategic use cases — estate planning, key executive retention, asset-backed finance, legacy transfer, and more. Flagship product for HNW expats. Permanent cover with tax-deferred accumulation account.
Read guide
Whole of Life Assurance
Permanent cover with guaranteed death benefit — no expiry date. Simpler and lower minimum than universal life. Used for guaranteed legacy transfer, IHT in trust, and long-term estate planning.
Read guide
Critical Illness Cover
A lump-sum payment on diagnosis of cancer, heart attack, stroke and 30+ other conditions. Pays on diagnosis — while you are still alive. No NHS abroad means this is especially critical for expats.
Read guide
Income Protection
A monthly income if illness or injury prevents you from working. Own occupation definition, deferred period from 30 days, benefit to age 65. Particularly important for self-employed expats.
Read guide
Keyman Insurance
Protects your business from the financial impact of losing a key person — a director, partner, or critical employee. Premiums may be tax-deductible depending on jurisdiction.
Read guide
Relevant Life Policies
A tax-efficient form of life cover available to company directors. Premiums are paid by the company and treated as a business expense in many jurisdictions. Available to expat directors through offshore structures.
Read guideProviders we work with
We are not tied to any single provider. We assess the whole market and recommend the policy that best fits your circumstances — not the one that pays the highest commission.
RL360
Isle of Man
IOMA regulated. Market leader in offshore protection.
Zurich International
Isle of Man / Dubai
Global reach, strong underwriting capacity.
Friends Provident International
Isle of Man
Broad product range, long expat track record.
Utmost International
Isle of Man
Formerly Old Mutual International / Quilter International. Established offshore provider.
Generali International
Isle of Man
Strong European and Asia-Pacific presence.
Vitality International
UK / International
Health-incentive model with international options.
Our protection review process
A clear, end-to-end review that establishes what you need, compares the whole market, and stays with you from underwriting to any future claim.
- 1. Needs analysis — We establish exactly what you need to protect — income, mortgage, family, business interests, estate — and what cover you already have, including any UK policies still in force.
- 2. Market comparison — We compare products across all major offshore providers. Cover levels, premium rates, definition of incapacity or illness, exclusions, and claims records all go into the analysis.
- 3. Underwriting guidance — We brief you on the underwriting process before you apply, including how to present any pre-existing conditions and which providers offer the most favourable underwriting for your specific health history.
- 4. Application management — We manage the application process end to end — completing forms correctly, liaising with underwriters, and tracking the case through to policy issue.
- 5. Ongoing review — Protection needs change as life changes. We review your cover annually and flag when circumstances — a new property purchase, a change in income, a new dependent — mean the cover needs to be updated.
- 6. Claims support — If you need to claim, we manage the process on your behalf. We know the policies, the insurers, and the process. You focus on recovery; we handle the paperwork.
Assess your protection needs
Three free resources to help you understand your current position — and what you need to do about it.
Protection Needs Assessment
Answer 7 questions about your circumstances — we identify your cover gaps and recommend the right products. Takes 3 minutes.
Start the assessment CalculatorCover Gap Calculator
Enter your income, existing cover, and liabilities. We calculate how much cover you need and show you the gap. Instant result.
Calculate your gap Checklist · 27 itemsProtection Adequacy Checklist
A 27-point checklist covering life assurance, critical illness, income protection, trusts, and business cover. Print or work through online.
View the checklistProtecting Your Business as Well as Your Family
Business owners and directors need a separate layer of protection that covers their company — not just their personal dependants. These four products address the principal business protection risks for internationally mobile entrepreneurs.
Key Person Insurance
A policy owned by the business, paying out to the business if a director, founder, or critical employee dies or suffers a serious illness. Covers lost profits, recruitment costs, and business loan exposure.
Read more Business ProtectionShareholder Protection
Ensures surviving shareholders can purchase a deceased shareholder's stake — preventing the business passing to heirs who have no involvement, or being forced into a sale to an unwanted buyer.
Read more Business ProtectionBusiness Loan Protection
Covers outstanding business loans and personal guarantees. If a guarantor dies, the bank can call in the loan — threatening the business and the estate. This policy repays the debt.
Read more Business ProtectionGroup Life & Group Income Protection
Death in service schemes and group income protection for international employers. Covers globally mobile workforces across multiple countries, including multinational pooling arrangements.
Read moreUnderstanding international protection
ABI Model Definitions for Critical Illness Cover: What They Mean for Your Policy
Critical illness insurance only pays out if your condition meets the insurer's specific definition — not just any clinical diagnosis. The ABI model definitions set the standard, but the most important policies go further. Here is what the definitions mean in practice.
ReadAccidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance for Expats
How accidental death and dismemberment insurance works for expats — what it covers, how it differs from life assurance and TPD, its role in a protection portfolio, and the international structuring considerations.
ReadAnnuities for International Investors and Retirees: A Practical Guide
Annuity rates are at their highest in over a decade — but for international retirees, currency risk and portability make the decision more complex than it is for UK-resident pensioners. This guide explains the options and the trade-offs.
ReadBusiness Interruption Insurance: Coverage, Indemnity Periods, and the COVID Lessons
Business interruption insurance explained — indemnity periods, gross profit versus gross revenue basis, material damage proviso, non-damage BI extensions, and the implications of the FCA test case for policy buyers.
ReadBusiness Loan Protection Insurance: Covering Debt on Death or Illness
Business loan protection ensures that commercial debt, overdrafts, and personally guaranteed bank borrowing can be repaid if an owner or key director dies or becomes critically ill — protecting the family home and the business.
ReadBusiness Loan Protection Insurance: Protecting the Business Against Director Death and Debt
Most business loans and commercial mortgages are personally guaranteed by directors. If a guaranteeing director dies without loan protection in place, the bank can call in the debt immediately — potentially destroying a solvent business. Here is how to protect against it.
ReadFree protection review
Our advisers compare the whole market to find the right international cover for your situation — life assurance, critical illness, income protection, or universal life.
Important notice on protection advice
Life assurance, critical illness, income protection and related products are regulated financial products. The information on this website is for general guidance only and does not constitute a personal recommendation. Policy terms, premium rates, and insurer eligibility criteria change — always verify current terms with a qualified independent adviser.
Global Investments provides independent advice on international protection products. We work with a panel of major offshore providers. We may receive remuneration from insurers on placement of policies — this is disclosed in full in our client agreement.
Get a free protection review
Most expats are either uninsured or carrying policies that will not pay out in their current country of residence. A protection review takes 30 minutes and costs nothing. We will tell you honestly whether you need to act.