Taking a vacation is a thrilling time for many Canadians, however, sometimes unfortunate tragic events occur. Losing a loved one unexpectedly while they are away from home can be costly and complex, especially when trying to figure out the necessary steps to take to ensure they are cared for and to repatriate their body.
In addition to dealing with the sudden shock of grief, you may also find yourself having to navigate a different  language , deal with foreign authorities  understand local laws and procedures, and even cultural differences when it comes to death.
Fortunately, you can protect yourself and your family with Journey Home, a TruStage Life of Canada repatriation plan. For a one-time low cost, you can ensure your family will never have to deal with the extra stress and financial burden of repatriation, from anywhere in the world, on land or at sea, for the rest of your life.Â
Why plan for the unexpected?
Many people don’t realize that returning a person’s remains can cost tens of thousands of dollars and requires the assistance and coordination of a qualified funeral home in Canada and in the country where the death occurred. When a death away from home occurs, whether vacationing out of province, out of country, or even just a few hundred kilometers away from home, proper planning and understanding the process of repatriation can alleviate significant financial stress during a challenging time.
Being prepared is a simple way to bring peace of mind to both travelers and family members. By purchasing Journey Home, you can expect prompt, safe and dignified return home, as well as protect family members from assuming the financial burden and administrative complexities associated with repatriation.
TruStage Journey Home covers all the necessary arrangements and incidentals should a death occur anywhere in the world more than 100 kilometres from your legal primary residence, for the rest of your life. There are no age limits or medical questions asked to qualify.
TruStage Journey Home provides caring, respectful and responsive service
Just one toll-free phone call by the next-of-kin or funeral director is all it takes to begin the process of ensuring a prompt, caring and dignified return to Canada. For utmost convenience, representatives are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
What does coverage include?
TruStage Journey Home takes care of all the arrangements at every stage. This includes engaging a local, licensed funeral provider to handle all preparations for return travel; recovery and transportation to that provider; transportion of the deceased to their primary residence within Canada, and preparing and handling all necessary documents by the out-of-town funeral provider, while ensuring all repatriation documents are secured by the local receiving funeral home.
If you’re interested in learning more about TruStage Journey Home and how you can best prepare for your upcoming travels, please visit our location finder to contact an Arbor location nearest you at Arbormemorial.ca
Helpful things to know when a death occurs away from home:
According to the Government of Canada website, delays in repatriating a person’s remains to Canada should be expected. Timelines are impacted by a variety of factors, including the cause of death, location, and procedures in the country where the death occurred. More information can be found by visiting travel.gc.ca/assistance/emergency-info/death-abroad.
Without valid insurance, all costs associated with the repatriation of a loved one are the responsibility of the deceased’s next of kin or estate. The Canadian government assumes no responsibility for the final arrangements of deceased Canadians.
Repatriation expenses can accumulate quickly. Costs can vary greatly, depending on the circumstances and complexity of the person’s death, medical costs, where the death took place, local laws, whether interpretation or translation are required, funeral services, paperwork and legal fees.
Funeral arrangements should only be made after your loved one’s remains have arrived in Canada and cleared customs.
