Insurance Translation Services
Translation of foreign claim evidence for insurers and claimants, and of policy, plan and appeal notices for insurers and employers with non-English-speaking members.
The short answer
Insurance translation runs both ways. Claims arrive with foreign death certificates, police reports and medical bills that need certified English translations. Outbound, health plans must send appeal notices in a non-English language where 10% of a county is literate only in it (45 CFR 147.136(e)), and ERISA plans must offer help in a language that enough participants read (29 CFR 2520.102-2(c)).
Rules that apply
Each rule links to its source. Checked 4 November 2026. Rules change, so confirm with the office that will receive your documents.
| Rule | Source |
|---|---|
| Group health plans and issuers must provide claims and appeals notices in a culturally and linguistically appropriate manner, including in a non-English language where 10% or more of the county population is literate only in it. | 45 CFR 147.136(e) |
| ERISA plans must add a notice in a foreign language offering assistance when 25% of participants (plans under 100) or the lesser of 500 or 10% (larger plans) are literate only in that language. | 29 CFR 2520.102-2(c) |
| Medicare Advantage organizations must translate required materials into any language that is the primary language of 5% or more of a plan service area. | 42 CFR 422.2267(a)(2) |
| Health insurers receiving federal financial assistance must post a notice of available language assistance in at least the state's top 15 languages. | 45 CFR 92.11 |
| A foreign public document, such as a death certificate, can be authenticated with an apostille when both countries are parties to the Apostille Convention. | Hague Apostille Convention (1961) |
Claims with foreign evidence
Life, travel, health and property claims regularly depend on documents from abroad: a death certificate from the country where the insured died, a police or accident report, hospital bills and discharge summaries, a repair estimate, or a court ruling on liability. Claims handlers need to read them exactly, because amounts, dates and causes decide the claim. We translate the whole document including stamps and handwritten entries, keep amounts in the original currency, and give dates with the month in words. For a disputed claim, the translation may become evidence, so each comes with a certificate of accuracy.
When an insurer doubts a foreign document, the question is usually authenticity, not translation. An apostille from the issuing country, where it is a party to the Apostille Convention, authenticates the signature and seal. Translate the apostille along with the document.
Outbound: notices members must understand
Three federal rules decide when health and benefit notices need another language, and they use different tests:
- ACA claims and appeals (45 CFR 147.136(e)): if 10% or more of a county's population is literate only in the same non-English language, notices to people in that county must include a statement in that language about how to get help, with translated notices and oral help on request.
- ERISA plan descriptions (29 CFR 2520.102-2(c)): when enough participants are literate only in one language, the plan must add a prominent notice in that language offering help. A full translation of the summary plan description is not required, though many employers provide one.
- Medicare Advantage (42 CFR 422.2267): required materials must be translated into any language that is the primary language of 5% or more of a plan's service area.
Health insurers that receive federal funds also fall under Section 1557's notice rule, with its top-15-languages-per-state list.
Policy documents
Policies, certificates of coverage and endorsements are contracts. If a policy is issued in two languages, say which governs. Exclusions and limitations must be translated exactly; a softer word in the translation of an exclusion is the kind of difference that ends up in court.
What we don't do
We translate documents. We do not adjust claims, investigate authenticity, or provide interpreters for recorded statements or examinations under oath.
Documents we translate for this
Death Certificate translation
Certified death certificate translation for estates, insurance claims, USCIS filings and repatriation.
Medical Records translation
Certified translation of medical records, vaccination records and reports for treatment, immigration medicals and insurance claims.
Police Certificate translation
Certified translation of FBI background checks for use abroad, and of foreign police certificates for USCIS and the NVC.
Price
$39 for the first page (up to 250 words) into English, $49 into any other language, then $0.116 per additional word. Each file is priced on its own. The signed certificate of accuracy is included.
Full pricingTurnaround
24 hours standard for most documents. Expedited service is +50% for 6–8 hours and +100% for 1–3 hours. Large files are quoted with a delivery date before you pay.
Questions
Do translated claim documents need to be notarized?
Rarely. A signed certificate of accuracy is standard. If an insurer or court asks for a notarized certificate, we notarize it for $19 per document.
Can you translate a foreign death certificate for a life insurance claim?
Yes, with a certificate of accuracy. If the insurer asks for authentication, an apostille from the issuing country is translated with it.
Must an ERISA summary plan description be translated?
Not in full. When the participant thresholds are met, the plan must add a notice in the other language offering assistance (29 CFR 2520.102-2(c)).
Do you convert foreign medical bills into dollars?
No. Amounts stay in the original currency; the claims handler applies the exchange rate for the relevant date.
Can you translate policy wording into Spanish?
Yes. Exclusions and limitations are translated exactly, and the policy should say which language version governs.
Related
Prepared by Global Certified Translations, Edgewater, NJ. Translations are signed by a State Court Certified Translator. This page explains translation requirements; it is not legal advice.
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