travel insurance regulation australia

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ASIC regulates insurance and expects your insurer to treat you honestly and fairly. Find out about ASIC’s role in insurance and how to deal with insurance disputes.

How ASIC regulates insurance

Insurance product disclosure statements (pds), resolving problems with insurance companies, insurance codes of conduct.

ASIC’s role is to ensure that insurers and insurance brokers:

• offer insurance efficiently, honestly and fairly
• employ qualified staff who are trained to perform their role
• use advertising to inform consumers, rather than to mislead them
• give consumers the proper product disclosures and do so at the right time
• promptly submit the reportable situation/s to ASIC via the ASIC Regulatory Portal
• handle any complaints properly including by accepting the decisions of the Australian Financial Complaints Authority .

We license and regulate insurers and take action against insurers who fail to comply with the financial services laws. Including when insurers are being misleading or deceptive or are acting unconscionably.

ASIC expects insurers to:

• treat customers honestly and fairly
• always put customers’ interests before their commercial interests
• only offer customers products and services that deliver value for money
• assess insurance claims promptly and pay eligible claims
• compensate customers if they conduct themselves poorly and customers incur losses as a result.

We generally do not act for individuals and only take action where it will result in a greater market impact and benefit the general public more broadly. For more information see ASIC’s approach to enforcement Information Sheet 151.

It’s a legal requirement for insurers to provide a product disclosure statement for every financial services product they offer.

ASIC sets the regulatory standards for PDSs, to ensure that they are clear, accurate and comprehensive. A PDS provides important information - on exclusions, caps, limits and other conditions – that consumers need when comparing and choosing the best insurance product.

While ASIC doesn’t act on behalf of individuals, we can and do take action against providers that fail to provide PDSs or produce PDSs or other public statements about their products that are misleading. 

Visit ASIC’s Moneysmart website for tips for buying different types of insurance .

There are three steps you can take to resolve issues with your insurance company:

Contact the insurer - Explain the issue to them by phone, in person, or in writing.

Make a formal complaint - If you are not happy with their response or if the problem can't be resolved, ask for their complaints handling procedure and put your complaint in writing.  Use Moneysmart’s tips to help you make a complaint .

• Complain to AFCA - If you don't receive a response in a reasonable time or you're unhappy with the response, you can make a complaint to the  Australian Financial Complaints Authority .

We also have specific guidance on how to deal with disputes about life insurance .

Help for Indigenous consumers

For help with making your complaint, you can contact ASIC's Indigenous Help Line on 1300 365 957.

To progress your complaint you could refer to the insurance codes of conduct. A code of conduct (or a code of practice) is a set of enforceable rules setting out an industry’s commitments to deliver a certain standard of practice. ASIC does not approve or enforce these particular codes.

Codes of conduct are intended to raise industry standards and complement legislative requirements and encourage consumer confidence.

Here are the Insurance Codes of Conduct:

• General Insurance Code of Practice
• Insurance Brokers Code of Practice
• Life Insurance Code of Practice
• Insurance in Superannuation Voluntary Code of Practice

If you believe that an insurer has breached one of these codes, you can report your concerns to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority .

Related links

• Add-on insurance
• Consumer credit insurance

Search Smartraveller

Choice travel insurance buying guide.

Do you need travel insurance? How do you choose the right cover? What are you covered for?

CHOICE answers all the questions you need to know before leaving the country.

Download the CHOICE travel insurance buying guide [PDF 3.52MB] Download the CHOICE travel insurance cheat sheet [PDF 587KB] Who is CHOICE? Set up by consumers for consumers, CHOICE is the independent consumer advocate that provides Australians with information and advice, free from commercial bias. Visit choice.com.au .

Why travel insurance?

• Does travel insurance cover COVID-19?

How to get travel insurance

Before you buy, how to save money on travel insurance.

• How to read the product disclosure statement

What are you covered for?

• Credit card insurance

How to make a complaint

If you’re leaving Australia, travel insurance is just as essential as a passport.

Holidays don’t always go as planned.

If you’re leaving Australia, travel insurance is just as essential as a passport. Medical expenses are the number one reason to get insurance, but sometimes other things can go wrong, such as trip cancellations, delays, lost luggage or even the big stuff like natural disasters and pandemics. If you end up out of pocket because of these things, insurance can make up for that.

The Australian Government won’t pay your medical bills.

In an emergency, the Australian Government can only help so much. The Consular Services Charter describes what the government can and can’t do to help Australians overseas.

If you end up injured or sick while overseas, you’ll be footing the hospital bill and the cost of flying home. If you’re really unlucky, that could cost you or your family hundreds of thousands of dollars.

68% of travellers mistakenly believe the Australian Government would ensure they get medical treatment if they need it overseas, and 43% believe the government would pay their medical bills.

Some countries won’t let you in if you don’t have insurance. 

Singapore and the UAE require you to have travel insurance. Not to mention all 26 European countries in the Schengen Area if you’re applying for a visa to visit. Read the Smartraveller travel advice for information about your destination.

Reciprocal healthcare Australia has reciprocal healthcare agreements with several countries: Belgium, Finland, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, the Republic of Ireland, Slovenia, Sweden and the United Kingdom. If you have Medicare, you can get subsidised treatment for essential services only in these countries, which often leads people to ask whether they still need travel insurance. The answer is yes, for the following reasons. You’re usually only covered for urgent care that can’t wait until you get home. If you’re very ill, travel insurance can pay for a medical escort to bring you home to Australia. You still may have to pay fees for treatment and medication. For example, in New Zealand reciprocal health care doesn’t cover you for free or subsidised care by a general practitioner or ambulance. Travel insurance can cover you for cancellations, delays, stolen items and more.

Remember to take your Medicare card with you. You’ll need it, along with your passport, to prove you’re eligible for reciprocal health care. For more information, visit servicesaustralia.gov.au .

Marco* had breathing difficulties on his way home from Europe, causing his flight to be diverted to the UAE. Hospitals in the UAE won’t admit you unless you have insurance or can pay an upfront fee. Marco’s family had to pay thousands of dollars for his treatment. *To protect privacy we have changed names and some details

Do you need domestic travel insurance?

Most of us already have medical cover at home, be it Medicare or private health insurance or both. But there are still a few key reasons to consider domestic travel insurance.

• Cancellation: If you’ve spent a lot on your holiday, then it’s not too much extra to buy travel insurance in case of the unforeseen.
• Baggage cover: If you’re travelling with valuables, think about whether you want them covered for theft, loss or damage.
• Car hire excess: You can save money using travel insurance to cover your collision damage excess, rather than paying the car hire company’s extra charge.

Does international travel insurance cover COVID-19?

Many travel insurers now offer limited cover for COVID-19, but the available cover varies quite a lot.  Some policies only cover medical and repatriation costs if you get COVID-19 overseas, while other policies provide limited cover for cancellation costs in addition to medical and repatriation costs.

You should always check the details of your insurance coverage, particularly how it applies to COVID-19 and travel disruptions.

Over 90% of travellers will look for insurance that covers them for cancellation and medical expenses caused by COVID-19.

If you’re planning to go on a cruise, be extra careful. Some travel insurers may not offer COVID-19 cover for multi-night cruises or they may restrict the cover provided on cruises.

Also, don’t rely on the travel insurance on your credit card unless you check it closely – it may not cover claims related to COVID-19.

There are cooling-off periods for COVID-19 cancellation cover, so it’s best to buy your travel insurance at the same time as you book your trip. Some insurers may only cover cancellation if you test positive to COVID-19 and the policy was purchased more than 21 days before your scheduled departure date.

Make your travel plans COVID-safe

You need to be prepared for your travel plans to be interrupted at short notice. As travel insurance may not protect you from government border closures, general lockdowns or quarantine requirements in your destination country, the key is to book only with providers that allow you flexibility should things change.

• Check the rules for travelling to your destination. For example, are there any entry requirements? What are the vaccination requirements? And what type of travel insurance do you need?
• Read the terms and conditions of your airline, accommodation and travel tours before you book. Will they refund you if you can’t travel due to COVID-19? If they only offer a reschedule or a credit, will you be in a position to redeem the credit in future?
• You can book flexible tickets for flights but be aware you usually have to pay the difference between the prices for the tickets you bought and the new tickets. So changing your flight dates at short notice can be very expensive.
• If you book through a travel agent or booking site, what are their terms and conditions? Will they refund you or provide a credit? Are there cancellation fees?
• If you pay by credit or debit card (and you selected ‘credit’ when you paid), you may have access to credit card chargebacks if something goes wrong.
• Keep on top of the latest travel advice and requirements at smartraveller.gov.au . Travel restrictions can change at short notice.
• If you do have to cancel, your travel insurer will ask you to claim what you can back from travel providers first. Read the CHOICE advice on how to get your money back on travel cancellations and ask your travel insurer if you can get a refund or partial refund of your travel insurance premium.

You can buy travel insurance from a travel insurer, travel agent, insurance broker, credit card provider, or even from your health, home or car insurer.

You can buy travel insurance online (direct from the insurer’s website, from a comparison site or through an airline booking site), over the counter or over the phone.

Buy travel insurance as soon as you know your travel dates. That way you’re covered if your trip is cancelled before you even leave or if you’re unable to travel at all.

You can certainly buy travel insurance quicker than it will take you to read this guide, but do you know what you’ll be covered for? Will you be covered if you trip over after having a drink? If you crash your scooter in Thailand? If you lose your wallet during a stopover? If you need to isolate because you contract COVID-19?

There are a lot of ‘what ifs’ to consider, depending on where you’re going and what you’ll be doing, so it’s worth reading the product disclosure statement (PDS) first to make sure you’ll be covered.

Will you use it? Hopefully not, but research by Smartraveller found that one in 4 Australian travellers experienced an insurable event on their last overseas trip. Most common insurable events Flight or tour cancelled Flight delayed more than 12 hours Received medical treatment Lost, damaged or stolen luggage Missed a connecting flight Lost, damaged or stolen cash or personal items Forced to cancel trip before departure What if the insurers don’t pay out? Australian travellers lodged almost 300,000 insurance claims in 2018–19, the last financial year before COVID-19 travel bans. Almost 90% of those were paid out. Top four reasons for declined claims Due to policy exclusions, or not included in the policy conditions Claim amount was below the excess Claim was due to a pre-existing medical condition Claim was for an item that was stolen while it was unattended

1. Where are you going?

The level of cover and the cost of travel insurance can vary depending on the region you’re travelling to, and some risks may be of greater concern than others. Not all travel insurance policies cover COVID-19 and other pandemics or epidemics such as SARS. And not all policies cover you for changing your plans due to a riot or civil commotion, for example. Travel insurance also may not be available for countries with travel alerts.

• Look up your destination on smartraveller.gov.au and make sure you’re aware of any risks or safety advice.
• Buy a policy that covers you for every country you’re travelling to or transiting through. If you’re going to Europe via a one-night stopover in the US, then get cover for the US and Europe. Usually a worldwide policy will cover this.

86% of travellers say they’re more cautious after the COVID-19 pandemic about travelling to places where it could prove harder to return home in a crisis.

You need different cover for different regions

Insurers sometimes apply policies to regions rather than having a policy for each destination.

Asia Pacific: Destinations such as New Zealand, Bali, Fiji and Papua New Guinea.

Asia: Destinations such as India, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia.

Europe: Destinations such as the United Kingdom, Ireland and Western Europe.

Worldwide: All of the above as well as regions such as North America, South America, Japan and Africa.

These definitions differ for each insurer. For example, several insurers cover travel to Bali under their Pacific policy, while some will only cover travel to Bali under their Asian region policy.

2. How long are you going for?

Just a quick trip? Simply buy a standalone travel insurance policy for a set number of days.

Travel often? Consider an annual multi-trip policy or a credit card with complimentary travel insurance, but make sure it gives you the cover you need.

Tip: Annual multi-trip policies and credit card policies can restrict the length of each trip you take – anywhere from 15 to 365 days depending on your policy. Some allow you to pay for extra days.

3. What are you going to do there?

Cruising the open road on a moped? Carving up the ski slopes? Partying at a wedding? These things aren’t necessarily included in a travel insurance policy.

Scan the insurer’s list of included activities and those that you’ll have to pay extra for. And take it easy on the grog – if your alcohol or drug intake is the cause of an adverse event, it won’t be covered by your policy.

4. Are you taking any valuable items?

Do you need cover for a digital SLR camera or an expensive tablet or laptop? Cover for such valuables can vary from a few hundred dollars to thousands, and higher cover will often mean a higher premium.

Consider adding cover for portable valuables to your home insurance policy instead, but check on the excess and if the policy will cover you worldwide and not just in Australia.

Policies also vary when it comes to how they cover valuable items. Valuables in your check-in luggage often aren’t covered, while cover for baggage stored in your hire car is inconsistent. And baggage left unattended is never covered, which can include a bag that is stolen from the seat beside you in a restaurant while you’re looking the other way.

Make sure you have receipts for your valuables as travel insurance will not pay if you can’t prove you own them.

5.   Do you have any medical conditions?

If you have a medical condition that existed before you bought your policy, it may not be covered. This can range from something as common as allergies or asthma through to diabetes, heart conditions and knee replacements.

If you’re not sure, the best thing to do is contact the insurer to ask whether they’ll cover your condition automatically or whether you need to do an assessment.

The Massoud family* was holidaying in Singapore when 13-year-old Nazreen had a recurrence of severe bronchitis, which had affected her in Australia before their trip. The family’s travel insurer refused to pay any hospital bills as Nazreen’s bronchitis was a pre-existing medical condition. As a result, the Massouds had to ask their friends to transfer the $17,000 they needed to cover Nazreen’s hospital expenses, additional accommodation and the cost of changing flights. *To protect privacy we have changed names and some details

It’s important to compare policies for cost and cover. Some travel insurance premiums increased by as much as 30% between March and June 2022.

Three-quarters (77%) of travellers are willing to pay more for insurance that covers pandemic-related claims.

The further out from your departure date that you buy travel insurance, the more you’re likely to pay for it, but you’ll be covered from the moment you buy your policy. For example, if you buy insurance 2 months before you fly, you effectively have cheap cover for any events that affect your travel plans in those 2 months.

If you pay for your trip in full 6 months in advance, but you only buy an insurance policy 2 weeks before you depart, you may not be covered for any cancellation costs if you contract COVID-19.

Left it until the last minute, or even later? Only a few insurers let you buy insurance once you’re already overseas (look for the ‘Have you already left Australia?’ checkbox when viewing policy options).

While not all policies offer online discounts, plenty do. Make sure you understand the policy and what it covers. Sometimes (but not always) a reduced price may mean reduced cover.

Tip: Check asic.gov.au/afslicensing to find out whether the agent has an Australian financial services (AFS) licence or is an authorised representative of a licence holder. Take the usual precautions when giving your credit card and other details over the internet.

Member discounts

Does your health, car or home insurance provider also sell travel insurance? Some companies give 10–15% discounts to existing members.

Shop around

Trying to negotiate with a website will probably get you nowhere, but if you’re buying over the phone or through a travel agent, give it a go. Travel agents pocket a commission when they sell you insurance, so if you find a better deal elsewhere, ask them if they can beat it.

Almost two-thirds (62%) of overseas travellers who buy insurance do so on or before the day of booking travel.

Use your credit card

Some credit cards come with ‘free’ travel insurance when you use them to buy a ticket, pay for other travel expenses or otherwise activate it (we say ‘free’ because you’ll pay a premium in fees for the card itself).

This type of insurance can sometimes be a money-saver, and the level of cover can be just as good or even better than standard insurance, but make sure it gives you the cover you need.

Compromise on cover

While good medical cover is always essential, you could save money on your premium by choosing a policy with lower or variable cover for cancellation, delays and lost baggage, especially if you aren’t spending big on your holiday or taking expensive items with you.

Have you read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS)? According to research conducted in 2022, of those who bought travel insurance: 45% have skim-read the PDS 43% have read the PDS in detail 8% have left the PDS to another person on the policy to read 2% have not and will not read the PDS 2% don’t know

About that fine print

You’re about to click ‘buy’, so you may as well just tick this ‘I acknowledge I’ve read the product disclosure statement’ checkbox and bon voyage…

But wait – have you checked the fine print? In the insurance world, that ‘fine print’ is contained in the product disclosure statement, or PDS (that thing you said you’d read).

How to read the PDS

There are hundreds of policies out there and if you tried to read all the paperwork that comes with each policy, you’d have to extend your holiday just to recover.

If you don’t have time to read the whole PDS cover to cover, at least look for the following.

• The table of benefits is an overall summary of your cover.
• The policy cover section is essential reading and is generally split into ‘what we will pay for’ and ‘what we won’t pay for’.
• General exclusions are also essential reading – these are events that aren’t covered by any section of the policy.
• Pre-existing conditions can remind you of forgotten ailments and are essential reading for anyone with any kind of medical condition, no matter how mild.
• The word definition table might contain a few surprises – it’s a good place to check on the definition of a ‘relative’ or a ‘moped’, for example.
• The claims section lists some further pointers to be aware of (e.g. it’s a good idea not to admit fault or liability in the case of an accident) and the paperwork you may need to collect while you’re away if you need to make a claim, such as police reports.
• COVID-19 cover section – many policies have a special section listing medical, cancellation and other cover available for COVID-19.
• The 24-hour emergency assistance contact number (write it down and keep it handy).

The Weaver* family was relieved to have travel insurance when they needed to cancel their holiday. The family wanted to go skiing in New Zealand, but a few days before they were due to depart, 12-year-old Ruby had cold symptoms. A COVID-19 test showed she was positive. Ruby and her whole family had to isolate and their travel insurance paid their cancellation costs. *This is a fictitious but realistic example

The list of travel insurance disputes taken to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) reveals a battlefield of unread or misinterpreted terms and conditions. Between 1 July 2020 and 30 June 2021, AFCA received more than 2,000 travel insurance complaints related to COVID-19.

Not all travel insurance policies are the same, and the wrong policy can be almost as bad as none at all.

Peter* and his business partner had booked a business trip to South Korea and Japan from 21 February 2020 to 2 March 2020. On 20 February, Peter cancelled the trip on advice of his GP who said that due to the uncertainty of the extent of the COVID-19 outbreak, he should postpone the trip until it is safe to travel. Peter’s travel insurer denied his claim, saying the policy does not provide cover for cancellation due to medical advice. Peter made a complaint and AFCA ruled in his favour as COVID-19 had been publicly announced as an epidemic prior to Peter cancelling the trip and the doctor’s advice not to travel was prudent and reasonable. *To protect privacy we have changed names and some details

Checklist – Are you covered for COVID-19? Are your medical costs covered if you contract COVID-19? Are your extra expenses such as accommodation covered if you can’t travel or your stay gets extended because you or your travelling companion tests positive to COVID-19? What happens if you were going to stay with someone but they’ve contracted COVID-19? Or your accommodation or tour company gets closed down because of COVID-19? Are your additional expenses covered? If the Smartraveller alert level is raised to ‘Reconsider your need to travel’ or ‘Do not travel’ due to a COVID-19 outbreak at your destination after you took out travel insurance, are you covered if you cancel your trip? Are your cancellation costs covered if you can’t travel or can’t return on your booked flights because you or your travelling companion contracted COVID-19? Are you covered for cancellation costs if your business partner or a relative back home gets sick with COVID-19 and you need to return earlier than planned? If you’re planning to go on a cruise, be extra careful. Some travel insurers may not offer COVID-19 cover for multi-night cruises. Are you covered for claims caused by government travel bans, border closures, or mandatory quarantine or self-isolation requirements at your destination?

And what are the catches?

Cancellations, baggage and personal items, sports and activities.

This is the number one reason to buy international travel insurance. Look for the insurer’s benefits table, usually on the quotes screen online or near the front of their PDS, for a quick overview of what they’re offering. Most policies have an ‘unlimited’ sum insured.

Pre-existing conditions

Some insurers don’t cover pre-existing conditions at all. Some will only cover pre-existing conditions with an extra fee and sometimes a medical assessment. Some automatically cover pre-existing conditions listed in their PDS, although few will cover mental illnesses such as depression or anxiety.

Insurers exclude cover for certain pre-existing medical conditions and generally don’t provide cover for any illnesses or incidents that arise from these. This includes terminal illness or any illness that shortens your life expectancy as well as organ transplants.

Minor pre-existing medical conditions such as asthma, hypertension, diabetes, epilepsy, osteopenia and more are usually covered if:

the condition has been stable for more than 12 months

there is no planned surgery

you have not received treatment in the past 12 months.

Pre-existing condition spoiling your holiday plans? findaninsurer.com.au lists insurers that may provide cover for pre-existing conditions. Still having trouble finding cover? Enlist the help of an insurance broker.

Examples of conditions that usually need to be assessed before getting cover are coronary problems, lung disease, epilepsy, stroke or any surgeries in the last 2 years.

If in doubt, declare your condition to your insurer.

A disability shouldn’t prevent you from buying travel insurance, but it might make finding a good policy trickier and more expensive.

Is a disability a pre-existing condition?

It depends on the disability and the insurer. Many insurers will automatically cover travellers with limited mobility, cognitive impairments or vision/hearing impairments. But in some cases, this cover may come at an extra cost.

Check with the insurer, as some conditions will need to be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Having trouble getting cover?

Under the Disability Discrimination Act, insurers must assess the actual risks, rather than make assumptions about disabilities. If you’re having trouble getting insurance, a letter from a medical professional might help, particularly if they can state that you’re not likely to need medical or hospital treatment while on your trip.

Cover for your equipment

If you’re travelling with a wheelchair, mobility aid or hearing aid, you’ll need to insure that as well. Check single item limits, which are usually between $750 and $1,000 per item. If you have a piece of medical equipment that exceeds this, you’ll need to specify it and insure it separately.

Many insurance policies exclude hearing aids, so check the fine print and take out extra insurance if necessary.

Cover for your carer

If you’re travelling with a carer, it’s a good idea to be on the same policy in case travel plans change for either of you – that way you’re both covered. If you have a paid carer, ask your insurer whether they’ll cover the cost of a replacement carer should yours be unable to travel.

Babymooning

If you’re travelling while pregnant, be sure to check the following.

• Are you covered for pregnancy complications? Some insurers don’t cover pregnancy at all.
• Up until which stage of pregnancy? Pregnancy complications are usually only covered up until a certain stage (often between 23 and 32 weeks, depending on the insurer).
• Childbirth: Not all insurers will cover childbirth. A premature birth in the US with intensive care and treatment could end up costing hundreds of thousands of dollars.
• IVF: Not all insurers will cover IVF pregnancies.
• Do you have to pay extra to be covered?
• Do you need medical approval to be covered?

Mental health

Many travel insurers won’t provide cover of any kind for hospitalisation, medication or missed travel caused by a mental health condition, whether that’s depression, anxiety or a psychotic episode.

Others will provide cover if you declare mental illness as a pre-existing condition and pay a higher premium. Check the PDS carefully; insurers may use different terms to describe the same mental health conditions, giving them wriggle room to deny a claim.

Insurers are highly unlikely to pay a mental health-related claim if they discover it was a pre-existing condition that you didn’t declare. The trouble is, an insurer might view a single visit to a therapist many years ago because of work stress, for example, as a pre-existing mental health condition.

Mental health and travel insurance have been a contentious issue for consumer rights groups including CHOICE – and it’s one that’s still evolving from a legal standpoint.

To find out if a travel insurance product includes mental health cover, check choice.com.au/travelinsurance , filtering for ‘mental illness related claims’. Then put the PDS under the microscope.

A woman in Victoria won a court case against her insurer after they declined her claim for the cancellation of an overseas trip due to depression. ‘We took out the travel insurance well in advance of the travel, and well before my depression. I was certainly under the impression that I was covered,’ she told CHOICE. ‘They just sent back a letter that said no.’ But her win (the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal awarded her $4,292 for economic loss and a further $15,000 for non-economic loss) was an isolated ruling. It’s still being debated whether or not a general exclusion for mental health claims is legal.

Most policies have an age limit, ranging right up to the 100-year-old seasoned adventurer. There are quite a few catches for older travellers, though.

• Higher premiums: Insurers often charge older travellers more, and in some cases ‘older’ can be as young as 50. 
• Higher excess: Travellers as young as 60 but more commonly over 80 may be subject to a higher excess because of their age. The normal excess of around $100 to $200 is often increased to an excess of $2,000 to $3,000 for travellers 80 years and over for claims that relate to injury or illness.
• Restricted conditions: Subject to medical assessment’, ‘reduced medical cover limits’, ‘reduced travel time’, ‘policy to be purchased 6 months in advance’ – all of these conditions can apply to travellers over a certain age.

You’ll probably want to be covered if your travel plans are cancelled for any reason, but be aware that insurers will come up with plenty of excuses to avoid paying up.

• Terrorism: Most insurers cover medical expenses but very few cover cancellation expenses in the event of terrorism.
• Pandemic or epidemic: Commonly excluded.
• Military action: Commonly excluded.
• Natural disaster: Covered more often than not.
• Travel provider/agent insolvency: Commonly excluded.
• Cancellation due to travel provider’s fault: Insurers commonly exclude cover for delays or rescheduling caused by the transport provider.

John* and his partner’s scheduled train service was delayed, seriously diverted, then terminated, which meant they missed their flight home by several hours. Re-booking fees, emergency accommodation and related fees cost them between $1,000 and $1,500, but the insurer wouldn’t pay the claim as it wasn’t in the policy. *To protect privacy we have changed names and some details

‘Unforeseen’

When an insurer refers to cover for ‘unforeseen circumstances’, it means something that wasn’t publicised in the media or official government websites when you bought the policy. Check the Smartraveller travel advice when you buy your travel insurance. If it became known before you bought the policy, you’re not covered. So the earlier you buy travel insurance, the more likely you are to be covered for the unexpected.

Exclusions and inclusions

When the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) looks at a complaint about an insurer, they expect you to prove the claim is covered by the policy, while the insurer must prove the claim is excluded by the policy. Specifically, AFCA expects you to ‘establish on the balance of probabilities that you suffered a loss caused by an event to which the policy responds’. That is, do you have a valid claim?

This means that you need to understand if your claim is covered under the listed events of the policy, or that it is not specifically excluded by the policy.

If, for example, you have cover for COVID-19, you aren’t covered for every event caused by the pandemic, but just by what is specifically stated in the PDS.

Margaret and Peter* booked a cruise departing from Darwin in March 2021. Shortly before departure, the Northern Territory Government issued a directive no longer allowing cruises to depart from the NT. Margaret and Peter’s cruise company arranged for the cruise to depart from Broome and flew the passengers to Broome for a cost of $300 per person. As Margaret had bought a policy that included some cover for COVID-19, she made a claim for $600. But this was denied by her travel insurer and her subsequent complaint to AFCA was unsuccessful. AFCA said, ‘The cause of the loss was a government directive to not permit the cruise to operate through the NT port. The insurer’s policy provides no cover for these circumstances. It also excludes losses arising from government intervention, prohibition or regulation.’ *To protect privacy we have changed names and some details

Travel insurance and Smartraveller advice Smartraveller, managed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), assigns an overall advice level to more than 175 destinations. This advice level can affect your travel insurance cover. The advice levels are: Level 1  – Exercise normal safety precautions. COVERED. Level 2  – Exercise a high degree of caution. COVERED. Level 3  – Reconsider your need to travel. CHECK. Level 4  – Do not travel. USUALLY NOT COVERED. Travel warnings can work in your favour. If an insurer excludes cover for an event, they may still cover you to change your plans in response to updated advice from Smartraveller. But beware when travelling to a destination that has a ‘Do not travel’ warning. Most standard policies won’t cover you for ‘Do not travel’ destinations, including for COVID-19. A week after a volcanic eruption made world news, Sameer* booked a trip to Bali. He assumed the emergency would be over by the time he was due to fly a month later. Unfortunately, the volcano continued to erupt and Sameer’s flight was cancelled. His insurer declined his claim because he’d bought the flight and insurance after Smartraveller issued a travel alert about the volcanic eruption, and after it had been in the news. *To protect privacy we have changed names and some details

Delays can be expensive, particularly if you have to pay for alternative transport or accommodation. And those extra expenses won’t always be covered.

• Transport delay is only covered after a certain number of hours, usually 6, but you may have to wait as long as 12 hours before your cover kicks in.
• Cover limits for transport delays are typically lower than other cover limits and are often limited per 24-hour period.
• Insurers often exclude cover for rescheduling caused by the transport provider but some may cover additional accommodation and travel expenses in this scenario for travellers who are en route.

Baggage cover varies widely, with travel insurance policies ranging from $0 to $30,000. So, if you’re not carrying expensive items, you may be able to save on your premium by selecting a policy that provides lower coverage.

• Individual items are subject to sub-limits that range from around $250 to as much as $5,000.
• Higher item limits usually apply for electronic items like laptops, cameras, smartphones and tablets.
• You can pay extra to specify items you want extra cover for (insurers are always happy for you to pay extra).
• Valuables locked in a car or checked in on an airline, train or bus may not be covered.
• Generally, any items left unattended may be excluded from cover, so keep your belongings close.

Jing* sat down to try on a pair of shoes in a busy London shoe shop, placing her handbag next to her on the seat. When she stood up to leave, she discovered her bag was gone. Her insurer refused to pay up because she had left her bag unattended in a public place. *To protect privacy we have changed names and some details

Lost luggage

If an airline loses your luggage temporarily and doesn’t compensate you for that loss, you may be able to claim expenses for clothing, toiletries and other necessities, depending on your policy.

• Cover usually only applies to luggage lost for more than 12 hours, though the minimum time limit varies per insurer, as does the level of cover.
• If your policy has an excess (a fee that’s deductible from your payout), remember that this applies once per claimed event, and items below the excess level can’t be claimed.

Angelo and Diane* tried to claim $112 for meals and drinks when their connecting flight to Hawaii was delayed by 8 hours. Although their policy technically covered them for the cost, they were liable for an excess of $250, so their claim was denied. *To protect privacy we have changed names and some details

If you don’t feel like paying the ‘extra insurance’ the car hire company charges, then use the collision damage excess cover in your travel insurance.

Tip: Stick with recognised car rental companies in this case since this cover only applies if the car hire company already has its own comprehensive insurance.

Do you have the right licence?

Some countries require you to have an international driving permit. If you have an accident while driving on the wrong licence (or breaking that country’s law in any other way), you may not be covered.

Cruise-specific insurance

Cruises aren’t automatically included in all travel insurance policies. If you’re going on a cruise, make sure you have the right cover.

The Department of Health says: ‘Cruise ships carry a higher risk for spreading disease compared to other non-essential activities and transport modes. COVID-19, influenza and other infectious diseases such as gastroenteritis spread easily between people living and socialising in close quarters.’

Check travel insurance policies to make sure medical cover for COVID-19 is included, as some policies exclude this cover. Erica* stumbled and broke her femur during stormy seas while on a cruise. Her insurer covered the cost of evacuation and a partial hip replacement at a hospital in Noumea. They also organised and paid for her son to fly to Noumea to help her recover and return home to Australia. Five months later, the well-travelled 82-year-old was boarding a plane to Croatia for her next (fully insured) adventure. *To protect privacy we have changed names and some details

Not leaving Australian waters?

You still need insurance. Doctors working on cruise ships don’t need Medicare provider numbers, so if they treat you, you can’t claim on Medicare or your private health insurance, even if you’re still in Australian waters.

Domestic travel insurance doesn’t cover medical costs, so you need either international travel insurance (check that it covers domestic cruises) or a domestic cruise policy.

Kerry* thought she’d done the right thing buying an annual multi-trip international travel insurance policy for a number of upcoming holidays, one of which was a round-trip cruise departing from and returning to Fremantle, Western Australia, with no port stops. When she had to cancel due to ill health, she discovered her policy wouldn’t cover her because the trip wasn’t considered an international one. *To protect privacy we have changed names and some details

When CHOICE compares travel insurers, we look at who covers which sports and adventure activities, such as skiing, ballooning, bungee jumping and scuba diving, to name a few.

But as always with insurance, the PDS may include some surprises. For example, several insurers we’ve reviewed will cover canyoning but they won’t cover abseiling, often a necessity in canyoning. Other policies in our comparison will cover abseiling, but not into a canyon.

If you’re planning on doing anything adventurous, check to make sure you’re covered. It’s not enough to simply look for the tick next to your chosen activity – you also need to check the definitions in the PDS.

Motorcycles and mopeds

Hiring a motorcycle or moped? Depending on which country you’re in, you might need a local or international motorcycle licence. You probably won’t be covered if you aren’t obeying the local law. And even if you are doing the right thing under local law, some policies still won’t cover you unless you have a motorcycle licence.

Are you wearing a helmet? Most countries say you need one by law, but that doesn’t mean it will be included in your hire. No helmet means no cover (in more ways than one).

Nhung* was injured after she rented a moped in Thailand only to find out the engine size was not covered by her insurance policy. Most insurers adopt the national standard for the definition of a moped – an engine capacity under 50cc. If the engine is bigger than that, it’s a motorcycle and you’ll need an Australian motorcycle licence. *To protect privacy we have changed names and some details

Skiing and snowboarding

Some insurers cover skiing, often for an extra premium, but not so many cover skiing off-piste (away from the groomed runs). So, if you’re tempted to slide off the beaten path next time you hit the slopes, make sure you have a policy that covers off-piste ski runs (or pay for the optional extra cover).

Otherwise, if you run into a tree and have to be evacuated from the mountains, you may need to  think about selling your home to pay for it.

It’s worth remembering that travel insurance only covers overseas costs. So if you break a leg while you’re abroad, your insurer will likely pay your hospital fees, but they won’t cover your ongoing physiotherapy once you’re back home.

Marianna* fractured her leg in 3 places while skiing with her partner and children in Japan. Because the family had bought additional cover for winter sports, they were reimbursed $35,466 for medical expenses, additional transport and accommodation, the cost of a nanny to look after the children, and business class flights back to Australia. *To protect privacy we have changed names and some details

Alcohol and drugs

Overdoing it on vodka and float-tubing down a river isn’t likely to be covered by any policy. Insurers simply won’t pay for costs arising from you being under the influence of alcohol or drugs (except where taken under the advice of a doctor).

Even one or 2 drinks could be enough of an excuse for insurers to get out of paying.

Relatives can be relative Many policies cover the costs to travel home if one of your relatives dies or becomes sick. Bear in mind: an insurer’s definition of a ‘relative’ may differ from yours cover is usually dependent on the age of that relative, so the death of your 84-year-old grandma may not be covered your relatives are subject to the same pre-existing condition exclusions as you, so if your 84-year-old grandma died from a known heart condition, you may not be covered. you may be able to apply for your relative’s pre-existing condition to be assessed before you buy the policy. cover is limited to relatives that live in Australia, or in some cases New Zealand. So if your 84-year-old grandma is in China, you won’t be covered to fly there for her funeral. Amanda* and her husband had booked an overseas diving trip, but shortly before the trip Amanda’s mum passed away from pneumonia. They cancelled their trip and incurred cancellation costs and lost deposits of nearly $13,000. As the death of a parent was covered in their policy, Amanda made a claim. Their insurer denied the claim as Amanda’s mum lived in the United States and was undergoing treatment for lung cancer, so the insurer concluded that her death was caused by a pre-existing condition. *To protect privacy we have changed names and some details

So you’ve booked and paid for your holiday through a travel agent, but then the travel agent goes broke. You’ll get your money back, right? Not necessarily.

Only a few insurers will cover you for the insolvency of a travel provider, and that includes hotels, airlines and other transport companies that might go broke overnight (remember Ansett?). But there are a few ways to safeguard your hard-earned holiday.

• Check whether your insurer covers you for insolvency.
• Check whether your travel agent has insolvency insurance (this isn’t compulsory, so only some will have it).
• Pay with your credit card. Some banks allow a chargeback if you pay for something on your credit card and don’t end up actually getting it.

Tip: Don’t accept any dodgy contract terms that require you to give up your chargeback rights.

2 out of 3 travellers assume their travel insurance will cover insolvency, but in 2017 less than a third of insurers actually provided this cover.

Credit card travel insurance

Some credit cards come with complimentary travel insurance. They’ll cover you for all the usual things like medical emergencies, cancellation and protection for baggage and items. But they do differ from standalone policies, so it’s essential you check the fine print.

• Fees: You’ll pay a premium for these credit cards, usually between $100 and $450 per year.
• Excess: The excess on credit card policies tends to be fixed at a higher rate (usually around $250), whereas it’s more variable on standalone policies.
• Age limits: Some credit card policies have no age limit, which can be handy for older travellers.
• Regions: Credit card travel insurance is not based on location, which means you can travel from Europe to the US without having to worry if your policy covers both areas. Bear in mind though that some regions (such as countries under United Nations embargo) may be excluded, and sometimes with US underwriters, travel to Cuba is excluded.
• Baggage cover: Credit card insurance often offers higher coverage for baggage loss and damage.
• Trip duration: Credit card insurance policies vary in how many days of coverage they’ll give you per trip – anywhere from a few weeks to 365 days – so check your limit if you’re going on a long holiday.
• Pre-existing conditions: Chances are your credit card insurance won’t automatically cover your pre-existing condition. You’ll need to call your insurer and see if you need to pay an extra fee or premium.
• Domestic travel: Credit card insurance doesn’t apply to domestic travel, although some cards will reimburse expenses associated with domestic flight delays and missed connections to international flights.
• Making a claim: You may not be able to claim reimbursement unless you pay for purchases (such as emergency items after a baggage delay) with the same credit card.

27% of travellers who plan to buy travel insurance will get it through their credit card.

Is it activated?

Credit card insurance usually activates when you buy your air tickets (or sometimes other transport or accommodation expenses) using your card.

• Policies require a minimum spend to activate – usually around $500. So if you scored your tickets on sale for $499, you won’t be covered.
• If you want cover for your spouse or dependants, you must also buy their tickets on your card.
• Some policies only activate if you book a return ticket. A one-way flight, or even 2 one-way flights, will leave you uninsured.
• Some banks require you to notify them in order to get full coverage for each trip. While base coverage will still give you emergency medical treatment, you might not get coverage for property damage or luggage delays. Check whether you need to do anything to activate any extra features.
• Some cards will cover you if you use rewards points to buy your tickets. Others won’t.

Is it worth it?

If you already have a credit card and use it regularly, the free comprehensive travel insurance on your card can save you money. And if you’re a regular traveller without a credit card, it’s worth considering if you travel at least once a year or every second year internationally.

David* booked a trip to North America for himself and his family, including his 11-year-old daughter Petra. The trip was cancelled because Petra got pneumonia. Unfortunately, David only activated his credit card travel insurance about an hour before the family was scheduled to fly out of Australia. The travel insurer denied his claim for cancellation costs because he knew about his daughter’s illness when he activated the policy. *To protect privacy we have changed names and some details

Have you been knocked back on an insurance claim and want to dispute it?

Internal dispute resolution

Complain to the insurer first. They’ll usually keep you up to date about the progress of your complaint every 10 business days.

Once you’ve lodged your case and all the supporting information and documents, the insurer has 45 days to complete its internal dispute resolution process.

External dispute resolution

If you aren’t happy with the insurer’s decision, you can take your complaint to the Australian Financial Complaint Authority (AFCA). They’ll handle your case for free.

• The AFCA will mediate between you and the insurer to find a resolution.
• If mediation is unsuccessful, they may make a preliminary assessment or give a determination straight away on your dispute.
• A determination is legally binding on the insurer but not on you.
• There’s no appeal process with AFCA.
• For more information, visit afca.org.au .

Legal action

If you’re unhappy with the AFCA determination, you might want to consider taking legal action against the insurance company.

Keep your travel insurance details with you at all times while on your trip and share them with family or friends before you leave.

Related content

No matter who you are, where you're going and what you're doing, get travel insurance. Learn how to choose a policy that's right for you.

This page provides mature travellers with information to prepare for a hassle-free journey. Properly preparing before you travel will help you have a safe trip.

Browse our general advice pages on a range of travel topics, to learn what you need to know before you go.

TRAVEL INSURANCE

We recommend purchasing travel insurance as soon as you book your trip so that you’ll be covered for events that may disrupt your travel plans before you have even left home.

Back to Insurance

Travel insurance covers things like loss of luggage, medical emergencies, theft and travel delays while you’re travelling, and may also cover you for unexpected events before you leave that may disrupt your travel plans. Cover for medical emergencies is particularly important because the cost of medical care in some countries for uninsured people can be very high, or the medical facilities available may be of a lower standard than you would expect in Australia.

Policies will state dollar limits for each event covered. Travel insurance will cover you for a set period or, if you travel often, you can purchase an annual travel policy.

Travel insurance usually does not cover:

• Injury from extreme sports (e.g. bungee jumping or white water rafting)
• 'At risk’ activities like parachuting, abseiling, skiing, riding a moped or motorbike
• Any injury sustained while under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• Illness or injury caused by a pre-existing medical condition
• Pregnancy-related costs (not all insurers will automatically cover women over 22 weeks’ gestation)
• Loss or injury from acts of terrorism, war and some natural disasters
• Loss or theft of unattended luggage (check your insurer’s definition of ‘unattended’)
• Claims for travel to areas where an official travel warning has been issued
• Losses incurred due to the financial failure of an airline, hotel, other travel operator, or your travel agent.

Read the product disclosure statement (PDS) to find out what’s covered and what’s excluded, especially if you’re planning any unusual activities or you have any pre-existing conditions. Be honest with the insurer regarding any pre-existing conditions, including mental health issues, or the insurer could void your policy should you need to make a claim.

Policies differ between insurers so compare what is and isn’t covered as well as cost when choosing travel insurance to suit your needs.

Airline travel insurance

Some airlines offer you insurance when buying tickets online. It may seem convenient, but it’s smart to go through the same comparison process, comparing cost and cover, before you agree to buy it. Watch out for websites that automatically select insurance for you, especially if you’re travelling domestically.

Credit card travel insurance

Some credit card providers offer ‘complimentary’ insurance for overseas travel.

To be covered, you may need to pay for some, or all, of your travel costs with your credit card. Each policy is different, so check what it actually covers and how to activate it.

Check the terms and conditions carefully to make sure the policy suits your needs. Also check who is covered, it may only cover the cardholder, not your spouse, children, or additional cardholders.

Before you leave home

Take a copy of your insurance policy with you when you are travelling, have an electronic copy on your smartphone and a paper copy in your luggage. Documents should include the policy number, details of what is covered and contact details of the insurer for assistance.

Before you leave home, take photos of any expensive items you’re taking with you, record the serial numbers, copy purchase receipts and make sure they’re covered under your policy. Also make a copy of your passport and any other identification documents you are taking with you.

Making a claim on your travel insurance

If you need to lodge a claim, inform your insurer that you intend to make a claim as soon as possible. Some insurers require you to inform them of any incidents within 24 hours. Be completely honest about events and any mitigating circumstances. There can be serious consequences for making a false claim.

Evidence required to lodge a claim could include:

• Proof of travel – to verify the details of your trip, e.g. flight details, itineraries and hotel confirmations.
• Doctor’s report – to prove you became sick or injured while travelling. Written confirmation should be provided by a qualified member of the medical or dental profession.
• Police report – if something was stolen, you were injured in an accident or you were the victim of a crime. Your insurer is likely to ask for proof that the incident was reported to the police.
• Valuations and proof of purchase – to prove that you own the item that was lost or stolen and verify how much it cost. This applies to items you’ve brought with you on your trip and anything you purchased along the way.

Keep a copy of your claim, including all the attachments, and proof of submission (eg. your sent email or registered post details).

Super can be much harder to quantify  if you are a member of  MSBS or DFRDB , known as defined benefit schemes . This is because  the bulk of your super benefit will  likely  be in the form of a lifetime indexed pension, based on your years of service and final average salary. The longer you stay in Defence, the larger your lifetime pension. This cannot easily be compared to a standard accumulation super fund. Please contact  the  Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation (CSC)  for an estimate or your current benefit.  

If you have an accumulation super fund, like ADF Super, it’s much easier to compare the superannuation you get from Defence with that of a civilian employer. Generally employers pay super at a rate of 9.5% of your ordinary salary and allowances, Defence pays super to accumulation fund members at a rate of 16.4%, well above the minimum requirement.

You may not appreciate the value of your generous superannuation benefits now, but you certainly will in years to come.

ADF members receive, statutory death and invalidity cover, and rehabilitation services if needed. To replace this cover in civilian employment, you may need to take out personal insurance, such as death, disability, trauma and income protection. The cost would depend on your age and personal circumstances but could cost thousands of dollars a year.

The ADF offers free education and training and/or study assistance schemes. If you’ve been receiving tertiary education at no cost or received any form of study assistance, consider what it might cost to continue your education outside Defence.

Take some time to think about these and any other benefits provided to you by Defence to get a better understanding of the real value of your employment package.

As an ADF member you will usually receive subsidised housing or rental assistance if you are not living in your own home. If you buy a home to live in you may be eligible for a range of other assistance schemes.

If you are receiving rental assistance you can calculate the value by multiplying the fortnightly assistance amount by 26 to get an approximate annual benefit.

If you’re in service housing you can estimate your benefit by deducting the rent contribution taken out of your pay, from the amount of rent you would pay each fortnight for a similar property in the same area. Multiply the result by 26 to estimate your annual benefit.

H ousing assistance schemes  for members buying a property   include  the   Defence Home Ownership Assistance Scheme (DHOAS) ,  Home purchase assistance scheme (HPAS)  and  Home purchase or sale expenses allowance (HPSEA)

Serving ADF members receive a range of healthcare benefits, including free medical and dental treatments, rehabilitation services, psychological support and access to fitness facilities like gyms, pools and sporting fields.

To put a value on these benefits, think about what you might be paying for if you were not an ADF member. For example, what would it cost you for private health insurance, prescriptions, physiotherapist, dentist, specialist visits, gym membership or other fitness related costs?

Medicare and private health insurance

Medicare covers the costs of being admitted to hospital as a public patient, some of the fees charged by GPs and other medical professionals, and subsidised prescription costs for medicines listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). ADF members don’t pay the Medicare levy, currently 2% of taxable income.

Private health insurance covers some or all of the cost of a range of services not covered by Medicare, for example, a private hospital and the doctor of your choice, as well as ancillary services such as dental, optical and physiotherapy, not covered by Medicare.

Your pay consists of a base salary, with the addition of employment-related allowances. Your base salary can be found at the top of your payslip on the right, listed as ‘Annual salary’. If you need help reading your payslip, see the ADF guide on  Pay and Allowances .

Note:  From 13 May 2021, service, trainee, reserve and uniform allowances will be rolled into a single ‘Military salary’.

The earnings section of your payslip lists any allowances you receive. The amount in the ‘Current’ column is the amount you get every fortnight for each allowance. You can add allowances by typing in the name of the allowance in the ‘Add allowance’ box and clicking the + symbol.

Deployments

A deployment provides some ADF members with additional allowances that are not part of regular pay. We have not included these allowances in the calculation of your remuneration package, however, you may want to take the additional deployment allowances into account if you are comparing your ADF remuneration with civilian employment.

Medium-term goals are those that you want to achieve in 3-6 years. This could include saving for a home deposit, paying off your car or paying down all your loan debts. Having a budget and your goals written down.

Long-term goals are plans you want to achieve in around 7 years or more. This could include buying a home or paying off your mortgage, paying for your children’s education or saving for retirement.

For long-term goals think about investing some of your money. Get some financial advice to work out a good investment strategy to reach your goals.

MSBS is a hybrid defined benefit and accumulation super scheme which closed to new members on 30 June 2016. If you are an MSBS member, your benefit will consist of a lifetime indexed pension (employer component) based on your final average salary and years of service. Some or all of this benefit can be taken as a lump sum when you have met a condition of release (the defined benefit). The scheme also has a member component made up of your compulsory and voluntary personal contributions, ancillary contributions and investment returns, that you will also receive as a lump sum when you have met a condition of release (the accumulation benefit).

The pension component can be taken from age 55. If you are retiring or resigning from the ADF after reaching age 55 or are entitled to a Class A or Class B invalidity pension, you will be eligible for a pension when you leave the Service.  For all other members, your employer benefit will freeze and be preserved, increasing with CPI each year, until you are eligible to receive it.

The member component of your benefit may be left in MSBS, where it will increase with investment returns each year until you access it, or it can be rolled over to another complying super fund.

For more information contact the  Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation (CSC) .

If you joined the ADF for the first time after 30 June 2016, you will fall under the ADF superannuation arrangement, and will be a member of an accumulation fund, such as ADF Super. If you had previously served, and are a member of MSBS, you will be re-entered into MSBS on rejoining the Service.

For accumulation fund (eg. ADF Super) members, your benefit will be a lump sum based on contributions and investment returns. When you leave Defence, your money can be left in the fund, where it will continue to grow with investment returns until you meet a condition of release, or it can be rolled into another super fund.

If you’ve been in the Service for more than 12 consecutive months, you can keep your ADF Super account when you transition out and your new employer can contribute to ADF Super. In this case your insurance cover will change so contact the  Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation (CSC)  to find out what you need to know.

DFRDB is a defined benefit super scheme which closed to new members on 30 September 1991. If you are a DFRDB member, you will receive a lifetime indexed pension based on your final salary and years of service. Part of your benefit may be commuted into a lump sum, and you may receive an additional lump sum from your MSBS ancillary account, made up of voluntary personal contributions, amounts transferred in from other funds and other contributions, plus investment returns.

Short-term goals are things you want to achieve within the next couple of years. These goals could be to pay off your credit card debt, buy a new TV, go on a holiday or buy a car. Whatever you have in mind, set yourself a realistic timeframe. The best way to save for short-term goals is to reduce your spending on non-essential items, like entertainment, dining out, memberships or subscriptions. It is often easier to stay on top of your spending if you use cash, EFTPOS or a debit card when shopping instead of using your credit card.

Make your savings work for you by putting your money into an account where it will grow. Savings accounts are great because you can earn compound interest on your savings. If you’re on a low income, you may qualify for one of the savings programs offered by some charitable organisations.

Explore our FAQS If you can't find the information you're looking for

A guide to 2021 insurance regulatory reforms

Australia |  Publication |  February 2021

Insurance regulatory reforms proposed by the Financial Services Royal Commission are well under way with the passage of the Financial Sector Reform (Hayne Royal Commission Response) Act 2020 (Cth). The royal assent was given on 17 December 2020.  We have put together this guide to assist insurers, underwriting agencies, brokers, InsurTechs and other insurance service providers to navigate the changes.

What's in store for 2021?

1 january 2021, enforceable code provisions mechanism:.

Subdivision A of Division 2 Part 7.12 of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) provides ASIC with the ability to identify enforceable code provisions when approving an industry code of conduct. Industry codes are currently self-regulated and a breach of a Code provision does not presently result in a breach of the law. We expect ASIC to engage with industry and use this power in relation to the 2020 General Insurance Code of Practice and Life Insurance Code of Practice.

Enforceable code provisions can be designated in both voluntary and mandatory codes, and will be agreed with the applicant and designated by ASIC through the code approval process. Provisions which could be designated as enforceable may include:

• cooling off periods (which already apply under s 1019B of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth));
• providing information to consumers; and
• fees and charges.

A number of changes proposed by the Insurance Council of Australia were adopted. These include tightening the minimum criteria for an enforceable code provision. The test is now whether a breach of the provision is ‘likely to result in significant and direct detriment to the person’. Previously, the test was whether a breach ‘could result in significant detriment to the person’, which is much broader.

Life insurance changes:

Section 29(3) of the Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth) has been amended so it now only permits a life insurer to avoid the contract for innocent misrepresentation if it would not have been prepared to enter into a life insurance contract on any terms. Previously, s 29(3) only required the life insurer to prove it would not have entered into that particular contract.  

Duty to take reasonable care not to make a misrepresentation:

A significant shift away from the traditional duty of disclosure, the new duty on intending insureds is to take reasonable care not to make a misrepresentation. 

While the legislation is effective 1 January 2021, insurers can adopt the new duty at any time from 1 January 2021. All general and life insurance contracts entered into on or after 5 October 2021 will be subject to the new duty.

A life insurance contract which is varied to increase the sum insured or provide additional cover on or after 5 October 2021 is, to the extent of the variation, treated as if it had been entered into on or after 5 October 2021.

Caps on commissions:

A new section 12DMC has been inserted into the Australian Securities and Investments Commissions Act 2001 (Cth) which will allow ASIC to set a cap on commissions for add-on risk products supplied in connection with motor vehicles. The mechanism apples to add-on risk products in connection with:

• the sale or long term lease of a motor vehicle to the product recipient;
• the provision of credit connected with the sale or long term lease of a motor vehicle to the product recipient; or
• the provision of a warranty by the product recipient in connection with the sale or long term lease of a motor vehicle to another person by the product recipient.

As the commission cap will be set by ASIC by regulation, the value of the cap is not yet known. As a guide, consumer credit insurance is subject to a 20% cap under the National Credit Code.

Insurers and intermediaries should consider whether affected arrangements are suitable moving forward, and whether their sales models are viable under the new regime without amendment.

Regulation of claims handling:

The Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) has been amended to include a licensing requirement for ‘claims handling and settling services’. A person will require an Australian Financial Services Licence ( AFSL ), or be an authorised representative of an AFSL holder, in order to provide a claims handling and settling service. 

The exposure draft had contemplated that only persons providing claims handling or settling service on behalf of an insurer were to be affected. However, the Act has adopted a more expansive approach by also regulating ‘claimant intermediaries’. A ‘claimant intermediary’ is a person who carries on a business of representing persons insured under insurance products in pursuing claims under those products in exchange for a benefit (whether monetary or otherwise). 

This is a significant change in approach, particularly since claimant intermediaries were not the subject of scrutiny during the Royal Commission. Treasury is currently consulting on potential exemptions from the definition of ‘claimant intermediaries’.

There is also a new requirement to issue a ‘Cash Settlement Fact Sheet’ ( CSFS ) where the cash settlement is not the only option to settle a claim. The content requirements of the CSFS have also been bolstered to require a breakdown of each component of the cash settlement, and include details about the rights of review.

A transition period applies to this regulation. To benefit from the transition period, an AFSL application or variation must be lodged with ASIC by 30 June 2021. They are then able to continue providing claims handling and settling services unlicensed until ASIC makes a decision on the application or 31 December 2021 (this date may be extended by up to six months to 30 June 2022). 

Use of the terms ‘insurer’ and ‘insurance’: 

Restrictions now apply on the use of the words ‘insurance’ and ‘insurer’. Products that are not insurance cannot be called insurance. Similarly, a business cannot use the word ‘insurer’ to describe their products or services if the product or service is not insurance.

5 April 2021 

Unfair contract terms regime:.

Amendments to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 (Cth) will mean insurance contracts will be subject to unfair contract terms laws from 5 April 2021. Under section 12BF, a term of a ‘consumer contract’ or ‘small business contract’ is void if three essential elements are met:

• the term is unfair;
• the contract is a standard form contract; and
• the contract is a financial product, or a contract for the supply, or possible supply, of services that are financial services.

Affected policy wordings should be reviewed to ensure unfair contract terms are removed, which can be a lengthy exercise because it may result in changes to underwriting decisions and criteria. ASIC may take action against an insurer for including unfair contract terms in contracts. ASIC has a track record of taking action in relation to unfair contract terms in other financial services contracts.

30 June 2021

Claims handling regulation:.

Last day to lodge an application for an AFSL or variation to an AFSL to benefit from the claims handling regulation transition period.

1 October 2021

Strengthened breach reporting obligations:.

The Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) is amended to clarify and strengthen the breach reporting regime for financial services licensees. This includes a revamp of the breach reporting regime for AFSL holders under section 912D of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth). They key features of the amendments include:

• expanding the kinds of situations that need to be reported by licensees to ASIC;
• requiring licensees to lodge breach reports with ASIC; and
• requiring ASIC to publish data about breach reports on its website.

5 October 2021

Product design and distribution obligations:.

The Product Design and Distribution Obligations ( PDDO ) commence under the Treasury Laws Amendment (Design and Distribution Obligations and Product Intervention Powers) Act 2019 (Cth). An affected product cannot be sold unless it has a Target Market Determination in place. Products which usually require a PDS will be affected by the PDDO. ASIC has released Regulatory Guide 274 to outline its approach and guidance to the obligations.

The PDDO introduces for the first time product governance requirements for insurance products. It also imposes obligations on distributors, who interact directly with the end consumer. A distributor must not distribute a financial product unless the issuer has made a TMD, and will need to take reasonable steps that will, or are reasonably likely to, result in distribution of a product consistent with the TMD.

Hawking prohibitions:

Current exemptions available in the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) will be removed and a new hawking prohibition will apply. The new prohibition makes it an offence to offer a financial product for issue or sale, or request or invite the consumer to apply for such a financial product, if the consumer is a retail client and the offer, request or invitation is made in the course of, or because of, an unsolicited contact. The hawking prohibitions work hand in hand with the deferred sales model. If one applies, the other does not.

The Act provides some clarity to insurers that not all contact which ‘creates an expectation of an immediate response’ will be captured. The Act now refers to ‘real time interaction in the nature of a discussion or conversation’. This would seemingly make it clear that emails are unlikely to be unsolicited contact.

The consent requirements have also been updated since the draft. While the customer must still give the consent, and the consent must be a positive and voluntary act, the customer no longer needs to specifically request the insurer/intermediary to issue or sell the product. A customer can give consent to an insurer/intermediary to make the offer to sell the product. This removes one of the impractical hurdles to consent which was contained in the exposure draft.

Deferred sales model for add-on insurance:

After multiple proposals and consultations, the deferred sales model for add-on insurance products has now become law. The deferred sales model prohibits the sale of add-on insurance products for at least four days after a customer has entered into a commitment to acquire the principal product or service. The amendments impose offences for any failure to comply with the new requirements.

Comprehensive motor insurance is exempt and Treasury is currently receiving submissions to exempt other classes of insurance. The government has announced it intends to exempt travel insurance from the deferred sales model although stakeholder views on the appropriate definition for ‘add-on travel insurance products’ are currently being sought.

See our analysis above. The new duty applies by law from 5 October 2021 (insurers can opt-in before this date).

Regulatory Guide 271:

The new Regulatory Guide 271 (replacing Regulatory Guide 165) commences. The standards and requirements highlighted in the guide are enforceable. The guide explains what financial firms must do to have a compliant Internal Dispute Resolution (IDR) system in place.

Practice area:

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Visiting Australia? Consider Travel Insurance

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Different types of travel insurance

Do you need travel insurance for australia, which credit cards offer australia travel insurance, other ways to get travel insurance, if you want to get travel insurance for australia.

Now open to tourists after two years of pandemic-related closures, Australia is back on many travelers’ wish lists, and for good reason. Whether you’re interested in surfing on the Gold Coast, taking a road trip through the Outback or diving along the Great Barrier Reef, there are a lot of options to consider. But with so many adventurous — and potentially dangerous — activities, you may also want to think about purchasing travel insurance.

Let’s take a look at the different types of travel insurance for Australia, which credit cards provide complimentary coverage and other ways you can acquire insurance for added peace of mind.

A must-have for many, travel insurance can help cover unexpected costs related to travel mishaps, medical incidents or evacuations. However, not all travel insurance is created equal. There are a variety of types available for every kind of situation, and you’ll need to do some research to understand what’s worth purchasing and what might not be necessary.

Here are some common types of travel insurance:

Trip cancellation insurance . Used to recoup costs when you cancel a trip due to something unanticipated, like a medical issue.

Trip interruption insurance . Reimburses you for travel costs when you need to cut a trip short and return home unexpectedly.

Baggage loss insurance . Provides reimbursement when your baggage is lost, damaged or stolen.

Emergency evacuation insurance . Covers costs related to evacuating you to a different location, either for medical or safety reasons.

Travel medical insurance . Used to cover medical costs while traveling, either as a primary or secondary insurer, depending on the type of coverage you purchase.

Cancel for Any Reason insurance . A supplemental insurance that provides partial reimbursement of nonrefundable travel costs when you cancel a trip for any reason.

Rental car insurance . Covers costs related to damage or repair of a rental vehicle. This can be especially useful when renting a car in another country.

Accidental death insurance. Similar to life insurance, this coverage provides payment to a person of your choosing in case of death while you’re traveling.

You may also want to consider finding insurance that covers COVID quarantine costs. Not all policies include this coverage, so you’ll want to be sure it’s included if it’s important to you.

» Learn more: The best travel insurance companies, according to Nerds

While it’s not required for entry, it may be a good idea. Travel insurance can come in useful just about anywhere, especially because it’s difficult to anticipate things like travel delays and accidents.

If you’re fairly confident about your travel plans, you may be comfortable with the insurance provided by your credit cards, though be aware that they may have lower limits than you’d like.

Otherwise, purchasing a travel insurance policy is always an option. Keep in mind that rates will vary according to your travel destination, dates of travel, ages and total trip cost.

» Learn more: What you need to know before shopping for travel insurance

Even if you’ve decided not to buy travel insurance, you may already have some coverage. Plenty of travel cards include some form of complimentary travel insurance, though the types — and limits — you receive will vary depending on which card you hold.

Many Chase credit cards offer primary rental car insurance, which will cover you in the event of an accident without needing to involve your personal auto insurance company. You’ll need to decline the rental car company’s coverage and pay with your eligible Chase card .

You can find trip delay insurance, emergency medical evacuation, lost baggage coverage and more among the different protections offered by these cards. Here are some of the more common travel cards that provide complimentary travel insurance.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card .

Chase Sapphire Reserve® .

The Platinum Card® from American Express . Terms apply.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card . (Benefits may change over time.)

United℠ Explorer Card .

You’ll want to read each card’s benefits guide very carefully before deciding which card to use. For example, both the The Platinum Card® from American Express and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® offer lost luggage insurance. Terms apply.

However, insurance from the The Platinum Card® from American Express only applies in the event that you’ve either paid for the full fare with your AmEx card or have redeemed your AmEx points for the flight. Using your card to pay the taxes and fees on an award flight you’ve booked elsewhere — such as redeeming Delta SkyMiles for your flight — does not mean that you’ll receive insurance coverage benefits. Terms apply.

This is in contrast to the Chase Sapphire Reserve® , whose lost luggage benefit is much more generous. In the event that your luggage is lost, you need only have paid the remainder of the charges for the flight after redeeming reward miles, points, coupons or other certificates. This means that charging just the taxes and fees on your card renders you eligible for benefits.

Aside from American Express and Chase cards, you may also want to consider the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card .

Capital One’s offering includes a plethora of travel insurance benefits, including primary rental car insurance, travel accident insurance, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, trip delay reimbursement, travel and emergency assistive services and more. Of course, in order to qualify for these benefits, you’ll need to have charged the trip to your card. Benefits may change over time.

» Learn more: The best credit cards with travel insurance

Even if your card provides complimentary travel insurance, you may also want to consider acquiring an additional policy — especially if you’re planning on some of the more adventurous activities you’ll find within Australia, such as camping in the Outback.

Health insurance benefits provided by credit cards such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve® max out at relatively low levels, which may mean you end up paying out of pocket in the event of an emergency.

If you’re looking for a supplemental policy, you’ll want to check quotes from a variety of providers. You can do this manually, but websites such as Squaremouth will compare multiple policies at once, making it much easier to peruse offerings. You can also filter your search according to the type of coverage you’d like.

» Learn more: Is travel insurance worth it?

Travel insurance can provide peace of mind to the wary traveler. Whether or not you’re interested in purchasing travel insurance, a variety of credit cards offer complimentary coverage for incidents such as trip delays, emergency medical care, rental car collisions and lost luggage.

Otherwise, you may want to consider buying an additional policy to ensure that you’re covered. If this is what you’re looking to do, make sure to acquire quotes from a variety of providers in order to find the best deal possible.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Chase's website

1x-10x Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1x-2x Earn 2X points on Southwest® purchases. Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare. Earn 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services, and select streaming. Earn 1X points on all other purchases.

50,000 Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Travel insurance in the time of COVID-19

Ray Giblett, Benjamin Kende and Timothy Chan NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT AUSTRALIA

As travel restrictions remain in place for at least part of Australia’s winter, it has become abundantly clear that any plans Australians may have to enjoy a summer in Italy, Spain or England are quickly fading. Travel insurers are now facing increasing scrutiny from customers and regulators, with new policy sales grinding to a halt. It is an important time for insurers to assess their position and how they can best service their clients moving forward.

In this article, we investigate how the travel industry is approaching cover for epidemics and pandemics, some potential coverage issues, and how travel insurers can use this time to regain consumer trust, following the Financial Services Royal Commission.

Are overseas medical costs covered?

While many travel insurance policies exclude cover for epidemics and pandemics, these exclusions do not always apply to all sections of the policy. Choice, a consumer advocacy group, reports that about half of international travel insurance policies cover medical expenses in a pandemic, whilst less than half of travel insurers cover cancellation as a result of a pandemic or epidemic. 1

Coverage for overseas medical costs may be affected by exclusions relating to epidemics and pandemics. If such an exclusion does not apply, there may be cover available if an insured contracts COVID-19. This coverage will benefit insureds who are stranded overseas and who may also need to rely on automatic extensions to their policy to remain covered until they are able to return home. Assessment of these claims may not be straightforward, but it is possible that insurers will advance emergency medical costs on a without prejudice basis pending full assessment of the circumstances. Based on the information released so far, COVID-19 is likely to be exacerbated by existing medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes or heart disease. 2 Coverage under a policy may be restricted if the insured requires treatment for COVID-19 and the condition is exacerbated by or arises from an existing medical condition for which the insured has not obtained additional cover. Where a policy excludes cover for COVID-19-related medical costs, there is a real risk that customers may need to foot any medical bill themselves unless they are subject to reciprocal government health care arrangements or the foreign government has committed to providing treatment to stranded travelers. The policy may continue to provide cover if the insured requires treatment for a medical condition not related to COVID-19, subject to it not being an existing medical condition at the time of policy inception or a continuation of treatment commenced prior to departing for the trip. Complex coverage questions may arise if the insured suffers superimposed infections and treatment for one of those infections (e.g. COVID-19) may be excluded under the policy by an epidemic exclusion. Travel insurance policies rarely contain allocation clauses.

How are cancellation costs dealt with under travel insurance policies?

Cancellation is the most pressing issue facing travel insurers and their insureds. Travel insurance policies generally provide cover if an insured needs to cancel or reschedule the trip before departure or cancel part of the trip following departure. However, the minimum requirement is usually an unforeseen event that results in the insured being unable to undertake the planned overseas travel to some degree. For example, a policy may require the insured to be unable to travel whilst another policy may require the cancellation to be necessary and unavoidable because of the unforeseen event. Fear of COVID-19, however grave, may not be sufficient to trigger the insuring clause because the insured is able to go on the trip. However, if the insured has another reason for needing to cancel the trip, it is possible there is an alternative proximate cause for the cancellation claim.

Travel insurers have drawn different lines in the sand about when they considered COVID-19 to no longer be an unforeseen event. As the Australian Government issued “do not travel” warnings for some countries before putting in place the worldwide travel ban, the inability to travel to those select countries may have become a foreseeable event at an earlier point in time.

Some key dates are:

• 21–24 January 2020 — when the Australian Government issued travel warnings for Wuhan, China due to the COVID-19 outbreak, and China ceased outbound travel from Wuhan and nearby cities
• 30 January 2020 — when the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 to be a public health emergency of international concern
• 1–2 February 2020 — when the Australian Government announced travel restrictions on all foreign travelers who had left or transited through mainland China in the past 14 days
• 23 February to 1 March 2020 — when the Australian Government issued travel warnings for other countries such as South Korea, Japan and Italy
• 11–12 March 2020 — when the WHO declared the COVID-19 a pandemic 3 and
• 18 March 2020 — when the Australian Government issued a “do not travel” advice for the whole world
• for travel booked after these dates and/or
• under a policy purchased after these dates

Is the insured unable to travel?

Coverage under some policies may depend on whether the insured is prevented from travelling because of or due to a government restriction. Usually, travel insurers use the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website to determine whether a country is subject to a “do not travel” advisory. The website is not a government regulation; however, it is travel advice.

For the first time, the Governor-General has used powers under s 475 of the Biosecurity Act 2015 (Cth) (the Act) to declare a human biosecurity emergency period. The first human biosecurity emergency period began on 18 March 2020 and will expire on 17 June 2020; this can be extended. A declaration has been made by the Health Minister under s 477 of the Act that, during the human biosecurity emergency period, Australian citizens and permanent residents are not permitted to leave the country unless they are exempt.

Accordingly, for the human biosecurity emergency period, insureds may be prevented from travelling due to a government restriction. Unexpected border restrictions implemented overseas by foreign authorities may also prevent insureds from entering their destination country, resulting in an inability to go on their booked trip.

However, for travel planned outside this period, it is uncertain whether cancellation is presently necessary and unavoidable.

Epidemic and pandemic exclusions

Some policies exclude cancellation cover for epidemic and pandemics. These types of exclusions were introduced following the severe acute respiratory syn- drome (SARS) outbreak in 2003 and avian influenza outbreak in 2008. Exclusions may refer to a declared epidemic or pandemic by the WHO or a government authority, to the Act or its predecessor (the Quarantine Act 1908 (Cth)), or specifically to SARS or avian influenza.

Generally speaking, an epidemic is defined as an outbreak of a disease that occurs in a wide geographic location and impacts many people. A pandemic, on the other hand, is an epidemic that has spread throughout a whole country or across continents. On 11 March 2020, the WHO declared COVID-19 to be a pandemic.

For travel insurance policies that provide cover for epidemics and pandemics, particularly as they relate to government restrictions, it is unclear whether the human biosecurity emergency period will remain in force after 17 June 2020. As such, insurers may take the view that customers can still travel on trips booked to take place after 17 June 2020, on the basis that the human biosecurity emergency period may end, allowing the customer to continue their travel as originally planned. The precise wording which triggers the insuring clause for cancellation costs will need to be examined closely

What is the loss?

The calculation of the loss for cancellation claims may be complicated by the differing refund policies of travel, tour and accommodation providers around the world. Due to the unprecedented nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, some providers have waived their “no refund” policies and are allowing refunds on a case by case basis or even automatically. Others are issuing credit vouchers for use toward future travel arrangements.

Accordingly, travel insurers may need to review more than just the refund policies shown on the insured’s booking confirmations. These may have been superseded by more generous refund or credit policies. To minimise claims leakage, it may be necessary to obtain updated information from the travel provider about whether the claimed costs are still not refundable.

While insurers may be able to use their subrogated rights to obtain any refunds due to the insured, it may be logistically simpler to require the insured to obtain this information before the claim is approved and to reduce the possibility of “double dipping” by opportunistic customers.

However, these considerations need to be balanced with the undesirable prospect of a protracted claims assessment, especially if the provider is not responsive to the insured’s requests. Travel insurers may also need to look at the scope of any policy conditions which enable or prevent the insurer to require the insured to obtain this information, including any cooperation and recovery conditions.

Furthermore, if a credit voucher is issued by the provider, it is possible the insured no longer wants to travel or is not able to use it within the voucher’s validity period. In this instance, it is arguable that the insured has still suffered a loss that can be indemnified by the travel insurer if the voucher cannot be used because of reasons beyond the insured’s control. However, it is less clear where the insured has received the voucher but simply does not want to go to a particular destination anymore. Travel insurers may find it difficult to see there is a loss if the travel provider has issued a credit, but the customer says they do not want to use it. Subject to the policy wording, it may be open for the insurer to decline the claim unless the credit is cancelled or assigned to the insurer. The language used in the policy will guide the insurer’s interpretation as to whether the insuring clause is enlivened and whether credits provided by the provider affect the claimable amount.

The rise  and fall of “cancel for any reason” insurance policies

Some travel insurers provide “cancel for any reason” cover. Under a “cancel for any reason” policy (or policy add-on), cover is offered for cancellation expenses arising from travel that is cancelled within a specified time (e.g. 48 hours before departure). “Cancel for any reason policies” provide cover for a fixed percentage of the trip. Following the COVID-19 outbreak, insurers reconsidered “cancel for any reason” policies and ceased selling them.

The way forward

This article has explored some issues facing travel insurers during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is likely customers will be asking their insurers questions about policy coverage, claims and policy cancellations.

Certain insurers, including Suncorp, Allianz, QBE Insurance Group Ltd and other insurers who opt in by notifying the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, have obtained authorisation to work together by implementing COVID-19 relief measures for consumers and certain small businesses. 4 Under the pack- age, customers are able to claim a credit or refund for any unused travel insurance premiums without any cancellation or administration fees. However, this is not without its own challenges as divergent approaches to calculating the “unused” premium may be available.

On 27 April 2020, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) wrote to directors of general insurers to outline ASIC’s expectations about general insurers’ responses to COVID-19. 5 In doing so, ASIC made it clear that they expect “entities to treat customers fairly, avoid adding further financial harm or burden to consumers, and act to maintain the integrity and efficiency of markets”. 6

More specifically, ASIC noted that general insurers should (among other things):

• stand by their commitments made in the 2020 General Insurance Code of Practice — to provide value, transparency and fairness
• be flexible in dealing with customers’ specific complaints, financial hardship and vulnerabilities — especially, for example, when customers are stuck overseas and seeking extensions of travel insurance coverage
• handle complaints with “utmost good faith and to deal with complaints genuinely, promptly, fairly and consistently”
• not (either intentionally or inadvertently) discourage consumers from making claims — particularly as the treatment of COVID-19 claims may differ between travel insurance insurers and policies
• communicate “proactively, clearly and accurately with consumers about their insurance cover, recognising the rapidly changing situation they are facing”

Following the Financial Services Royal Commission, which concluded in early 2019, now is an opportune time for insurers to regain consumer trust by ensuring they put customers first by acting efficiently, honestly and fairly. This standard is expected to be imposed on insurance claims handling and settlement services in the near future.7 The Insurance Council of Australia is already thinking about how the industry can potentially reintroduce cover for pandemics, perhaps with government support. 8

• In the meantime, insurers can promote consumer trust by executing a clear, transparent and consistent strategy when dealing with COVID-19 issues. Some ways insurers can do this include:
• providing upfront information about policy cover- age to the extent possible (for example, how and when an epidemic or pandemic exclusion is triggered)
• only asking for relevant information when assessing a claim and
• ensuring staff are ready to address any financial hardship concerns and fast track any advance payments that may be required

Although overseas travel may be restricted in the short term, it will not be forever. While emergency assistance to customers stranded around the world must be a priority, travel insurers should not neglect their large customer base staying at home in Australia. Travel insurers can retain consumer loyalty for the eventual uplift in travel bookings and insurance sales by addressing customer concerns around claims and policy cancellations in line with community expectations.

This article was published in the May 2020 edition of Australian Insurance Law Bulletin.

For access to in-depth commentary and analysis on legal issues arising from COVID-19, please request a complimentary trial of Lexis Advance .

Contact [email protected] or call us on 1800 772 772.

• J Bird, Does travel insurance cover the COVID-19 coronavirus?, 9 April 2020, www.choice.com.au/travel/money/travel-insurance/ articles/travel-insurance-pandemic.
• Australian Medical Association, COVID-19 (Coronavirus) is Challenging the Capacity of our Nation, 28 February 2020, www.ama.com.au/article/update-novel-coronavirus-covid-19.
• World Health Organization, WHO Director-General’s opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19, 11 March 2020, www.who.int/dg/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening- remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19 11-march-2020.
• Australian Competition and Consumer Commission “Insurers to offer deferred payments, refunds under small business relief package” media release (2 April 2020) www.accc.gov.au/media- release/insurers-to-offer-deferred-payments-refunds-under-small- business-relief-package.
• Letter from Emma Curtis to Directors of general insurance companies (27 April 2020) https://download.asic.gov.au/media/ 5573527/letter-to-directors-of-general-insurance-companies-27- 4-20.pdf.
• Australian Securities and Investments Commission “Details of changes to ASIC regulatory work and priorities in light of COVID-19” media release (14 April 2020) www.asic.gov.au/ about-asic/news-centre/find-a-media-release/2020-releases/20- 086mr-details-of-changes-to-asic-regulatory-work-and-priorities- in-light-of-covid-19/.
• The Treasury, Making insurance claims handling a financial service, 29 November 2019, www.treasury.gov.au/consultation/ c2019-36687.
• Insurance News, ICA considers coverage options for next pandemic, 30 April 2020, www.insurancenews.com.au/daily/ ica-considers-coverage-options-for-next-pandemic.

Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care

COVID-19 and travel

Find out about travel requirements and steps you can take to stay safe.

Domestic travel within Australia

Domestic travel requirements are determined by state and territory governments. Check the websites of local health departments for information about travel to:

• Australian Capital Territory
• New South Wales
• Northern Territory
• South Australia
• Western Australia .

Travelling overseas

The Australian Government does not currently have any COVID-19 requirements in place for travellers entering and departing Australia.

COVID-19 however continues to pose a health risk in Australia and overseas. We strongly encourage wearing masks and being vaccinated while travelling internationally. You should practice good cough and hand hygiene, and physically distance from others where possible.

Some countries, airlines and vessel operators may have COVID-19 travel requirements in place. Check the requirements of any:

• countries you are travelling to, or transiting through
• airlines or vessel operators.
• Smartraveller website
• Australian Government – international travel information .

Travel insurance

Travel insurance is important if you become sick with COVID-19 overseas. Make sure your insurance includes:

• transit destinations
• inclusions for COVID-19
• other add-ons like cruise specific insurance.

Some destinations also require travellers to hold travel insurance as a condition of entry.

Cruise travel

Check with your cruise provider or travel agent for up-to-date travel requirements for your ship and destination/s. You can also contact the relevant state or territory government to find out if any requirements apply for your destination.

Outbreaks onboard a cruise

Cruise ships carry a higher risk for spreading disease compared to other types of travel. COVID-19, influenza, and other infectious diseases spread easily between people living and socialising in close quarters.

If an outbreak of COVID-19 occurs on your cruise, you may need to:

• quarantine on the ship
• disembark and follow the local rules in the state or territory or country you are in.

Before you travel, check the  Smartraveller advice on cruises . Contact your travel agent or cruise operator for specific information on their COVID-19 safety protocols.

• Coronavirus (COVID-19)

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Travel insurance for visitors to Australia

You can get travel insurance from an australian provider if you are planning to visit the country. it can cover medical expenses, cancellations, lost luggage and more..

In this guide

Compare policies for visitors to Australia

What is travel insurance for overseas visitors to australia, what does travel insurance for overseas visitors cover, other insurance options for visitors to australia, conditions of non-resident travel insurance for australia, questions about travel insurance for visitors to australia.

Destinations

What you need to know

• If you are coming to Australia, a handful of providers offer inbound travel insurance policies .
• You can take out policies for family members coming to Australia as well.
• Travel insurance can cover things like medical expenses, flight cancellations and personal liability – it is not the same as OVHC.

*When looking for cover, make sure to read any guidelines in the PDS to ensure you qualify for the policy. Most insurers have limitations when it comes to covering pre-existing medical conditions for visitors to Australia. Note: This information was last updated August 2023

Travel insurance for overseas visitors, sometimes called inbound travel insurance, is for non-Australian residents who plan to travel to Australia.

For example, if you are currently in the Phillipines and want cover for when you are in Australia, including the inbound flight, this type of policy can cover you. It can also cover family members – for example, if you're currently living in Australia and want to cover a family member travelling to see you.

Inbound travel insurance is not the same as Overseas Visitor Health Cover . This is a type of health insurance you often need if you are coming to work in Australia on a visa.

Can non-residents get regular travel insurance?

If you don't live in Australia, you will need to get inbound travel insurance – it's a type of policy designed for non-residents. However, if you're a temporary or permanent resident in Australia, you should be able to get regular travel insurance. I was able to do this as temporary resident when I first moved to Australia from Scotland.

Gary Ross Hunter Finder's insurance and innovations editor

Travel insurance for overseas visitors includes similar benefits to international travel insurance policies, such as:

• Medical care. Cover if you need medical care while you're in Australia. Emergencies are often unexpected and expensive, so don't let you or your family get caught out.
• Interruption. Sometimes, unforeseen circumstances force you to cancel or cut your trip short. Whether you lose your job or are diagnosed with an illness, the long journey means that flights to Australia can be pretty expensive. Travel insurance policies reimburse you for the money you are otherwise not able to get back.
• Belongings. You're travelling such a long way so the last thing you want is to be stuck in Australia without your luggage. If your luggage and belongings are lost, stolen or damaged on your trip, your insurance policy will provide cover for the cost of their repair or replacement. Similarly, if an airline misplaces your luggage or it is delayed, cover is available to help you buy essential clothing and toiletries.
• Theft. Australia is a generally safe country but theft can occur anywhere, especially if you're planning on exploring different parts of the country. Travel insurance looks after you if your cash, credit cards, passport or important travel documents are stolen.
• Accidents. If you're planning a road trip, rental vehicle excess cover makes sure you don't have to pay the excess on the rental vehicle if something goes wrong. Travel insurance for visitors to Australia can also include personal liability . If an accident occurs and you are legally liable to pay for the costs, this can reimburse you up to the limit specified on your policy.
• Travel insurance for overseas students
• Inbound travel insurance
• Long term visitors
• Health insurance for Australian visa holders

Typical conditions and eligibilty requirements for non-resident travel insurance include:

• Most of your time must be spent in Australia. You can travel to other destinations for a short time but most of your trip must be spent in Australia.
• Pre-existing conditions. Not all pre-existing medical conditions will be covered by insurers. Some may be automatically excluded and for others, you may be required to submit further information detailing the nature of your condition.
• Age limits. Non-resident travel insurance will generally have an age limit on people who can take out cover. For example, many policies stop offering cover if you are under the age of 80.

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What is the best travel insurance for visitors to australia.

The best travel insurance for visitors to Australia depends on your needs. However, you will probably need inbound travel insurance because this covers non-residents travelling to Australia for a short stay. If you live and reside in Australia – for example, you're on a visa, you should be eligible for any type of travel insurance.

Is it possible to purchase a travel insurance policy once you're already in Australia?

Yes, it is. You can purchase cover before you leave home or once you arrive in Australia. If you purchase cover when you're already in Australia, you may have to serve a brief waiting period (commonly 48 hours) before certain aspects of the cover will take effect.

Will my children be covered?

Most non-resident travel insurance policies can also cover your dependent children, often for no additional charge.

When can I buy a policy?

You can buy a policy online as soon as you book your trip. If you forget to get cover and have already arrived in Australia, some insurers will still let you buy a policy if you buy it within a few days of arrival.

Will I be covered for trips outside of Australia?

There are some insurers who will cover you for trips outside of Australia but the majority of your time must be spent in Australia.

Gary Ross Hunter

Gary Ross Hunter is an editor at Finder, specialising in insurance. He’s been writing about life, travel, home, car, pet and health insurance for over 6 years and regularly appears as an insurance expert in publications including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Guardian and news.com.au. Gary holds a Kaplan Tier 2 General Advice General Insurance certification which meets the requirements of ASIC Regulatory Guide 146 (RG146).

More guides on Finder

Find out what inbound travel insurance covers and compare policies to find the right cover option.

Is travel insurance really necessary when you’re coming here on a visa? The answer is "yes" and this guide looks at what you need and why you need it when travelling to Australia on a 457 visa.

Are you a non-resident living in Australia and wanting to travel overseas? Don't fret – you can still get travel insurance.

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Travel and accommodation - an industry guide to the Australian Consumer Law

This guide provides information on the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) for travel and accommodation businesses.

It covers key aspects of the law such as refunds and cancellations, focusing on issues where:

• industry bodies have requested more detailed guidance for business
• consumers frequently report problems to national, state and territory consumer protection agencies.

This guide is intended to reflect the consumer law at a point in time and does not reflect changes to the ACL which have occurred since initial publication. These changes include:

• clarification that multiple minor failures with a good or service will constitute a major failure to comply with a consumer guarantee
• changes to the definition of 'consumer'. For goods and services supplied from 1 July 2021, the threshold amount has increased from $40,000 to $100,000.

Note: This guide is not legal advice or a definitive list of situations where the ACL applies.

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Visitors’ Travel Insurance Australia

Find the right travel insurance if you’re an overseas visitor to Australia by comparing policies with Savvy.

Fact checked

Compare Travel Insurance Quotes in 30 Seconds

• 100% free to use. No obligation.

An Australian holiday can be an unforgettable experience. Whether you’re itching to soak up our breathtaking vistas or experience the culture of our capital cities, visitors’ travel insurance can give you peace of mind and help make your trip Down Under a magical one.

If you’re tossing up who to choose, Savvy can help. Completing a quick comparison with us allows you to weigh up the strengths and weaknesses of each provider and their respective policies, which means saving time and money on endless searches and guesswork. Start comparing with Savvy today and find your perfect policy today.

What is visitors’ travel insurance and how does it work?

Visitors' travel insurance, or inbound travel insurance, is a type of coverage non-residents and tourists coming from overseas can purchase from Australian insurers which cover them for a short stay in Australia. You can take out this specific type of policy if you're visiting on holiday or working in the country temporarily.

Visitors’ travel insurance provides you cover for any medical treatment, cancellation or delay expenses and a range of other incidentals. People who purchase one of these policies must be a non-resident of Australia who is travelling exclusively within the country.

This type of coverage can cover you if you’re stopping over in Australia on your way to another holiday destination, as long as the majority of your trip is spent here. For example, if you’re arriving in Australia from the USA but also travelling to India , this may be suitable for you.

What does visitors' travel insurance cover?

Visitors’ travel insurance affords you a range of benefits while you’re holidaying within Australia. When you purchase one of these policies, you’ll be afforded around-the-clock support in the event you’re in an emergency and need your insurer’s support. Some of the other benefits for tourists in Australia with travel insurance include:

• Medical or hospital expenses: You’re granted unlimited coverage for any health treatment you require while you’re in Australia if it’s as a result of a covered event. This includes the cost of any hospital stays, ambulances and medication needed while on your travels.
• Emergency dental: If you break a tooth while you’re criss-crossing Australia, you can claim the cost of visiting a dentist up to your claim limit.
• Cancellation: When you’re too sick to travel, your insurer allows you to claim back any pre-paid non-refundable expenses such as accommodation, tours and flights on your travel insurance . Most insurers also cover you if a close relative becomes sick and you need to cancel your holiday, such as a parent back in India.
• Lost, stolen or damaged luggage: If your baggage is lost, stolen or damaged during transit or your travels, you can claim back the costs of replacing what you’ve lost up to your agreed claim limit.
• Delayed flights or baggage: Your insurance company can cover the cost of clothes and toiletries if your flights and bags are delayed for more than 24 hours while you’re travelling to and from Australia. They can even cover the cost of extra accommodation so you can rest your head while you await your flight.
• Accidental death: If you unexpectedly die while you’re visiting Australia due to a covered incident, your insurance covers the cost of repatriating your body and any related funeral costs. Claim limits are usually about $50,000.
• Personal liability: Your insurer covers third-party insurance claims if you’re found personally liable for an accident while travelling in Australia. Your policy will have a limit to what you can claim, usually somewhere between $1 million and $5 million.
• Theft of cash: If you have money stolen while you’re exploring parts of the country, you can claim up to $250 back through insurance. Most insurers will need to see a police report or relevant statement from authorities if you need to make a claim.
• Permanent disability: If you’re involved in an accident which results in your permanent disability, your provider will pay you an agreed amount up to your claim limit.
• Rental vehicle excess: Hiring a car can be a handy way to get about parts of Australia. If you’re involved in an accident and need to cover the excess on your rental, your insurer will pick up the tab. These benefits usually have sub-limits of about $5,000.

While the benefits of travel insurance coverage in Australia if you're a tourist are wide-ranging, there are some areas where you won’t be covered. These include:

• Accidents caused while intoxicated
• Breaking the law, including Australian road rules
• Travelling against medical advice
• Coming to Australia to seek medical treatment
• Travelling with an unapproved pre-existing medical condition
• Changing your mind

How else do I compare visitors’ travel insurance?

If you’re planning a trip to Australia, there’s a strong chance you’ll be doing a quick shop around of online travel insurance policies to find one that most suits your trip before you leave home. When you’re comparing companies, it’s essential to consider some important factors which can make up your policy. These should include:

The cost of your travel insurance will vary depending on the provider you choose. Get a quote from a couple of the companies that draw your eye and compare the prices to see which is better for your budget. Finding a visitors’ travel insurance policy which offers the cover you need at the best price may provide you with some more much-needed spending money.

Comparing policies allows you to weigh up the different inclusions and exclusions offered by insurance providers. The cheapest policy may not be the right one for the trip you want to take. By doing this, you’ll be able to find a policy with the perfect blend of benefits for your next holiday.

Claim limits

The amount you can claim if something does happen while you’re travelling in Australia varies depending on your provider and the level of coverage you choose. For example, if you lose your luggage, you may only be able to claim $5,000 through your insurance company, while others may offer up to $15,000 for the same event. Comparing with Savvy will allow you to compare different insurance companies and their limits to ensure you choose a set which satisfies you.

If you have to make a claim while you’re touring Australia, you will likely have to pay an out-of-pocket cost known as an excess . These range from between $100 and $250, depending on who your provider is. Certain providers won’t make you pay anything if you need to file a claim. Comparing with Savvy will help you find a policy offering the excess you’re looking for.

Available policies

Most companies offer a broad range of travel insurance policies tailored to families, frequent flyers and groups. Some allow you to add up to 25 people to the same policy, which can save you money if you divide the cost between your group of travellers. Doing your homework and shopping around allows you to find a policy that’s best suited to the type of traveller you are.

Types of travel insurance

International.

International travel insurance can offer cover for a range of events, including medical expenses, lost luggage or items, cancellation fees and more when you're overseas and a long way from home.

If you're journeying within Australia, domestic policies are designed to offer many of the same protections as international travel insurance (with the exception of medical expenses).

Single trip

The most standard and common type of travel insurance, this policy can cover you for one trip starting and ending in Australia (and is available for both international and domestic travel).

Annual multi-trip

As the name suggests, this type of travel insurance covers multiple trips over a 12-month period. Depending on your insurer, you may be able to take an unlimited number of trips up to 90 days each.

You don't have to have a return ticket booked to take out cover while you're overseas. One-way travel insurance enables you to access cover without a set end date, such as if you're moving temporarily.

You may need to take out specialist coverage if you're setting sail on a cruise. Fortunately, cruise insurance can cover emergency evacuation, cabin confinement and more.

Just because you're older doesn't mean travel insurance isn't still important. If you qualify for cover, seniors' travel insurance can offer greater peace of mind for included events while you're travelling.

Adding winter sports or ski cover to your policy can add protection against damage to your equipment, piste closure due to bad weather and activities such as back-country skiing, heliskiing and more.

Adventure sports

Looking to enjoy some adventure sports on holiday? An adventure sports pack can grant you cover for a range of activities, such as hiking, scuba diving and motorcycle or scooter riding.

Jetsetting with the whole clan in tow? Some insurers offer family travel insurance, which enables you to include yourself, your partner and your dependent children under one policy to help you save.

If you're travelling interstate or overseas with your partner (or simply another friend or family member), you may be able to access a discount by taking out a joint or duo travel insurance policy.

Why compare travel insurance with Savvy?

Reputable insurance partners, fast and convenient online process.

You can complete the quote, comparison and purchase process online through Savvy quickly and easily.

Competitive quote costs

Regardless of the type of insurance you’re looking for, we can help you compare between competitive quotes.

Frequently asked visitors' travel insurance questions

Yes – you must have a valid passport, visa and passenger card to enter Australia from overseas. If you’re arriving from New Zealand, you can purchase a visa upon entry to the country, but if you’re coming from any other country you will need to have organised your visa before you leave.

Most insurance providers will offer automatic coverage for a range of pre-existing medical conditions, such as asthma or certain types of diabetes. However, some more serious conditions that won’t be automatically covered and may cost extra include:

• Heart conditions
• Certain types of diabetes
• Lung disease
• Multiple sclerosis
• Any condition requiring surgery in the past one to two years

It's best to check with your provider's Product Disclosure Statement to see whether your visitors’ travel insurance covers your pre-existing health condition.

Yes – most insurers impose age limits on these policies, which can vary depending on who you choose to purchase your policy through. Certain insurers won't let you take out a policy if you're over 65 or 70 years old, while others may set this cut-off at 81.

Getting an online quote is relatively straightforward with most travel insurance providers. To get a quote, you'll usually have to provide an insurer with the following:

• Destinations you're travelling to
• Your departure and return dates
• The names and birthdays of all travellers
• Whether you've been vaccinated for COVID-19
• If you need any extra coverage (ski insurance or motorcycle coverage)

Once you have your quote, you can purchase the policy if you decide that it's right for you. You can do this directly through Savvy today.

You may wish to consider purchasing coverage in your home country if you aren’t spending the majority of your holiday in Australia. Visitors’ travel insurance only covers you if most of your time is spent here. For example, if you’re travelling to New Zealand from the USA, but have a brief detour to Australia, visitors’ insurance won’t be of much use.

No – the Australian Government doesn't require you to provide proof of a COVID-19 vaccination if you're entering Australia from overseas.

Helpful travel insurance guides

How to Get a Travel Insurance Quote

Find out how to complete a travel insurance quote and the process involved in Savvy's handy guide. Compare Travel Insurance...

Asking yourself why you need travel insurance for your holiday? Compare with Savvy and understand the benefits. Compare Travel Insurance...

Best Domestic Travel Insurance

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What Do I Need for Travel Insurance?

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What is a Travel Insurance Excess?

Find out what a travel insurance excess is and how you should compare them here. Compare Travel Insurance Quotes in...

Benefits of Travel Insurance

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How Late Can You Buy Travel Insurance?

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Optional Cover Travel Insurance

Explore the many optional extras travel insurance offers by comparing with Savvy. Compare Travel Insurance Quotes in 30 Seconds Get...

Best Multi-Trip Travel Insurance Australia

Compare your multi-trip travel insurance options with Savvy to help you find the best. Compare Travel Insurance Quotes in 30...

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Disclaimer: We do not compare all travel insurance brands currently operating in the market. Any advice presented above or on other pages is general in nature and does not consider your personal or business objectives, needs or finances. It’s always important to consider whether advice is suitable for you before purchasing an insurance policy.

Savvy earns a commission from our partners each time a customer buys a travel insurance policy via our website. We don’t arrange for products to be purchased from these brands directly, as all purchases are conducted via their websites.

Before purchasing your policy, we recommend you refer to the provider’s PDS for any further information on the terms, inclusions and exclusions.

© Copyright 2024 Quantum Savvy Pty Ltd T/as Savvy. All Rights Reserved.

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• Business and Finance /
• Insurance /
• Travel Insurance

Travel Insurance in Australia - Industry Research Report

• December 2023
• Region: Australia
• ID: 3799556
• Description

Table of Contents

• Companies Mentioned

Methodology

Related topics, related reports.

• Purchase Options
• Ask a Question
• Recently Viewed Products

Taking flight: Profitability and revenue will recover as demand returns to pre-pandemic conditions

• Industry Definition
• Main Activities
• Similar Industries
• Additional Resources
• Executive Summary
• Key External Drivers
• Current Performance
• Industry Outlook
• Industry Life Cycle
• Supply Chain
• Products & Services
• Demand Determinants
• Major Markets
• International Trade
• Business Locations
• Market Share Concentration
• Key Success Factors
• Cost Structure Benchmarks
• Basis of Competition
• Barriers to Entry
• Industry Globalization
• Capital Intensity
• Technology & Systems
• Revenue Volatility
• Regulation & Policy
• Industry Assistance
• Industry Data
• Annual Change

Companies Mentioned (Partial List)

A selection of companies mentioned in this report includes, but is not limited to:

• Allianz Australia Limited
• Zurich Travel Solutions Pty Limited
• NIB Holdings Ltd

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About the travel insurance market.

The Travel Insurance market is a sector of the insurance industry that provides coverage for travelers in the event of unexpected losses or damages incurred while traveling. This type of insurance typically covers medical expenses, trip cancellations, lost luggage, flight delays, and other related losses. It is important to note that travel insurance does not cover losses due to acts of terrorism or war. Travel insurance policies are typically tailored to the individual traveler's needs and can be purchased for a single trip or for multiple trips. Policies can also be purchased for a specific period of time, such as a year or more. Some of the major companies in the Travel Insurance market include Allianz, AXA, AIG, Chubb, and Zurich. These companies offer a variety of policies and coverage options to meet the needs of travelers. Show Less Read more

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The Best Travel Insurance for Australia in 2024

Travelex Insurance Services »

Allianz Travel Insurance »

Generali Global Assistance »

World Nomads Travel Insurance »

GeoBlue »

Why Trust Us

U.S. News evaluates ratings, data and scores of more than 50 travel insurance companies from comparison websites like TravelInsurance.com, Squaremouth and InsureMyTrip, plus renowned credit rating agency AM Best, in addition to reviews and recommendations from top travel industry sources and consumers to determine the Best Travel Insurance for Australia.

Table of Contents

• Travelex Insurance Services
• Allianz Travel Insurance

Most travelers heading "Down Under" need to make quite the trek, and that's especially true for those planning a trip to Australia from the United States. Flying from Los Angeles to Sydney takes around 15 hours, and even more travel time is required to get to Melbourne and other destinations that require a layover on the way.

Plenty can go wrong en route to Australia as well as once you get there, and the potential for financial losses can be great if you're not careful. Not only can traveling long distances increase the risk of travel delays, but you also face the risk of flight cancellations, baggage delays, lost baggage and missed connections.

These are just some of the reasons why it makes sense to have a robust travel insurance plan in place before you fly overseas for a vacation in Australia. While any reputable travel insurance provider can provide you with protection for emergency medical expenses, your bags, travel delays and other various travel mishaps, we curated this list of top travel insurance plans for a trip to Australia specifically.

Frequently Asked Questions

Travel to Australia requires a huge commitment in terms of travel time and cost, which is why you'll want to make sure you have coverage that can reimburse you if something goes wrong. If your flight is delayed or canceled , your bags are lost in transit, or a missed connection leaves you stuck in another country for several days, having travel insurance means you can get reimbursement for unexpected hotel stays, meals you have to pay for and various incidental expenses.

Having travel insurance for Australia that includes medical coverage is also crucial since coverage provided in U.S. health plans will not apply.

Some travel credit cards offer coverage for trip cancellations or interruptions, travel delays, and lost or delayed baggage. However, credit cards are a poor source for coverage that protects against emergency medical expenses. Most credit cards do not offer coverage for emergency medical expenses or emergency medical evacuation at all, and those that do (such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve ) have insufficient coverage limits.

• Travelex Insurance Services: Best for Families
• Allianz Travel Insurance: Best for Flexible Cancellations
• Generali Global Assistance: Best for Medical Emergencies
• World Nomads Travel Insurance: Best for Adventure Travel
• GeoBlue: Best for Travel Health Insurance

Kids ages 17 and younger are covered automatically with Travel Select plan

Primary coverage with no deductibles

Lower limits for medical expenses than some providers

• 100% trip cancellation coverage worth up to $50,000
• 150% trip interruption coverage worth up to $75,000
• Trip delay coverage worth up to $2,000 for delays of five hours or longer ($200 daily limit applies)
• Missed connection coverage worth up to $750 for delays of three hours or longer
• Up to $50,000 in protection for emergency medical expenses (dental sublimit of $500)
• Up to $500,000 in coverage for emergency medical evacuation and repatriation of remains
• Up to $1,000 in coverage for baggage and personal effects
• Up to $200 in coverage for baggage delays of 12 hours or longer
• Up to $200 in coverage for sporting equipment delays of 24 hours or longer
• $25,000 in coverage for accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D)

Optional CFAR coverage reimburses at 80%

Numerous plans to choose from

Lower coverage limits for medical expenses than some providers

• Up to $100,000 per traveler in coverage for trip cancellations
• Up to $150,000 per traveler in coverage for trip interruptions
• Up to $500 per traveler in Trip Change Protector coverage
• Up to $50,000 in emergency medical coverage per traveler
• Up to $500,000 for emergency medical transportation per traveler
• Up to $1,000 toward baggage loss or damage per traveler
• Up to $300 per traveler in coverage for baggage delays of 12 hours or more
• Up to $800 in protection for travel delays per traveler (daily limit of $200 applies)
• $100 per insured person per day in SmartBenefits coverage for eligible delays
• 24-hour hotline assistance
• Concierge services

Tailor medical coverage to your needs

Generous limits for emergency medical and medical evacuation coverage

Coverage for preexisting conditions only available with Premium plan

Optional CFAR coverage with Premium plan only reimburses at 60%

• Trip cancellation coverage up to 100% of the trip cost
• Trip interruption coverage up to 175% of the trip cost
• Travel delay coverage up to $1,000 per traveler ($300 daily limit)
• Up to $2,000 per person in baggage protection; $500 for delays
• Up to $2,000 per person in coverage for sporting equipment; $500 for delays
• Up to $1,000 per person in missed connection coverage
• Up to $250,000 per person in coverage for emergency medical and dental procedures
• Up to $1 million in coverage for emergency assistance and transportation ($10,000 limit for companion hospitality expenses)
• Up to $25,000 per person in rental car coverage
• Accidental death and dismemberment coverage

Coverage for more than 200 sports and activities

24-hour travel assistance services included

Low coverage limits within standard plans

No coverage for most preexisting conditions

• Up to $10,000 in coverage for trip cancellations
• Up to $100,000 in coverage for emergency medical expenses
• Up to $500,000 in protection for emergency medical evacuation
• Up to $3,000 in protection for damage or theft to your bags or gear

Offers travel health insurance for lengthy trips abroad

Deductibles can apply

Some plans require a primary U.S. health insurance plan

• Up to $1,000,000 medical maximum per insured person
• Up to $500,000 in coverage for emergency medical evacuation per trip
• Up to $50,000 in coverage for accidental death and dismemberment
• Up to $2,500 in coverage for emergency family travel arrangements
• Up to $25,000 in medical coverage for hazardous activities like skiing and diving
• Up to $500 per trip in lost baggage and personal effects coverage ($100 limit per bag)
• Up to $1,000 per trip period in post-departure trip interruption transportation
• Up to $50 per day in post-departure trip interruption quarantine coverage (in the case of COVID-19)
• Up to $25,000 in protection for repatriation of remains

Why Trust U.S. News Travel

Holly Johnson is an award-winning writer who has been covering topics like family travel, cruises, all-inclusive resorts and travel insurance for well over a decade. Johnson has researched and purchased travel insurance plans for her own trips, and she has successfully filed claims and received reimbursement more than once over the years. Currently, Johnson uses an annual travel insurance policy from Allianz to cover her family's many trips overseas each year. Johnson also works alongside her husband, Greg – who sells travel insurance for trips all over the world – in their family media business. Johnson also co-owns the travel agency Travel Blue Book .

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These are the scenarios when travel insurance makes most sense.

Insurance in Australia

4.4 Insurance is a ‘risk transfer, loss-spreading arrangement’. [1] Its purpose is to distribute risk through providing a mechanism by which individuals and organisations purchase, by way of a premium, insurance products to mitigate that risk. Risk is then transferred to the insurer which indemnifies them against future events that may cause loss.

4.5 There are three key categories of insurance in Australia: health, life and general insurance. The focus of this Inquiry is on life and general insurance. Life insurance encompasses a variety of products that provide payment upon death or injury. General insurance encompasses cover purchased by individuals—such as travel insurance; and that purchased by organisations—including product and public liability and professional indemnity insurance.

4.6 There are several key insurance concepts of relevance to the discussion in this chapter. These include:

insurance premium—the amount paid by an insured in return for the insurer undertaking to cover the agreed risks or events;

underwriting—the process by which individual applications for insurance are assessed; and

reinsurance—a form of insurance for insurers that allows the original insurer to ‘distribute its potential liability by giving off parts of its risk to another insurer (the reinsurer) with the object of reducing the amount of its possible loss’. [2]

Legislative and regulatory framework

4.7 At the Commonwealth level, the insurance industry is governed by two primary pieces of legislation—the Insurance Act 1973 (Cth) and the Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth). [3] Chapter 7 of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) governs the regulation of insurance intermediaries such as agents and brokers.

4.8 The general insurance industry in Australia is regulated by a prudential regulator and a corporate regulator. The prudential regulator is the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA), which is responsible for general administration of the Insurance Act . [4] APRA has the authority to set prudential standards for the general insurance industry and has developed a detailed framework of prudential standards and practice guides. The corporate regulator is the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), which is responsible for, among other things, the general administration of the Insurance Contracts Act , monitoring and promoting market integrity and consumer protection and licensing. [5]

4.9 The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) is the representative body of the general insurance industry in Australia. The ICA oversees the General Insurance Code of Practice—a self-regulatory code that binds all general insurers who are signatories to it. [6] The Financial Services Council (FSC) is the industry association for the financial services sector, which includes the life insurance industry. Compliance with the FSC Code of Ethics and Code of Conduct is compulsory for all FSC members. [7]

4.10 Another key legislative regime with bearing on the insurance industry is the Commonwealth anti-discrimination regime, under which there are a number of exemptions for insurance. The ADA provides that insurers may discriminate on the grounds of age in offering an insurance policy, or the terms or conditions upon which such a policy is offered, if certain conditions are satisfied. [8] The conditions are satisfied if the discrimination is:

based upon actuarial or statistical data on which it is reasonable for the discriminator to rely; and

reasonable having regard to the matter of the data and other relevant factors; or

in a case where no such actuarial or statistical data is available, and cannot reasonably be obtained, reasonable having regard to any other relevant factors. [9]

4.11 Section 54 of the ADA provides power for the AHRC and its President to require the production of actuarial or statistical data where a person has acted in a way that would, apart from the above exemptions, be unlawful. However, much of the data relied upon by insurance companies in the underwriting and pricing processes is not publicly available.

4.12 As outlined in Chapter 1, the Australian Government is currently conducting a process to consolidate Commonwealth anti-discrimination legislation. In the course of the consolidation the Government is considering the exemption which may be invoked by insurers. Submissions from a number of stakeholders were received on this issue. [10] The ALRC will consider any changes to the insurance exemption arising from the consolidation process following the release of the exposure draft legislation expected later in 2012. A number of questions about the exemption are raised in the second part of this chapter.

Insurance Reform Advisory Group

4.13 In addition to the legislative and regulatory structures outlined above, in April 2011, an IRAG was established. The purpose of IRAG is to bring together peak industry bodies, consumer and government representatives to exchange views ‘about issues in the insurance field that should be considered for reform—be it legislative change or changes to regulatory or industry practices’. [11]

How does insurance affect mature age workforce participation?

4.14 In its submission to this Inquiry, Suncorp expressed the view that it ‘has not observed that age-based limits and premiums have any noticeable influence over workforce participation rates’. [12] Suncorp went on to argue that:

in the unlikely event that the underwriting or pricing of insurance products does negatively influence workforce participation, Suncorp would contend that this influence is likely to be appropriate in the circumstances. [13]

4.15 It is recognised however, that ‘the extent to which age-based limitations and premiums influence mature age workforce participation will vary on the nature of each particular product’. [14] Indeed, a number of other stakeholders have submitted that access to insurance poses difficulties for mature age workers. It was submitted that the imposition of age limits and the inclusion of age in the underwriting and pricing process, which may result in increased premiums, ‘act as a disincentive to employment and other productive work’. [15]

4.16 The key barriers for mature age workers appear to arise in relation to income protection insurance, travel insurance and workplace insurance. Each of these and their effect on mature age participation in the workforce is discussed below.

Income protection insurance

4.17 Income protection insurance (otherwise known as personal accident, sickness and disability insurance) protects the insured in the event of being unable to work due to sickness or injury (the ‘prescribed risk’). The benefit is provided by way of regular periodic payments—a wage substitute.

4.18 Overall demand for income protection insurance in Australia is ‘low across all age groups’ and 69% of Australians choose not to take out income protection insurance. [16] However, income protection insurance is of particular importance to specific groups of workers such as sole traders, where workers’ compensation is not available.

4.19 Significantly, with some exceptions, income protection insurance is unavailable to persons aged over 65. [17] This leaves those persons who choose to continue to work after that age unable to cover themselves in this way in the event of illness or injury. In addition, some income protection policies have a limited benefit period and only provide a wage subsidy for limited time spent out of the workforce (generally two or five years). [18]

4.20 These limitations have implications for mature age workers who choose to work past aged 65. These also affect those who are forced to exit the workforce and upon the expiry of their benefit period must attempt to re-enter employment, particularly in light of discrimination faced by people seeking employment from the age of 45. [19] This, compounded by illness or injury and a substantial period out of the workforce, presents a barrier to the workforce participation of mature age workers.

4.21 In addition, premiums for cover by income protection policies generally increase with age. These gaps in the availability and affordability of income protection insurance for workers aged over 65 may mean workers must rely on retirement savings or the Age Pension for any illness or injury sustained through work. This may act as a disincentive to workforce participation. It may also discourage mature age workers from embarking on self-employed enterprises as a transitional phase to retirement.

Travel insurance

4.22 Travel insurance provides for the payment of agreed sums to cover losses or expenses, including medical expenses, incurred in the course of travel. Age limitations and, in certain circumstances, higher insurance premiums, are placed on some travel insurance policies. Such limitations and premiums differ according to product and insurer, [20] however where they exist may exclude insurance for mature age persons. This is reinforced by the findings of a 2012 survey by National Seniors Australia and COTA Australia (COTA) on ageism in travel insurance, which found that:

almost a third of respondents (32%) reported that they have had to pay higher travel insurance premiums because of their age;

five per cent of respondents reported that they had been refused travel insurance because of their age; and

almost two-thirds of respondents (63%) have difficulty in understanding how age restrictions operate after reading through information provided by insurers in Product Disclosure Statements, brochures and websites. [21]

4.23 The higher cost, or unavailability, of travel insurance for these mature age persons may act as a barrier to work where a person is required to travel as part of his or her employment or wishes to volunteer, for example overseas or interstate.

4.24 Travel insurance for mature age persons is an issue specifically being considered by IRAG. [22]

Insurance and volunteers

4.25 Personal accident and public liability insurance is generally taken out by organisations that have volunteers. The ALRC has heard that age limitations and age-related premiums on insurance can restrict volunteering opportunities for mature age people. [23] This is highlighted by the following case study:

In one case, a group of retired workers in a small country town offered to assist the state government to keep their railway station open by volunteering to build up the existing platform to the required height. However, their offer of voluntary assistance was refused because, due to their age, they could not be covered by the government’s insurance provisions. [24]

4.26 The Tasmanian Anti-Discrimination Commission has released an issues paper, as part of its current inquiry into volunteers, insurance and age discrimination, in which it notes that:

community organisations have argued that age discrimination in the provision of volunteer insurance can have a negative impact on the community, volunteer organisations, and individuals, by restricting volunteer opportunities for younger and older people. [25]

4.27 The impact of this is two-fold: it curtails the ability of organisations to benefit from the skills and experience of mature age volunteers; and acts as a barrier to volunteering and remaining engaged in productive work.

4.28 While the ICA recognised that some age limits in available insurance cover remain, it highlighted that

Volunteering Australia reports that access to ‘affordable insurance cover has improved over the past decade and there is evidence that access to insurance is not a significant barrier to volunteerism in formal not-for-profit agencies’. [26]

4.29 However, in the same report Volunteering Australia concluded that

the changing nature of volunteering and the trend towards less formal, episodic and more mobile volunteer workforce may increasingly expose volunteers to situations where they find themselves unprotected by legislation or insurance coverage. [27]

4.30 According to the ICA, the ‘changing nature and diversity of volunteering activities can present challenges to the assessment of the relevant level of risk to be covered’ but that there are a variety of volunteer insurance products available. [28] For example, Volunteering Australia and AON have developed a Volunteers Vital Pack —a package of insurance to cover volunteer organisations. However, these products include some age-related limitations. [29]

4.31 The ICA acknowledged that

surveys have shown many volunteer organisations find insurance complex and there is a widespread lack of awareness of the level of insurance cover held by the volunteer organisation. [30]

4.32 Volunteering Australia has also called for

greater harmonisation of Commonwealth and State legislation to ensure that all volunteers, regardless of the circumstances of their volunteer effort, enjoy universal protection against loss. [31]

4.33 The ALRC will consider any recommendations made by the Tasmanian Anti-Discrimination Commission in this area. However, at this stage the ALRC considers the most appropriate approach to insurance issues concerning volunteers is the systemic one proposed by the ALRC involving IRAG and the insurance exemption.

[1] G Pynt, Australian Insurance Law: A First Reference (2nd ed, 2011), 4.

[2] Thomson Reuters, The Laws of Australia (2009) Insurance , 22.1.260.

[3] Part V of the Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth) provides for a number of prescribed classes of insurance contract. Prescribed contracts are outlined in the Insurance Contracts Regulations 1985 (Cth) and encompass a range of insurance policies, including sickness and accident insurance and travel insurance. The Regulations outline the minimum requirements for such policies, for example the minimum sum insured and the required risks or insured events covered by the contract.

[4] Australian Prudential Regulation Authority Act 1998 (Cth).

[5] Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 (Cth).

[6] Insurance Council of Australia, General Insurance Code of Practice .

[7] Financial Services Council, Standard No 1, Code of Ethics and Code of Conduct .

[8] Age Discrimination Act 2004 (Cth) s 37.

[9] Ibid s 37(3).

[10] See, eg, Insurance Council of Australia, Submission to Consolidation of Commonwealth Anti-Discrimination Laws , 1 February 2012.

[11] InsuranceNEWS, Shorten Sets up Another Insurance Review Body <www.insurancenews.com.au> at 18 April 2011. See also The Hon Bill Shorten, ‘Launch of the Report Reducing the Risks: Improving Access to Home Contents and Vehicle Insurance for Low-Income Australians,’ (Paper presented at Brotherhood of St Laurence, Fitzroy, 9 June 2011).

[12] Suncorp Group, Submission 39 .

[15] COTA, Submission 51 . See also National Seniors Australia, Submission 27 ; The South Australian Equal Opportunity Commission, Submission 11 .

[16] Suncorp Group, Submission 39 .

[17] Aon Hewitt, ‘Time for a Change in Executive Remuneration Design?’ (2011) 1(2) HR Connect Australia

[18] Income Protection Direct, Income Protection Quotes (2012) <www.incomeprotectiondirect.com. au/income-protection-insurance/compare-quotes> at 19 April 2012.

[19] Australian Human Rights Commission, Age Discrimination—Exposing the Hidden Barrier for Mature Age Workers (2010).

[20] For example, correspondence received from the Insurance Council of Australia outlined a range of travel insurance policies available to mature age people: Insurance Council of Australia, Correspondence , 29 August 2012.

[21] The data for the survey was gathered from a survey of 7,500 National Seniors members and approximately 6,100 COTA members. Of survey respondents, 12% travelled within Australia and 6% travelled overseas for business or volunteer work: National Seniors Australia and COTA, Ageism in Travel Insurance 2012 Survey Report (2012) .

[22] A number of reports prepared for IRAG are publicly available. See, eg, Ibid.

[23] See, eg, Volunteering Victoria, Submission to the Inquiry into the opportunities for participation of Senior Victorians (2011); Volunteering Australia, Submission to the Core Consultative Group on Age Discrimination (2002); Z Gill, Older People and Volunteering (2006), produced for the Office of Volunteers.

[24] Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, Age Matters: A Report on Age Discrimination (2000), 84.

[25] Office of the Anti-Discrimination Commissioner Tasmania, Volunteers, Insurance and Age: Investigation Issues Paper (2011), 2.

[26] Insurance Council of Australia, Submission 21 .

[27] Volunteering Australia, Issues Related to Insurance Protection for Volunteers , Issues Paper (2010), 11.

[28] Insurance Council of Australia, Submission 21 .

[29] Volunteering Australia and AON, Volunteers Vital Pack: Summary of Insurance Cover for Charitable, Not For Profit Voluntary Organisations and Organisations that Involve Volunteers (2011).

[30] Insurance Council of Australia, Submission 21 .

[31] Volunteering Australia, Issues Related to Insurance Protection for Volunteers , Issues Paper (2010), 11.

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Health and safety FAQs

Australia is a safe and welcoming country. Your top health and safety questions have been answered to help you prepare for your trip.

Australia is a very safe country to visit. The country has a stable political system and a low crime rate, and Australians generally experience a safe lifestyle. However, you should observe the same precautions with your personal safety and possessions as you would when travelling anywhere, whether at home or overseas.

Australia is a safe country to travel to alone. In fact, the welcoming locals and relaxed lifestyle make Australia a popular destination for solo travellers. There are also plenty of opportunities to meet new people once you arrive. Remember, it’s still important to use good judgement for your own health and safety, like you would at home. 

When travelling to Australia with a disability, pre-planning can ensure you have an enjoyable holiday. If you have a medical condition or require assistance, you will find plenty of services available. Speak to your  travel agent  about your specific requirements or visit the People With Disability Australia  website. 

In the event of an emergency, dial Triple Zero (000) to speak with emergency services. Once connected, you can request ambulance, fire or police assistance. From a mobile phone you can also dial 112, the international standard emergency number, to speak to a Triple Zero operator. 

If you don’t speak English, you can call Triple Zero (000) and ask for ‘police’, ‘fire’ or ‘ambulance’. Once you are connected to an operator, stay on the line and a translator can be organised for you. 

Always be prepared while travelling in a remote location. Pack adequate supplies of water and food and bring provisions for warmth and shelter. Share your schedule with someone you trust and take communication devices such as a mobile phone and a long-range radio.

In the event of an emergency, dial Triple Zero (000) to request assistance. Advanced Mobile Location (AML) is available in Australia for upgraded Android and iPhone devices. This life-saving technology automatically sends your location details to emergency services when Triple Zero is called.  

Australia’s national telephone warning system is used to warn the community in the event of a likely or actual emergency. Emergency Alert sends text messages to mobile phones within a geographic area defined by emergency services. International travellers can receive these notifications if their mobile phone is roaming on an Australia network.

Bushfires can occur in Australia’s bushland, typically in the warmer months of the year. Bushfires do pose a risk to travellers and property, for this reason it is recommended to check local conditions and reschedule trips within a bushfire radius. These bushfire safety tips include useful resources to stay up to date. Fortunately, Australia is a large country, and many areas will likely be unaffected.

Familiarise yourself with these tips for COVID-19 safe travel in Australia . There are also a few important measures to protect yourself from COVID-19 while travelling

• Wear a mask: in some states and territories, masks may be mandatory on public transport and indoor spaces.
• Physical distancing: keep 1.5 metres away from others where possible
• Soap up: wash your hands regularly for 20 seconds with soap and water
• Use cashless payment: use a credit or debit card to avoid handling cash

If you develop COVID-19 symptoms, get tested and follow the self-isolation guidelines of the state or territory you are visiting. Testing locations can be found here . For information about COVID-19 you can call Australia’s National Coronavirus Helpline on 1800 020 080.

While not mandatory, travel insurance is highly recommended. This will provide an extra level of security to cover for any unforeseen circumstances affecting your travel plans.

Australia has  reciprocal health care agreements  with eleven countries. If your country of origin is not in this list, you should consider taking out health insurance for your trip. It's not a requirement for travel to Australia, but it will protect you from high upfront costs if you need to see a medical professional. Having health insurance is always a good idea while travelling, even if just for peace of mind, but particularly if you have a health condition.

Nature and wildlife 

Generally, swimming at the beach in Australia is safe. In fact, it’s one of our favourite activities! To stay safe, we recommend following the Surf Lifesavers’  water safety  recommendations. These include:

• Only swim at patrolled beaches.
• Swim between the red and yellow flags. These areas are patrolled by Surf Lifesavers.
• Never swim alone, at night, or under the influence of alcohol.
• Always check water depth before diving in and never run and dive into the water from the beach.

The Australian sun is very strong, even on cloudy days. Be 'sun smart' and protect yourself from the sun by wearing a rash vest, applying water-resistant, reef-friendly sunscreen (SPF30 or higher) regularly, and wearing a hat and sunglasses. Protect yourself from heat exhaustion by sitting in the shade and drinking plenty of water to avoid dehydration.

The sun is strongest during the summer (December to February). However, UV levels are high all year round in Australia, even when the weather is overcast. Regularly apply sunscreen and take extra care between 10am and 3pm when UV levels are generally at their highest.

Australia is home to a plethora of incredible animals, some of which you might prefer to avoid, while others are a treat to meet. A good rule of thumb is to always follow advisory signs and don’t approach unfamiliar animals. Find out the facts about dangerous animals in Australia , there’s no need to be afraid. Our wildlife is wonderful, and responsible encounters in the wild will make your trip extra special.

Australia boasts a myriad of breathtaking   bushwalks and hikes , all of which can be enjoyed safely. To avoid any danger, ensure that you:

• Only walk along marked trails and while you’re walking, stick to the path.
• Always bring plenty of water and food. It could be some time before you can top up on supplies.
• Bring appropriate clothing. Comfortable shoes, a hat to protect yourself from the sun, and layers are recommended.
• Tell someone where you are hiking.

Australia is a vast and diverse country, packing up the car and taking a long road trip is an immersive way to explore it. Driving long distances is a safe and stress-free adventure if you plan and pack safe. Make sure your vehicle is in good condition and take rest and stretching breaks every two hours. If you are driving in the outback there is often long distances between towns and facilities so it’s important to plan your trip before setting off. Be prepared by reading our guide to road safety and regulations.

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• When you get a quote, select "annual multi-trip" for your choice of International Comprehensive, International Basic or Domestic Travel insurance.
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