Travel Insurance Hub FAQ answers some frequently asked questions travellers may have relating to travel insurance products in Australia.
What is travel insurance?
Travel insurance is a type of insurance product which provides cover for travellers who are heading overseas or travelling domestically within Australia. Typically, travel insurance provides cover for medical costs travellers may incur while overseas, cover for pre-trip cancellation and trip curtailment, lost or delayed luggage and more.
What Does Travel Insurance Cover?
Travel insurance can provide cover for unforeseen events during domestic or international travel. Coverage varies between policies and providers, and benefit limits differ.
Common coverage areas include:
- Trip cancellation, delay, or rearrangement
- Emergency return home
- Overseas medical expenses
- Medical evacuation and repatriation
- Cruise cover
- Optional extras (e.g., snow sports)
- Lost/stolen passport
- Personal liability
- Rental vehicle excess
- Luggage
If an insured event occurs and you have a valid policy, you may be able to make a claim.
What is an Insured Event?
An insured event is a specific event covered by your travel insurance policy. For example, an insured event could be unexpected medical expenses incurred while overseas.
What is a Travel Insurance Benefit?
A benefit is the amount your policy may pay out for a covered insured event. For instance, a cancellation benefit specifies the maximum amount payable if you cancel your trip for a covered reason.
How Much Travel Insurance Do I Need?
There’s no single “recommended” amount. The necessary coverage depends on your trip details and individual needs. Policy benefits and coverage options vary, so it’s essential to understand the policy’s terms and limitations to ensure adequate coverage.
What is a Travel Insurance Excess?
An excess is the amount you pay when making a claim. It’s the initial amount you contribute towards the claim. For example, if your policy has a cancellation benefit and you make a claim, you’ll pay the excess amount.
Can I Reduce or Remove the Excess?
Some policies allow you to reduce or remove the excess by paying a higher premium. This means you’ll pay more for the policy but less (or nothing) if you make a claim.
What is a Travel Insurance Premium?
A premium is the total cost of your travel insurance policy. It’s the amount you pay to be insured, separate from any excess payable when making a claim.
Is a Higher or Lower Excess Better?
You may be able to choose a higher excess for a lower premium or a lower excess (or no excess) for a higher premium. A higher excess lowers your initial policy cost but increases your out-of-pocket expenses if you make a claim.
Does Travel Insurance Cover My Medical Conditions?
Some pre-existing medical conditions may be automatically covered. Policies have criteria for determining pre-existing conditions. If your condition isn’t automatically covered, you may be able to obtain coverage after a health screening and paying an additional premium.
Can I Buy Travel Insurance After Booking My Trip?
Yes, you can purchase travel insurance after booking flights or other travel arrangements. You can even buy it after you’ve already started your trip. However, if you purchase a policy after departing, specific conditions may apply to ensure validity, such as the policy ending when you return home to Australia and a waiting period applying from the time of purchase until cover for any event begins.
Can I purchase travel insurance if I am already overseas?
Yes, you can purchase travel insurance if you are already overseas. A 48-hour waiting period applies from time of purchase until cover begins. You must return to your home in Australia at the end of the period of insurance.
Does my travel insurance include cruise cover?
Cruise cover is included automatically on all international policies.
How Long Should My Travel Insurance Last?
Many single-trip international policies cover you from departure from Australia until your return. “Already overseas” policies are also available, but policies generally need to begin or end in Australia. One-way travel insurance may also be available. Always check the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) for specific policy durations and conditions. Many providers offer a maximum duration of 365 days.
When Should My Travel Insurance Start?
Coverage often begins when you leave your home in Australia or, for “already overseas” policies, after your trip has begun and 48-hours from the time of purchase. Cancellation cover may start from the policy purchase date. You can typically purchase a policy up to one year before your departure date.
Does Travel Insurance Cover Doctor Visits?
Under medical expenses and assistance cover doctor’s visits are covered.
Do Australians Need Travel Insurance?
Travel insurance can provide cover for unforeseen events, both domestically and internationally. This includes overseas medical costs and trip cancellation. Australian’s travelling overseas or on domestic cruises may be covered for events such as medical, luggage, trip curtailment, as well as for snow sports and adventure activities like hiking and mountaineering, if their policy provides cover for those events.
Can I Buy Travel Insurance After Departing Australia?
Yes, you can purchase travel insurance after leaving Australia, a waiting period may apply (48 hours). However, the policy usually must begin or end when you are at home in Australia.
What is an Annual Multi-Trip policy?
An Annual Multi-Trip policy provides cover for multiple trips within a year long period. For example, if your Annual Multi-Trip provides 45 days cover, you are covered for up to 45-days per overseas trip, as many trips as you like departing from and returning to Australia within a 45 day period, over a calendar year.
What is travel insurance?
Travel insurance is a financial product designed to cover potential losses incurred by travelers, both before and during a trip. Travel Insurance Saver offers coverage for a range of situations, from overseas medical expenses to lost luggage. With Medical Only, Essentials, and Comprehensive policies available for both single and multi-trips, obtaining suitable cover is straightforward. Travel Insurance Saver provides options for solo travelers, couples, families, and school groups, catering to both overseas and domestic travel within Australia.
What does travel insurance cover?
Travel insurance can provide cover for unexpected events such as overseas medical expenses, lost or stolen luggage, and trip cancellation or curtailment. Depending on the policy, optional extras like snow sports cover may be available, and automatic cover is included for a range of adventure and sporting activities, subject to specific conditions.
Is cruise cover automatically included?
Cruise cover is included in international policies. However, for cruises within Australia, it’s important to select “South Pacific including New Zealand” as the area of travel to ensure coverage for emergency medical assistance and expenses.
Is motorcycle or moped riding covered while overseas?
Coverage for motorcycle or moped riding overseas is provided if you have a valid motorcycle license in Australia and/or the country you are traveling to, and you are wearing a helmet. There are no cc limits for motorcycle cover. If you have a learner’s permit, you are covered under the same conditions that apply to your learner’s permit (i.e., cc or speed restrictions).
Can I get travel insurance if I am already overseas?
Yes, you can purchase travel insurance from Travel Insurance Saver even if you have already departed. However, a 48-hour waiting period applies from the time of purchase until cover begins. The policy requires you to return to your home in Australia at the end of the period of insurance. To get a quote, you will need to indicate that it is not a return trip and specify the country where your policy will start and any other countries you will be visiting before returning to Australia, with Australia as your final destination.
Can I get one-way travel insurance?
Yes, one-way travel insurance is available. You will need to select the last country in your itinerary for coverage purposes, particularly for repatriation. One-way travel is defined as a trip with no expected return date to Australia or no return ticket booked. When obtaining a quote, you’ll need to deselect the “This is a return trip” option and enter your departure date and the date you want the policy to expire. You will also need to nominate your final destination for medical repatriation or curtailment purposes.
Disclaimer:
Travel Insurance Hub provides travel insurance information. We are not insurers. Always read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) from the insurer before making a purchase decision.
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