Travel Insurance

What is travel insurance?

Warning: While the Australian Government travel ban remains in place, travel insurance policies may not provide protection for international travel and many travel insurers will not cover COVID-19-related claims. Star Ratings and Awards referred to on this page were awarded and assessed against criteria in mid-2019. For the most up-to-date information, please contact your policy provider directly. You may also visit www.smartraveller.gov.au for more information.

Travel insurance covers emergencies or accidents while you are on holiday. Depending on your destination and choice of policy, it could also include cover for the cost of medical emergencies, lost or stolen luggage, and even the car insurance excess charged in the event of a hire car accident. There are two main types of travel insurance:

• Domestic travel insurance covers you for trips taken within Australia
• International travel insurance will cover you for overseas trips, and typically covers slightly different things than domestic cover.

No travel policy will cover you for every single thing that could possibly go wrong while you’re away. It’s important to carefully read the policy terms and conditions in the product disclosure statement (PDS) for any policy you’re considering, so you know what is and is not covered.

Typical exclusions could include:

• Costs or cancellations that arise from a pandemic or an epidemic (such as COVID-19)
• Skiing or other snow activities (typically, you’ll need snow cover for that)
• Dangerous activities (‘hazardous pursuits’) such as such as scuba diving or bungee jumping (some insurers may cover this automatically, but it’s possible you may need to pay extra or buy a separate adventure travel policy)
• High-value belongings (unless you tell your insurer about them)
• Risky or irresponsible behaviour on your part, including behaviour while under the influence of alcohol
• Pre-existing medical conditions that you didn’t tell your insurer about when applying for insurance
• Intentional illegal behaviour, or breaking local laws and regulations more generally
• Lost items where you left your belongings unattended
• Driving a motorbike overseas (you may be able to obtain cover in some cases if you have a motorbike licence and are driving a low-power vehicle – check with your insurer)
• Acts of war

Author: Nina Tovey

As Canstar’s Editor-in-Chief, Nina heads up a team of talented  journalists committed to helping empower consumers to take greater control of their finances. Nina has a Bachelor of Journalism and a Bachelor of Arts with a double major in English Literature from the University of Queensland. She’s also an experienced presenter, and has hosted numerous events and YouTube series. You can follow her on Instagram or Twitter, or Canstar on Facebook.

You can also read more about Canstar’s editorial team and our robust fact-checking process.