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If you’re heading to the Sochi Winter Olympic and/or Paralympic Games, there are a few things you have hopefully organised by now. Such as airfares and accommodation – and tickets to the events. You’ll also need to organise travel insurance! So what do you need to know?
The cost:
There is far more to travel insurance than simply price – but the cost of the cover is always the attention grabbing item! The good news is that a travel insurance policy for Russia won’t set you back a great deal. Canstar analysis found average premiums for a 21-day travel period from Australia to Russia to be:
| Country | Average overall travel insurance premium (singles) | Average overall travel insurance premium (couples) | Average overall travel insurance premium (family) |
| Russia (Europe) | $149.00 | $283.00 | $292.00 |
Source: Canstar, Average premium for a 21-day travel period using all the policies used in rating respective profiles.
Some tips:
Not all travel insurance policies are created equal and unwary travellers can find themselves in serious financial trouble by not checking the wording and inclusions on their chosen policy. Some inclusions that Sochi-bound travellers should look for are:
Repatriation/evacuation. Each year around 1,000 Australians die overseas, and the return of remains from Europe costs in excess of $10,000. The return of a live person can be substantially more, with private jet charter company PrivateFly estimating the cost of medical evacuation from Sochi to Sydney at approximately US$240,000.
Overseas hospital cover. The cost of medical attention overseas can be steep. The Olympics are the first large-scale event to be held in Sochi. As such, the capacity of its medical services to handle a potentially large influx is untested.
Luggage/personal effects. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade advises that Australians should exercise a high degree of caution when travelling to Russia, in part due to the level of criminal activity. Leaving your luggage unattended, even for a few seconds, can cause a claim for theft to be denied. Pickpockets can also target popular tourist attractions in Russia, so consider choosing a policy that also covers you for the theft of cash.
24 hour helpline. Emergencies don’t always happen between the hours of 9 – 5 and not everyone in Russia will speak English. Ensure that your travel insurance offers a 24-hour helpline. Most do!
Cover for adventurous activities. Most standard travel insurance policies exclude activities such as snowboarding, skiing and bungee jumping. So if you’re planning to emulate some of the moves you see at the Winter Olympics, plan also on choosing an insurance product that will cover the fallout.
Any insurance policy can be voided under certain conditions and travel insurance is no exception. Click here for some common tourist mistakes that could void your claim.
If all else fails and the situation is dire, there is an Australian Embassy in Moscow and Australian Consulates in both St Petersburg and Vladivostok.
