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Travel Insurance for Japan

From bustling cities like Tokyo and Osaka to the serene beauty of the countryside inns and onsens, Japan offers a wealth of experiences for Aussie tourists. Whether you’re planning a snowboarding adventure or a culinary odyssey, it’s important to consider how travel insurance can protect you if the unexpected happens on your trip.

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Joshua Sale
GM, Research
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Alasdair Duncan
Content Editor
Fact Checked

Why do I need Travel Insurance for Japan?

Compare policies from over 25 Travel Insurance providers

Tick Travel Insurance
Insure and Go Insurance
World2Cover travel insurance
Fastcover
Qantas Insurance

We do not compare all brands in the market, or all products from our participating brands. At times certain brands or products may not be available or offered to you. Learn more.

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Compare a selection of travel insurers in Australia, with real time quote and features.

The below table is showing results for a 18-69 year old person travelling to Japan. This table only shows products from our Online Partners who are able to return product prices. The Star Rating is based for the International profile. The International profile considers a range of travel destinations and consumer profiles. See the Travel Insurance Star Rating Methodology for more details.

Fast Cover logo
Fast Cover - Comprehensive
gold stargold stargold stargold stargold star
UnlimitedUnlimited
InsureandGo logo
InsureandGo - Gold
gold stargold stargold stargold stargold star
UnlimitedUnlimited
InsureandGo logo
InsureandGo - Silver
gold stargold stargold stargold stargold star
Unlimited$15,000
Tick Travel Insurance logo
Tick Travel Insurance - Standard
gold stargold stargold stargold stargold star
Unlimited$5,000
Tick Travel Insurance logo
Tick Travel Insurance - Top
gold stargold stargold stargold stargold star
Unlimited$20,000
Fast Cover logo
Fast Cover - Standard Saver
gold stargold stargold stargold stargrey star
Unlimited$25,000
Tick Travel Insurance logo
Tick Travel Insurance - Budget
gold stargold stargold stargold stargrey star
Unlimited$5,000
Travel Protect logo
Travel Protect - Explorer
gold stargold stargold stargold stargrey star
Unlimited$40,000
WAS Insurance logo
WAS Insurance - Discovery
gold stargold stargold stargold stargrey star
Unlimited$40,000
Freely logo
Freely - Overseas Explorer
gold stargold stargold stargrey stargrey star
Unlimited$5,000

The table above is sorted by Star Rating (highest to lowest) then Provider Name (Alphabetical).

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Travel insurance for Japan: how can it protect you?

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Medical, Accident & Evacuation Cover

If you injure yourself (or someone else) in an accident while overseas medical care can be expensive, and the right travel insurance policy can cover you for both hospital bills and legal liability. If you plan on undertaking winter sports in Japan, then the right cover can be especially important. In the event of a medical emergency that requires you to be flown home, expenses can be unexpectedly high, so the right insurance is even more important.

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Trip Cancellation & Delay Cover

If something goes wrong and delays your trip, forcing you to cancel flights and hotel bookings, then you can be out a lot of money, and travel insurance can cover for these expenses. Likewise, if things don’t go to plan on your trip to Japan, and an event like a blizzard or a family emergency forces you to extend your stay, travel insurance can help reimburse you for these and other expenses related to your delay.

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Luggage Loss or Damage Cover

Few things can ruin a trip faster than finding that your luggage has not joined you at your destination. If your bags are lost and you’re stranded without essentials, you may need to replace clothing, toiletries or even larger items. Some policies with winter sports cover will also pay for damage to equipment like snowboards, so whatever kind of holiday you’re planning, the right travel insurance can let you start your Japan trip with peace of mind.

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OUTSTANDING VALUE AWARD

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OUTSTANDING VALUE AWARD

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OUTSTANDING VALUE AWARD

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Travel insurance for Japan

Key topics

How to choose the right travel insurance for Japan?

Since each person’s idea of a great holiday is different, there is no one-size-fits-all travel insurance policy, and the right level of coverage will differ person to person. It’s important therefore to buy the policy that suits your particular needs and covers you for what you plan to do on your trip.

For example, when comparing travel insurance with Canstar, you can search for policies that cover you for travel to Japan, and see the limits that each policy provides for overseas medical and hospital cover, as well as cancellations and lost luggage.

You can also filter your results to show policies that cover for a range of options that may be applicable to your trip, for example, if you plan on skiing or snowboarding, cover for these activities may not be standard and may need to be added on.

What does Japan travel insurance cover?

The list of things generally covered by travel insurance policies for Japan includes:

Medical or dental emergency

Hospital admission, emergency care and medical evacuation.

Lost or stolen luggage, passport or other items

Replacing luggage and travel documents is the most common claim for travel insurance.

Cancelling your trip unexpectedly

Cancellation due to illness, accident, holiday leave being revoked or a natural disaster at home or at your intended destination.

Legal liability

If you break a local law and need a lawyer/interpreter e.g if you injure someone or are held accountable for damaged property.

Optional extras

Some policies offer a variety of useful extras depending on which one you get, such as rental vehicle excesses, cover for kennels and catteries for your pets at home, and even cover if you suffer a loss of income or a permanent disability while overseas.

Repatriation

If tragedy strikes while you are away, repatriation covers the cost of flying your body and belongings back home to Australia. Some policies also include a separate sum for funeral expenses.

What does Japan travel insurance not cover?

Your travel insurance policy won’t cover everything that happens to you while travelling in Japan, as there are a number of common exclusions, as well as things that could void your cover, such as:

Riding without a helmet

If you plan to ride a bicycle, scooter or motorcycle while in Japan, your travel insurance will not cover you if you’re found to be riding without a helmet. This may also apply when skiing or snowboarding, so it’s important to check the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) of your policy before doing so.

Being under the influence

Likewise, claims relating directly to drugs or alcohol or incidents befalling travellers under the influence of these substances will likely not be covered.

Pre-existing conditions

While you can sometimes pay a bit extra to get them covered, an exclusion may apply if, at the time of purchasing the policy, you were aware of something that would give rise to you making a claim under the policy and didn’t inform the insurer. It’s worth checking the terms and conditions of your policy to find out if you’re covered for your condition.

Unreported and unattended items

You can be covered if your possessions are stolen or lost accidentally, but leaving them unattended will often void your cover. In the event that your possessions are lost or stolen, you need to report the loss to local authorities within 24 hours, and then inform your insurance provider as soon as possible. Your policy will typically state the timeframe in which you must report to your insurance provider.

Travelling to regions that you know are unsafe, such as the restricted zones around the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, can also void your insurance. It’s important to note that radiation levels in most parts of Japan, including Tokyo and Hiroshima, are within the normal range.

Can you get skiing and snowboarding insurance for Japan?

Many Australian tourists flock to the countless world-class ski resorts that Japan has to offer. While the thought of skiing and snowboarding in the beautiful Japanese snow is exciting, injuries can and do happen. There are numerous cases of people being injured in snow sport-related accidents in Japan each ski season. That’s why having an insurance policy that covers snow sports can be important if you plan on hitting the slopes.

Generally, standard travel insurance policies don’t include cover for snow and winter sports. Cover for these activities is often an optional extra that can be added to the policy. This will likely increase the premium you’ll have to pay, but may be worth the peace of mind of knowing you’re covered in the unfortunate case that you suffer a serious injury.

Some policies may also have safety requirements, such as the wearing of a helmet, for you to be covered. It’s important to read the terms and conditions of your policy to check for these requirements. Failure to meet these safety requirements may result in claims being denied and/or your cover being voided.

What does Japan Travel Insurance cost?

At the time of writing, basic travel insurance for Japan can start from as low as $46-$62 for basic cover for an individual traveller for a week in Japan, and $70 and up for more comprehensive cover. The price can vary from there, depending on the level of cover and optional inclusions that you need. For example, cover that includes snow and winter sports could cost anywhere from $130-$340. You can compare travel insurance with Canstar to find cover that suits your particular needs and budget.

Travel Insurance for Japan FAQs

About our finance experts

Alasdair Duncan, Senior Finance Journalist

Alasdair Duncan | Canstar

Alasdair Duncan is a Senior Finance Journalist at Canstar, specialising in home loans, property and lifestyle topics. He has written more than 400 articles for Canstar and his work is widely referenced by other publishers and media outlets, including Yahoo FinanceThe New DailyThe Motley Fool and Sky News. He has featured as a guest author for property website homely.com.au.

In his more than 15 years working in the media, Alasdair has written for a broad range of publications. Before joining Canstar, he was a News Editor at Pedestrian.TV, part of Australia’s leading youth media group. His work has also appeared on ABC News, Junkee, Rolling Stone, Kotaku, the Sydney Star Observer and The Brag. He has a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Journalism from the University of Queensland.

When he is not writing about finance for Canstar, Alasdair can probably be found at the beach with his two dogs or listening to podcasts about pop music.

You can follow Alasdair on LinkedIn and Twitter.

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


Josh Sale, Travel Insurance Ratings Manager

Headshot of Josh Sale, CanstarAs Canstar’s Ratings Manager, Josh Sale is responsible for the methodology and delivery of Canstar’s Travel Insurance Star Ratings. With tertiary qualifications in economics and finance, Josh has worked behind the scenes for the last five years to develop Star Ratings and Awards that help connect consumers with the right product for them.

Josh is passionate about helping consumers get hands-on with their finances. Josh has been interviewed by media outlets such as the Australian Financial Reviewnews.com.au and Money Magazine.

You can follow Josh on LinkedIn, and Canstar on Twitter and Facebook.

Important Information

For those that love the detail

This advice is general and has not taken into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider whether this advice is right for you.