Travel reviews, advice, information and buying guides - ��Vlog

Everything you need to know about buying travel insurance

Jodi Bird — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 07:18:25 +0000

Travel insurance is an essential part of planning a holiday, but who wants to study insurance small print when you could be poring over maps and goading jealous friends with travel brochures?

This buying guide is produced by ��Vlog and originally published on . You can also .

On this page:

Why get travel insurance?
Travel insurance for countries with reciprocal healthcare arrangements
How to get travel insurance
Things to consider before you buy
How to navigate travel insurance fine print
What you’re covered for and what the catches are

This guide to getting the right travel insurance will have you back in holiday mode in no time.

In the helpful case studies you’ll find throughout this guide, we’ve changed some names and details to protect privacy.

Why get travel insurance?

If you’re an Australian travelling overseas, travel insurance is just as essential as a passport. If you can afford a holiday, you can afford travel insurance.

Holidays don’t always go as planned

Travel insurance can give you financial and practical support when things go wrong. Medical expenses are the number one risk you want to cover.

Other things that can go wrong include trip cancellations, delays, lost luggage or even natural disasters and pandemics. If you end up out of pocket because of these things, insurance could make up for your losses. But most importantly, it’s about being a smart traveller in case the unexpected happens.

The Australian government won’t pay your medical bills

If you end up injured or sick while overseas, the Australian government can only help so much. The describes what the government may do and also what it can’t do to help Australians overseas.

74% of travellers expected assistance in circumstances when the government may not be able to provide it, such as coordinate and pay for medical evacuation or treatment
ICA & DFAT Travel Insurance Survey 2025

If you end up injured or sick while overseas, the Australian government can only help so much.

With the correct travel insurance, you’ll be financially covered when things go wrong. Without insurance or the right insurance? You might need to pay for unplanned hospital bills and the cost of flying home. If you’re really unlucky, bills could cost you or your family hundreds of thousands of dollars. See the case studies highlighted in the sections below for things to check for when buying travel insurance.

Whatever your reason for jetting off, travel insurance is a crucial part of your trip.

Travel insurance for countries with reciprocal healthcare arrangements

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. This often makes people wonder if 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 – reciprocal healthcare agreements ��ǲ�’t cover this.
You still might 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.
To get to most of these destinations, you often need to transit through other countries where Australia has no reciprocal healthcare agreement. And you could get injured or sick on the way.
Travel insurance also covers you for other unexpected events, including flight cancellations, delays, stolen items and more.

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

Tip! Did you know that some overseas hospitals won’t admit or treat you without travel insurance and that you’ll have to pay up front?

Case study: Nhung was holidaying in Türkiye when she experienced acute appendicitis and needed emergency surgery. The hospital wouldn’t admit her without payment. Nhung contacted her travel insurer and after a quick assessment of her condition, she was provided with funds so she was not left out-of-pocket and could focus on recovering.

Why travel insurance is so important

I’m travelling in Australia; do I need domestic travel insurance?

For Australians, most of us already have medical cover at home, such as Medicare, private health insurance or both. We know how things work here and we’re closer to our family, friends and support systems if we need them. But there are still a few key reasons to consider domestic travel insurance.

Medical evacuation: If your health insurance policy doesn’t cover air or ground ambulance, domestic travel insurance might be worth thinking about for emergency evacuation. For example, you go on a hike and get hurt.
Trip cancellation: If you’ve spent a lot on your holiday, then it’s not too much extra to buy travel insurance in case things go wrong.
Baggage cover: If you’re travelling with valuables, think about whether you want them covered for theft, loss or damage.
Car hire insurance excess: You can save money using travel insurance to cover your collision damage excess, instead of paying the car hire company’s extra charge.

Buying travel insurance

Where to buy?

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.

How to buy?

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.

When to buy?

The best time to buy travel insurance is as soon as you know your travel dates and when you book and pay for the trip. This means you’re covered if your trip is cancelled or if you’re unable to travel, even before you set foot on a plane, train or ship.

But ��ǲ�’t fret if you didn’t buy travel insurance at the time you booked and paid for your trip. Just make sure you buy travel insurance before your departure date. It’s better than not buying it at all. And if you’ve already set off on your travels, some insurers will let you buy a policy after you’ve already departed Australia, but with conditions.

Case study: Lewis booked and paid for a holiday in Bali through an airline. During the booking process, the airline offered optional extras such as preferred seats, meals, and travel insurance. Lewis chose to purchase travel insurance. Later, he contacted the airline to reschedule his holiday for a month later.
While on holiday, Lewis became unwell and had to see a doctor. He only discovered afterwards that he didn’t have insurance coverage. His policy had expired because it covered only his original travel dates, not the rescheduled ones. When Lewis changed his travel dates with the airline, he also needed to notify the insurer.
No matter how you purchase your travel insurance, be sure to understand your coverage and inform your insurer if your plans change.

What to buy?

So, you’re being a smart traveller and buying insurance. And you can certainly buy travel insurance quicker than it takes you to read this guide, but do you know what you’ll be covered for? Will you be covered if you injure yourself after having a few drinks? If you crash your scooter in Thailand? If you lose your wallet during a stopover? If you miss a flight because of a car accident?

93% of people who travelled with insurance were unaware or unsure of at least one common policy exclusion
ICA & DFAT Travel Insurance Survey 2024

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

Case study: Nikos and his family from Melbourne were visiting extended family in Greece during a planned three-week holiday. Midway through the trip, Nikos’ father, a Greek national who lives locally, became seriously ill and was admitted to hospital.
Nikos and his family needed to stay in Greece to support Nikos’ father while doctors assessed his condition. They couldn’t return home as planned.
Fortunately, their insurance policy’s trip interruption benefits covered the illness of a close relative or someone they were staying with. Nikos’ insurer covered $4500 in flight change costs. The family could arrange return flights once Nikos’ father was well enough.
Under most insurance policies, the insurance period is automatically extended if an insured event prevents you from completing your trip. So the family’s coverage was extended at no cost, allowing them to stay longer without buying extra insurance.

Best travel insurance for your destination

Will you use your travel insurance?

Hopefully not, but here are the most common claimed events:

Flight or tour cancelled
Flight delayed more than 12 hours
Missed a connecting flight
Received medical treatment
Lost, damaged or stolen luggage
Lost, damaged or stolen cash or personal items
Forced to cancel trip before departure.

Will the insurers pay out?

Did you know that Australian travellers lodged over 310,000 insurance claims in 2023–24. Over 206,000 claims were accepted, paying out almost $559 million.

Top 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

It’s important to understand what your travel insurance will cover. Every trip and destination is different. Every traveller is different. So, if one traveller is 18 going bungee jumping and another is 81 going on a cruise, it makes sense their insurance needs are different, too.

Travel insurance with cancellation options can cover your expenses to cancel due to:

sickness or injury
natural disasters
family emergencies and
other unexpected circumstances.

You should notify your insurer immediately when cancellation becomes necessary. If you’re covered, your insurer will guide you through trying to recoup costs from travel providers like airlines and accommodation first and then cover what’s left over.

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

Before you buy

1. Where are you going?

Travel insurance prices and coverage depend on where you travel. Some policies cover only certain countries or regions, while others are worldwide. Insurers may see some destinations or regions as riskier than others.

Not all policies cover pandemics like COVID-19 or SARS, or travel changes caused by riots or civil unrest.

on the Smartraveller website. Make sure you’re aware of any risks and safety advice.

DFAT’s Smartraveller website assigns each destination an official advice level of 1, 2, 3 or 4. For each level, DFAT provides advice to help Australians avoid or reduce the risks to their safety. A higher travel advice level means higher risk.

The levels are:

It’s important to read and understand the advice level for each country you’re travelling to or through. Why? The advice level can affect your and your .

Based on the , travellers weren’t always put off by travel advisories, with many unaware that they may be left uninsured if they do choose to travel.

Almost half (47%) of all travellers reported they were not aware that travel insurance policies likely wouldn’t cover their travel to a destination with a level 4 travel advisory in place
ICA & DFAT Travel Insurance Survey 2025

Tip!

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 check you’re covered for the US and Europe.
Most single-trip policies will cover you for 24 to 72 hours for a stopover in a country different to the region you selected when buying the policy.
Check the details of the insurance policy you’re planning to buy, to understand how long you have.

You might need different insurance cover for different regions. If you’re unsure, ask your insurer.

Insurers sometimes apply policies to regions rather than having a policy for each destination. The following is a list of regions and examples of destinations that may fall under these:

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 the regions listed from items 1 to 3, as well as regions such as North America, South America, Japan and Africa.

Regions differ for each insurer. For example, several insurers cover travel to Bali under their Asia 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? 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 at your destination?

Cruising the open road on a scooter? Carving up the ski slopes? These things aren’t necessarily included in a travel insurance policy. It’s surprising, yes! But now you know. Different adventures, itinerary and travel styles affect your travel insurance. The more extreme your adventures, the more extreme travel insurance you’ll likely need!

Look through the insurer’s list of included activities. Check what activities you might have to pay to get extra coverage for.

If you’re planning to drink alcohol and operate a vehicle, check your travel insurance policy about alcohol limits. Why? If you’re intoxicated and you cause or are involved in an accident, your insurance policy might not cover you.

It’s no different from how drinking affects your blood alcohol concentration levels in Australia, and its legal impacts if you’re involved in an accident. If you’re overseas, similar rules apply.

4. Are you taking any valuable items?

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

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

Insurance policies also vary when it comes to how they cover valuable items.

Valuables in your check-in luggage often aren’t covered.
Cover for baggage stored in your hire car is inconsistent.
Baggage left unattended is never covered. This can include a bag stolen from the seat beside you in a restaurant.

It can get a little confusing! But now you know what to check in your insurance policy.

Tip! Just like if you’re in Australia and paying for your home insurance goods, make sure you have receipts for your valuables kept in a safe place. Travel insurance won’t 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 or knee replacements.

If you’re unsure, contact the insurer to ask whether they’ll cover your condition automatically or whether they require you to do a medical assessment.

Case study: Sarah has well-managed type 2 diabetes. Before purchasing travel insurance, Sarah confirmed with her insurer that they would cover her condition.
While travelling through Vietnam, Sarah experienced gastrointestinal illness due to unfamiliar food. This illness caused her blood sugar levels to become unstable, triggering complications related to her diabetes. She was admitted to hospital for monitoring and treatment for three days.
Sarah’s insurance policy covered $7300 in hospital and medical costs, and additional accommodation and booking change costs for the portion of her trip she missed while hospitalised.

Case study: 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 wasn’t liable to pay any hospital bills as Nazreen’s bronchitis was a preexisting medical condition.
The Massoud family had to borrow $17,000 from their friends to cover Nazreen’s hospital expenses, additional accommodation and the cost of changing flights.

How to navigate travel insurance fine print

So, you’ve done your research and found the policy you need. You’re about to click “buy”. Then you see that checkbox you need to tick that says, “I acknowledge I’ve read the product disclosure statement”.

But wait… before you tick it, have you actually read the product disclosure statement (or PDS)? In the insurance world, that “fine print” is the product, and it pays to know what product you’re buying.

How to read the PDS

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

Tip! If you ��ǲ�’t have time to read the whole PDS, at least look for the following:

Table of benefits gives you an overall summary of your cover.
Policy cover section is essential reading. It’s generally split into “what we will pay for” and “what we won’t pay for”.
General exclusions section is essential reading. These are events that aren’t covered by any section of your policy.
Pre-existing conditions can remind you of forgotten ailments. It’s essential reading for anyone with any kind of medical condition, no matter how mild.
Word definition table might contain a few surprises. It’s a good place to check on the definition of a ‘relative’ or a ‘scooter’, for example.
Claims section lists some more pointers to be aware of. For example, most insurance policies state that you must not admit any liability in an accident without their consent. Also remember to keep any paperwork, such as police reports, that you might need to make a claim.
24-hour emergency assistance contact number – write it down and keep it handy.

The list of travel insurance disputes taken to the (AFCA) shows many cases of unread or misinterpreted policy terms and conditions. Between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2025, AFCA received 2036 travel insurance complaints.

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

Tip! Contact AFCA if you feel your declined claim wasn’t right.

Case study: Katherine’s luggage was stolen from the designated cargo section onboard a bus in Barcelona. The insurer declined her claim for €2500 in losses (over $4000).
According to the insurer, Katherine should have had the bag on her lap or stood beside the bag in the cargo section of the bus, instead of leaving it “unattended”.
AFCA ruled in Katherine’s favour, saying it “was not reasonably possible for the complainant to avoid leaving her bag unattended in the circumstances”. The insurer was to accept and pay the claim for Katherine’s lost luggage in accordance with the policy terms.

What you’re covered for and what the catches are

Medical and pre-existing conditions

This is the number one reason to buy travel insurance. Look for the insurer’s benefits table. If you’re searching online, the benefits table is usually on the ‘Quotes’ screen. If you’re looking at the PDS, it’s near the beginning of the document. The PDS gives a quick overview of what the insurer is offering. Most policies have an ‘unlimited’ sum insured.

Pre-existing conditions

Some insurers ��ǲ�’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, but few will cover mental illnesses such as depression or anxiety.

Most insurers ��ǲ�’t cover certain pre-existing medical conditions and generally ��ǲ�’t provide cover for any illnesses or incidents that arise from these. This includes terminal illness, or any illness that shortens your life expectancy.

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.

Could a pre-existing condition spoil your holiday plans?

lists insurers that might provide cover for pre-existing conditions.
Still having trouble finding cover? Get help from an insurance broker.

Examples of conditions that usually need you to be assessed before getting cover are:

coronary problems
lung disease
epilepsy
stroke or
any surgeries in the last two years.

If in doubt, declare your condition to your insurer at the time of purchase. Ask questions to make sure you understand what you are or aren’t going to be covered for. Then you can make an informed decision.

Disability cover

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 are assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Having trouble getting cover?

Under the , 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. Especially if the medical professional 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 $1000 per item. If you have a piece of medical equipment that exceeds this, you’ll need to specify it and insure it separately.

Items like artificial limbs and hearing aids may be subject to separate limits, 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, in case yours can’t travel.

Pregnancy cover

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

Are you covered for pregnancy complications? Some insurers ��ǲ�’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 United States (US) with intensive care and treatment could end up costing hundreds of thousands of dollars.
IVF: Not all insurers will cover in vitro fertilisation (IVF) pregnancies.
Do you have to pay extra to be covered for pregnancy? Some insurers may require you to pay extra for pregnancy to be covered.
Do you need a letter from a medical professional to say you’re fit to travel? Insurers may also require you to obtain medical approval before covering you.

Tip! Travel insurance generally covers only the people named on the policy. If you’re travelling while pregnant, ensure your policy covers all pregnancy stages and associated costs for your new baby, before and when they arrive.

Case study: Emma and her partner visited Japan for a short babymoon. Emma was 22 weeks pregnant when they travelled, so before buying her policy, she checked the insurer’s pregnancy cover. It covered pregnancy complications up to 24 weeks.
During the trip, Emma experienced unexpected pregnancy-related complications and was advised by a local doctor to rest and undergo monitoring. She was admitted overnight for observation and follow-up care. As her pregnancy was within the policy’s covered gestation period and there were no known complications prior to travel, the policy responded.
Emma’s insurer covered medical consultations, diagnostic testing, hospital costs and additional accommodation expenses, while Emma recovered before being cleared to continue her journey.

Mental health cover

Travel insurers will generally cover medical expenses for mental health conditions experienced for the first time on the trip but cover for existing mental health conditions can be trickier.

Insurers may 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 so be sure ask your insurer is something isn’t clear.

Declare your pre-existing condition as insurers are highly unlikely to pay a mental health-related claim you didn’t declare. 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 ��Vlog. And it’s one that’s still evolving from a legal standpoint.

To find out if a travel insurance product includes mental health cover, review the cover at , and then carefully review the PDS.

Age restrictions

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

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 could 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 $2000 to $3000 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 these conditions can apply to travellers over a certain age.

Find the policy age limit at choice.com.au/travelinsurance and check the PDS for any additional conditions.

Case study: Bethany was travelling with family when their flight from Amsterdam to London was delayed. The delay caused them to miss their connecting flight from London to Melbourne. As the connecting flight was booked with a separate airline, they were not provided with any accommodation and had to incur out-of-pocket costs for an additional flight home.
Their travel insurance policy provided limited cover for a situation where scheduled transport that was cancelled or delayed caused you to miss a connecting flight (provided you allow a reasonable time between connections). So the insurer covered their accommodation and travel costs in London, because it was the initial delay that caused them to miss their connecting flight.

Cancellation cover

Plans can sometimes change. Your travel plans are no exception to this rule. You may have to cancel your trip because of illness, the airline might cancel the flight on you, or something outside of everyone’s control, like a pandemic, can change everyone’s plans.

Travel agents and third-party booking sites like , Expedia and Airbnb all have their own terms and conditions. They are the first port of call to determine whether you’re eligible for a refund or credit. But the fine print is still subject to Australian Consumer Law.

So what are your rights and how can you get your money back?

You’ll probably want to be covered if your travel plans are cancelled for any reason. Be aware that in some circumstances insurers won’t pay for cancelled trips. Check the kinds of cancellations and conditions you might not be covered for.

Examples may include:

Terrorism: Most insurers cover medical expenses but very few cover cancellation expenses in the event of terrorism.
Pandemic or epidemic: Commonly excluded.
Military action: Actions such as war, civil war, rebellion or insurrection are commonly excluded.
Natural disaster: Covered more often than not, but worth checking as some policies exclude cover for this situation.
Travel provider/agent insolvency: Commonly excluded.
Cancellation that is the travel provider’s fault: Insurers commonly exclude cover for delays or rescheduling caused by the transport provider.

Just as there are common exclusions to cancellation payments, travel insurance can still cover you for cancellations, delays, stolen items and more if you have the right policy.

Whether you can get your money back from an airline, travel agent or booking site for changed or cancelled travel plans usually comes down to whether it’s you or the airline or travel provider who is making the changes.

You’re more likely (but not always) eligible for a refund or credit if a travel provider, such as an airline, cruise line or hotel, has cancelled the service you were due to receive.
If you cancel the trip or change your plans, it may be deemed a ‘change of mind’ and your options for a refund or credit may be reduced.

Tip! You’ve invested in travel policy. So, invest time to ensure you know what kind of transport interruptions and cancellation you’re covered for.

Almost two-thirds (62%) of overseas travellers who buy insurance do so on or before the day of booking travel
ICA & DFAT Travel Insurance Survey 2022

What are ‘unforeseen circumstances’?

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 when you buy your travel insurance.

If a circumstance, risk or event is known before you buy the policy, you won’t be covered if it directly affects your travel. The earlier you buy travel insurance, the more likely you are to be covered if something unexpected happens at your destination before your trip.

For example, imagine you buy travel insurance three months before your trip. Two weeks before you’re due to travel, a natural disaster hits your destination and all flights are cancelled.

Because you already bought travel insurance, you should be covered and able to claim your money back. But if you didn’t buy travel insurance before the disaster happened, you usually won’t be covered for any losses, even if you bought the travel insurance before you left Australia.

Tip! Buying travel insurance earlier than your departure date might cost a little more, but it also might save you a lot more if the unexpected happens.

Case study: 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.

Travel insurance and Smartraveller advice

The Smartraveller website, which the DFAT manages, assigns an overall advice level to more than 175 destinations. This advice level can affect your travel insurance cover.

Travel warnings can work in your favour. If an insurer excludes cover for a known event, they may still cover you to change your plans in response to updated advice from Smartraveller.

For example, most travel insurers cover natural disaster as long as you bought the policy before it became a ‘known event’. Cover will vary between policies. ��Vlog did a comparison on a variety of international travel insurance policies. Most covered medical expenses in a natural disaster.

But in a natural disaster you’re more likely to need cover for cancellation expenses, for example if you’re unable to get to the airport due to bushfire, your flight is cancelled or delayed because of a volcano erupting, or you’re stuck in transit.

Travel insurance may cover you for:

Your medical expenses due to natural disaster
Cancellation if the area where you are travelling is affected and your accommodation is closed, the area is unsafe, the government has closed roads or asked people not to travel or to leave.
Travel delay if you can’t get to your flight or transport, either internationally or domestically.
Emergency expenses, for example if your trip is disrupted by volcanic ash cloud.

There are several insurers that may not cover cancellation or other expenses in these situations, so make sure you check with your insurer and the policies they offer.

But beware when travelling to a destination that has a ‘Do not travel’ warning as most standard policies won’t cover you.

If you are travelling to, or transiting through, a ‘Do not travel’ or ‘Reconsider your need to travel’ destination, look for a provider that specialises in high-risk, complex environments or war-zone travel insurance and carefully check the policies they offer. It is critical to have the right coverage for high-risk destinations as the Australian Government is usually extremely limited in its ability to help you in these locations.

You can learn more about on Smartraveller.

Delay cover

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

Transport delay is only covered after a certain number of hours, usually six, but you might 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.

For example, if you’re prevented from travelling due to unexpected circumstances, some airlines will provide you with a credit for future travel (possibly after deducting a fee). It depends on whether the delay or cancellation was due to something within the airline’s control.

If you think your trip won’t proceed, or you’re worried about travelling due to illness or , speak to your airline, booking site and/or travel agent about your options.

Baggage cover

Baggage cover varies widely, from $0 to $25,000. So, if you’re not carrying expensive items, you might 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 $200 to as much as $6000.
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.

Case study: While sightseeing in Barcelona, Daniel was pickpocketed in a crowded area. His mobile phone and wallet were stolen. Despite reporting the incident to local police, the items could not be recovered.
Since Daniel promptly reported the theft to police, and was able to prove ownership of his phone, the insurance policy covered the value of the stolen phone, the cost of the wallet, and replacement costs for essential documents, including his driver’s licence.

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.

Case study: Kim and her partner were travelling through Europe when severe weather caused widespread transport disruption. Their scheduled service was cancelled, which resulted in them missing their onward flight home.
With no alternative flights available that day, they incurred additional accommodation, meal and transport expenses while waiting for replacement flights.
After returning to Australia, Kim lodged a claim with her insurer, providing receipts and confirmation of the disruption. Her insurer assessed the claim and reimbursed the reasonable additional expenses incurred as a direct result of the delay, in line with the policy terms.

Car hire cover

Car hire companies offer insurance, for an additional cost, that reduces the amount of excess you’ll have to pay in the case of an accident. Alternatively, you could use the collision damage excess cover in your travel insurance. It will still be subject to the terms of your rental contract, so you’ll still need to check the car hire company’s terms and conditions, but it may save you the extra insurance cost.

Tip! If you use your travel insurance in place of the rental company’s insurance, you’ll need to pay out of pocket to the rental car company first, and then claim a reimbursement from your travel insurer.

Do you have the right licence?

Some countries require you to have an international driving permit or a permit issued by that country. 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 cover

Cruise-specific insurance

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

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 contagious diseases such a pandemic or influenza is included, as some policies exclude this cover.

Case study: Erica stumbled and broke her leg during stormy seas while on a cruise. Her insurer covered the cost of evacuation and a partial hip replacement at a hospital in Noumea. It also organised and paid for her son to fly to Noumea to help Erica 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.

Cruising but not leaving Australian waters?

You still need insurance. Doctors working on cruise ships ��ǲ�’t need Medicare provider numbers to provide medical care. 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.

Case study: Margaret travelled on a multi-night cruise, departing and returning to Sydney, with no stops in other ports.
Despite not leaving Australia, the onboard medical services were privately provided and not covered by Medicare, as is often the case with domestic cruises. Margaret bought a travel insurance policy that covered domestic cruises. During the cruise, Margaret became unwell and required medical treatment on board the ship.
She was required to pay for treatment at the time. But Margaret was covered by her insurer, who reimbursed the cost of her onboard medical treatment in accordance with the policy terms.

Adventure activities cover

When ��Vlog compares travel insurers we look at who covers which sports and adventure activities, such as skiing, ballooning, bungee jumping and scuba diving.

But as always with insurance, the PDS can 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 scooters

Hiring a motorcycle or scooter? 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 an Australian motorcycle licence, even if the country you’re in doesn’t require you to hold one.

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).

Case study: Liam was holidaying in Bali and hired a scooter to travel short distances. Before riding, he confirmed the engine size and ensured he held the appropriate Australian licence for the type of vehicle he was hiring.
During his trip, Liam was involved in a low-speed accident and required medical treatment.
Liam’s medical expenses were covered by his insurer because he was correctly licensed to ride that type of vehicle under Australian law, complied with local laws (including wearing a helmet), and met the policy conditions relating to motorised vehicle use.

Skiing and snowboarding

Some insurers cover skiing, often for an extra premium. Not so many insurers cover skiing ‘off-piste’, away from the groomed runs. 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 have the wrong insurance, ski into a tree and have to be evacuated from the mountains, it could cost you thousands of dollars.

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.

Case study: Marianna fractured her leg in three places while skiing with her partner and children in Japan. Because the family had bought additional cover for winter sports, they were reimbursed $35,500. This paid for medical expenses, additional transport and accommodation, the cost of a nanny to look after the children, and business class flights back to Australia.

Alcohol and drugs

31% of insured travellers didn’t know their policy’s alcohol limits.
ICA & DFAT Travel Insurance Survey 2025

Overdoing it on vodka and float-tubing down a river isn’t likely to be covered by any policy. Insurers 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 two drinks could be enough of an excuse for insurers to get out of paying. Some insurers specify a blood alcohol limit, but many ��ǲ�’t. If they think the amount you’ve had to drink caused or contributed to the event you’re claiming, they might try to deny the claim.

Look for the alcohol or liquor clause under the General Exclusions in the fine print.

Death or illness of a relative

Many policies cover the costs to travel home if one of your relatives dies or becomes sick. Keep 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 who live in Australia, or in some cases New Zealand. So, if your 84-year-old grandma doesn’t live in Australia or New Zealand, you won’t be covered to fly there for her funeral.

Case study: Michael had to cancel his trip when his father in Spain suddenly died. The insurance policy covered expenses to cancel a trip and return home to a sick relative. The policy only covered this if the relative lived in Australia. Michael’s claim for cancellation expenses was declined.

Does international travel insurance cover pandemics?

Many travel insurers offer limited cover for pandemics, but the available cover varies quite a lot. Most, but not all, policies cover medical costs for a pandemic disease. But these policies might not cover you to cancel your trip because of a pandemic.

Safeguard your travel plans

The COVID-19 pandemic showed that travel plans can change for reasons entirely outside your control. What should you do if your travel plans are interrupted at short notice? Travel insurance might not protect you from government border closures, general lockdowns or quarantine requirements in your destination country. The key is to understand what travel providers like airlines and cruise ships offer if 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 a pandemic? If they only offer a reschedule or a credit, will you be able to redeem the credit in future?
Keep on top of the latest travel advice and requirements at . Travel restrictions can change at short notice.

Travel agents and provider insolvency

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

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

Check your PDS or ask your insurer if they cover you for insolvency.
Check with your travel agent if they have insolvency insurance. Insolvency insurance isn’t compulsory, so only some agents will have it.
Pay with your credit card. Some banks allow a ‘chargeback’ if you pay for something on your credit card and ��ǲ�’t end up getting it. A chargeback is when you ask the bank to reverse a transaction on your card that you dispute.

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

Read the findings of ��Vlog’s comparison of travel insurance policies to see what insurers do or ��ǲ�’t cover when airline, travel agent or accommodation providers go bankrupt.

Only one quarter of policies in the ��Vlog travel insurance comparison cover insolvency

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). Excess rates on standalone policies are more variable.
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. Keep in mind that travel to some countries such as Cuba, Iran or North Korea may be 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. 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.

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 bought 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 two one-way flights, will leave you uninsured.
Some banks require you to notify them 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.

Case study: 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.

Is a credit card’s free travel insurance 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. Especially if you travel at least once a year or every second year internationally.

The post Everything you need to know about buying travel insurance appeared first on ��Vlog.

What are the best travel insurance policies for pregnancy?

Jane Bardell — Wed, 24 Jun 2026 02:32:03 +0000

Planning a babymoon or jetting overseas before your little one arrives? Choosing the best travel insurance is even more important when you’re pregnant, but it can be tricky when the details on what is covered and for how long can vary so much between policies.

We’ve reviewed over 100 international travel insurance policies and rounded up our pick of the best travel insurance policies that cover pregnancy. These are available to ��Vlog members (jump to the results here) plus we share the essential things to know before choosing a policy.

On this page:

Does travel insurance cover pregnancy?
Can you travel when you’re pregnant?
What you need to know about travel insurance cover for pregnancy
Which travel insurers cover pregnancy?
The best travel insurers for pregnancy

Does travel insurance cover pregnancy?

Most travel insurance policies will cover cancellation and a mother’s medical costs as a result of pregnancy complications, up to the gestational period specified by the travel insurer.

Different policies will cover you up to different stages of your pregnancy, so which provider you go with will depend on when you plan to travel (and return home).

Travel insurance usually does not cover for childbirth or for medical costs relating to your newborn if you give birth while on holiday.

Travel insurance pregnancy cover will protect you in circumstances such as if you need to cancel your trip due to doctor’s advice, or if you are on holiday and incur medical costs that are a result of unexpected complications (something that you weren’t already treated for and had no history of).

Can you travel when you’re pregnant?

As long as your pregnancy is uncomplicated and your general health is good, government advice says it’s fine to travel when pregnant, with the safest time being in the second trimester, as long as you aren’t experiencing complications.

If you’re pregnant, seek your doctor’s advice before you travel and ensure you pick a travel insurance policy that provides the coverage you need.

Make sure you check with your airline before you travel too, because many airlines will only let you fly up to a certain stage in your pregnancy, and may require medical certificates or other documentation before allowing you to board.

If you have an uncomplicated single pregnancy, most travel insurers won’t require you to do a medical assessment, but if you have a history of pregnancy complications, or you’re expecting multiple births, you may need to undergo a medical assessment to get travel insurance that covers your pregnancy.

Best general travel insurance: Heading abroad? Check out our top policy picks for Bali, Fiji, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, USA and UK.

Best general travel insurance for your destination

Heading abroad? Check out our best insurance policy guides for Bali, Fiji, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, USA and UK.

What you need to know about travel insurance cover for pregnancy

Travel insurance cover for pregnancy can vary widely between insurers. There are differences in the pregnancy related costs they do and don’t cover, and the specific wording around what stage of gestation you are covered until can be confusing. So make sure you check your policy before you buy. Here are some basics you should be aware of.

1. Travel insurance pregnancy cover is limited by gestational period

Most policies only cover you until between 23 and 26 weeks gestation, but there are some that will provide insurance up to 30 or 36 weeks.

2. Not all travel insurers cover multiple pregnancies or medically assisted pregnancies (e.g. IVF)

If you’re pregnant with twins or have conceived with any kind of medical assistance, your pregnancy is usually considered to be complicated and therefore not covered by many insurers.

3. Many travel insurers don’t cover giving birth

Policies that cover pregnancy do not always cover medical costs associated with childbirth or for the care of a newborn.

So if you’re on holiday and you unexpectedly go into early labour, you might not be covered for your medical costs or any associated costs if your child has to be put into intensive care (a likely scenario if the baby comes early).

Insurers that do cover costs associated with childbirth – such as hospital or obstetrician fees – usually only do so when the birth is caused by accidental injury, but not, for example, if it’s a pre-existing medical condition.

If a policy states that it does cover you for childbirth, this coverage will only extend up to the period of gestation specified in their policy – for example, Southern Cross Travel offers coverage for pregnancy up until 24 weeks, so they will only cover you for childbirth if the child is born before the 24-week mark.

Which travel insurers cover pregnancy?

All of the travel insurers in our comparison cover pregnancy. Below is a snapshot of how many weeks of gestation your cover extends to. This number is inclusive, meaning the policy covers you for that entire week of gestation.

Visit our travel insurance comparison or see below to find out which insurers also cover childbirth costs for the mother or child.

Travel insurance policies that cover pregnancy

Insurer	Pregnancy covered until (weeks)
Allianz	23
Battleface	23
Bupa	23
Cover-More	23
FastCover	23
FastCover Comprehensive	23
NRMA	23
Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI)	23
Virgin Australia (bought with flight purchase)	23
Virgin Australia (bought independently)	23
WAS Insurance	23
Webjet (bought with flight purchase)	23
Webjet (bought independently)	23
Worldcare	23
1Cover	24
Go Insurance Go Basic	24
Zoom	24
AANT	25
AHM	25
Medibank	25
PassportCard	25
RAA	25
RAC	25
RACV	25
RACQ	25
RACT	25
World2Cover	25
Jetstar	26
NIB	26
Qantas	26
Travel Insurance Direct	26
World Nomads	26
Flight Centre	30
InsureandGo	30
Tick Travel	30
AllClear	36

The best travel insurers for pregnancy

Below, we reveal which travel insurance policies provide the best cover for which gestation, and which companies will cover IVF-assisted pregnancies and neonatal care.

Log in to unlock this members-only content, or join ��Vlog to get instant access to all of our expert, independent reviews.

As a member, you’ll also be able to access our full travel insurance reviews, as well as other reviews that might be helpful if you’re expecting, such as cot, stroller, high chair and portable cot reviews.

The post What are the best travel insurance policies for pregnancy? appeared first on ��Vlog.

The best travel insurance for cruises

Jane Bardell — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 04:59:03 +0000

Need to know

Most travel insurers will cover cruises for an extra fee
Beware of exclusions – you won’t be able to claim for events that occur because you’ve had too much to drink
You need to make sure you declare your pre-existing medical conditions

Cruising is more popular than ever. More than 1.45 million Australians cruised in 2025 – that’s 1 in 20 people – and a new record for the number of Australians who opt to holiday at sea.

There are a lot of things that can go wrong on a cruise, so if you’re planning one, read on to discover the cover you need to look for and which travel insurance policies are the best for cruises.

On this page:

Does travel insurance cover you on a cruise?
How much does travel insurance for a cruise cost?
Cheapest insurers for cruises
Travel insurers that cover international cruises
What to look for in cruise cover
What’s not covered by cruise travel insurance
When to buy travel insurance for a cruise
Best value travel insurance for cruising

Does travel insurance cover you on a cruise?

Most travel insurers will cover cruising holidays that start and end in Australia as an optional extra, so you’ll need to make sure you select this option and pay an additional fee.

Some providers also offer tailored cruise travel insurance, which can give you access to additional inclusions that are unique to cruising and that may not be covered in standard policies, such as cover for missed ports, missed departures, or cabin confinement due to illness.

When choosing a policy, it’s important to make sure the region you’re visiting is covered, and that the policy suits your needs and itinerary.

Travel insurance for cruises: What you need to know

How much does travel insurance for a cruise cost?

The price for your trip will vary depending on where you’re going, the length of your trip, how comprehensive your cover is, how old you are, how far in advance you purchase your policy and how much excess you’re willing to pay.

Text-only accessible version

The average length of a crusing holiday to the South Pacific is 11 days, and the average cost of travel insurance is $271.

The average length of a crusing holiday to the Asia is 21 days, and the average cost of travel insurance is $471.

The average length of a crusing holiday to the UK and Ireland is 37 days, and the average cost of travel insurance is $776.

The average length of a crusing holiday to the Europe is 42 days, and the average cost of travel insurance is $1018.

The average length of a crusing holiday to the Americas and Canada is 30 days, and the average cost of travel insurance is $1206.

HOW WE CALCULATED: We looked at how much the average travel pays for travel insurance for a cruising holiday to the South Pacific (including quotes for travel to Fiji, Indonesia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Vanuatu); to Asia (including quotes for travel to South Korea, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Phillipines, China, India, Thailand, Japan, Singapore, and Cambodia); to Europe (including quotes for travel to Italy, France, Spain, Turkey and Germany); to the UK and Ireland (includes travel to United Kingdom and Ireland); and the Americas and Canada (including quotes to America, Brazil and Canada). Quotes obtained in March 2026. Average prices and average trip length based on between 7500 and 32,000 quotes for market-representative scenarios from 28 policies, including additional charges for cruise cover when appropriate.

Cheapest insurers for cruises

Zoom Comprehensive was, on average, the cheapest travel insurance policy for cruising in all the regions we looked at, except for New Zealand. The cheapest policy with cruise cover in New Zealand was Virgin Australia Travel Safe Plus International.

Allianz Comprehensive, Travel Insurance Direct Basics, World Nomads Standard, NIB Essentials and Wordcare Comprehensive were the other low-cost options.

Note that all these policies mentioned have different levels of cover. It’s essential you understand your needs and compare cover options, including reading the policy documents, to determine the right policy for you.

Cheap, but are they the best?

These may be the cheapest travel insurance policies for cruises, but are they the best? For example, the Zoom Comprehensive policy provides no cover for pandemics other than COVID-19. You might want more protection than that.

Unlike other insurance comparison websites, we ��ǲ�’t get paid by any of the insurers we’re comparing. So we only recommend the best insurance policies for you.

Travel insurers that cover international cruises

Almost all insurers we review cover cruises as an optional extra for an additional fee to some of their policies. Only Jetstar, NIB, Travel Insurance Direct and World Nomads include cruise cover by default.

The age limit for policies vary; often a brand’s multi-trip policy has a lower age limit than their single-trip policies. Some policies have no age limit (marked as 110 years in our table), some only cover you up to age 69, with others landing in between.

It’s also worth noting that if you want cancellation coverage in case a relative in Australia becomes ill or dies, the relative will also need to meet the age limit on the policy and satisfy the existing medical condition requirements.

Age limits set by travel insurers that cover international cruises

Brand and Policy	Cruise cover?	Age Limit
1Cover Comprehensive	Optional	110
1Cover Frequent Traveller	Optional	69
AANT Basics	Optional	110
AANT Essentials	Optional	110
AANT Premium	Optional	110
AANT Annual Multi-Trip	Optional	75
AHM Comprehensive Multi-Trip	Optional	99
AHM Comprehensive	Optional	99
AHM Medical Only	Optional	99
AllClear Gold Multi-Trip	Optional	110
AllClear Gold Plus Multi-Trip	Optional	110
AllClear Gold Plus	Optional	110
AllClear Gold	Optional	110
Allianz Comprehensive	Optional	110
Allianz Multi-Trip	Optional	74
Battleface Discovery	Optional	99
Bupa International Essentials	Optional	110
Bupa International Plus (Multi-Trip)	Optional	110
Bupa International Plus	Optional	110
Cover-More Basic	Optional	99
Cover-More Comprehensive Multi-Trip	Optional	99
Cover-More Comprehensive Plus Multi-Trip	Optional	99
Cover-More Comprehensive Plus	Optional	99
Cover-More Comprehensive	Optional	99
FastCover Basics	Optional	89
FastCover Comprehensive	Optional	89
FastCover Frequent Traveller Saver	Optional	89
FastCover Standard Saver	Optional	89
Flight Centre Gold Annual Multi Trip	Optional	79
Flight Centre Gold	Optional	100
Flight Centre Silver Annual Multi Trip	Optional	79
Flight Centre Silver	Optional	100
Go Insurance Go Basic Annual Multi-Trip	Optional	75
Go Insurance Go Basic	Optional	75
Go Insurance Go Plus Annual Multi-Trip	Optional	75
Go Insurance Go Plus	Optional	75
InsureandGo Bare Essentials	Optional	79
InsureandGo Gold	Optional	100
InsureandGo Silver	Optional	100
Jetstar Comprehensive	Yes	110
Medibank Comprehensive	Optional	99
Medibank Medical Only	Optional	99
Medibank Multi-Trip Comprehensive	Optional	99
NIB Annual Multi-Trip	Yes	110
NIB Comprehensive	Yes	110
NIB Essentials	Yes	69
NRMA Comprehensive Multi-Trip	Optional	99
NRMA Comprehensive	Optional	99
NRMA Essentials	Optional	99
PassportCard Comprehensive	Optional	110
Qantas International Comprehensive	Optional	110
Qantas Annual Multi-Trip	Optional	110
RAA Essentials	Optional	110
RAA Multi-Trip	Optional	75
RAA Premium	Optional	110
RAA Basics	Optional	110
RAC Annual Multi-Trip	Optional	75
RAC Comprehensive	Optional	110
RAC Essentials	Optional	110
RAC Medical Only	Optional	110
RACQ Annual Multi-Trip	Optional	75
RACQ Premium	Optional	110
RACQ Saver	Optional	110
RACQ Standard	Optional	110
RACT Annual Multi-Trip	Optional	75
RACT Comprehensive	Optional	110
RACT Essentials	Optional	110
RACT Saver	Optional	110
RACV Annual Multi-Trip	Optional	75
RACV Basics	Optional	110
RACV Comprehensive	Optional	110
RACV Essentials	Optional	110
Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI) Annual Multi-Trip	Optional	110
Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI) Comprehensive	Optional	110
Tick Travel Insurance Basic	Optional	69
Tick Travel Insurance Budget	Optional	79
Tick Travel Insurance Standard	Optional	100
Tick Travel Insurance Top	Optional	100
Travel Insurance Direct Annual Multi-Trip	Yes	74
Travel Insurance Direct Basics	Yes	74
Travel Insurance Direct The Works	Yes	74
Virgin Australia Travel Safe International Multi-Trip	Optional	99
Virgin Australia Travel Safe International	Optional	99
Virgin Australia Travel Safe Plus International Multi-Trip	Optional	99
Virgin Australia Travel Safe Plus International	Optional	99
WAS Insurance Discovery	Optional	99
Webjet Travel Safe International Multi-Trip	Optional	99
Webjet Travel Safe International	Optional	99
Webjet Travel Safe Plus International Multi-Trip	Optional	99
Webjet Travel Safe Plus International	Optional	99
World Nomads Explorer	Yes	69
World Nomads Standard	Yes	69
World2Cover Annual Multi-Trip	Optional	75
World2Cover Basics	Optional	110
World2Cover Essentials	Optional	110
World2Cover Top	Optional	110
Worldcare Comprehensive	Optional	110
Worldcare Multi-Trip	Optional	74
Zoom Comprehensive	Optional	85
Zoom Frequent Traveller	Optional	69

Do you need insurance for a domestic cruise in Australia?

Even if you book a cruise that won’t be leaving Australian waters, you’ll still need travel insurance because shipboard medical expenses are likely not covered by Medicare.

Doctors working on cruise ships don’t need Medicare provider numbers. You can check with your cruise line if they have a Medicare doctor on board. But if not, you will need international or cruise-specific insurance. Domestic travel or health insurance won’t cut it.

Domestic travel insurance doesn’t cover medical costs, so you’d need either international travel insurance (check that it covers domestic cruises) or domestic insurance with a cruise add-on, or special ‘domestic cruise’ insurance, which is available from a few select insurers. Unfortunately, we don’t have access pricing data for domestic cruises.

What to look for in cruise cover

The main reason to take out travel insurance is for medical insurance, and this is no exception when going on a cruise.

Even if your cruise doesn’t leave Australian waters, it’s possible the doctors on board aren’t registered for Medicare, which means you won’t be able to claim back medical costs from the government or private health funds.

Regular domestic travel insurance is unlikely to cover medical costs on a cruise, so it’s important that you buy a cruise-specific domestic policy, or an internation policy that covers cruises in domestic waters.

Medical cover

While COVID-19 may seem like a thing of the past, cruise ships are still a high-risk environment for the transmission of respiratory diseases like COVID-19 and influenza, as well as other infectious diseases like gastroenteritis. And they’ll be a high-risk environment again should any other pandemic start.

Sometimes payment for medical treatment is required upfront. If you have a serious case, you may need to be evacuated from your ship by helicopter, so it’s important to look for a policy with a high limit for medical cover.

This advice also applies to local cruises that don’t leave Australian waters. See further information on this below.

Cover for shore destinations and activities

Make sure you check the government advice on the government’s for all destinations your cruise is planning to visit.

Each destination is given an official advice level, which is updated regularly. If the , which is ‘Reconsider your need to travel’, or 4: ‘Do not travel’, that destination may not be covered by your insurance.

If you plan to participate in onshore activities, it’s important to check out the product disclosure statement (PDS) to see which activities are included and which are not.

Some, such as motorbike or moped riding, come with special conditions. Adventure activities in other countries may not meet the same safety standards as in Australia.

Theft

Theft of personal items has been known to occur both on ships and during shore visits by professional thieves who target cruise passengers.

If you’re taking anything of value with you, read the limits for personal items in your PDS before buying a policy. Many policies let you increase the limits for ‘specified items’ for an extra fee.

Some cruise policies provide specific cover for formalwear as standard, including theft, damage and loss.

Death

While it’s not something that we like to think about, sometimes the worst does happen. If a passenger dies onboard a cruise ship, the cruise line won’t pay for repatriation of remains, and neither will the Australian government.

Death and repatriation of remains are usually covered under medical expenses in an insurance policy, but it’s important to check so that relatives or others are not left with this significant cost.

What’s not covered by cruise travel insurance

Existing medical conditions and pregnancy

As with other types of travel insurance, some pre-existing medical conditions may not be covered, and others will need to be disclosed in order to be covered. If in doubt, contact the insurer to discuss your needs.

It’s also worth noting that pregnancy is considered an existing medical condition. Some insurance policies cover pregnancy up to 30 weeks, but most cruise lines won’t allow you onboard if you are more than 24 weeks pregnant.

Claims resulting from being under the influence of alcohol

Some people liken cruises to a floating RSL club. Sounds fun, but the combination of alcohol and a seagoing vessel can cause accidents.

In an Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) case, Phil* fell down a flight of stairs on a cruise ship, and suffered a moderate brain injury, skull fracture and right lung contusion.

All travel insurers have a clause that excludes cover for claims resulting from a person being under the influence of alcohol

Phil said the area was not well lit and the steps would have been slippery, while his wife said he was walking steadily. He was taken to a hospital in Austria and a test showed that he had a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.198%.

The insurer had an exclusion for “any conduct engaged in whilst under the influence or effect of alcohol or drugs”, and AFCA sided with the insurer, determining that Phil’s claim for expenses should be denied.

All travel insurers have a similar clause that excludes cover for claims resulting from a person being under the influence of alcohol.

_{* Not their real name. Policyholder names are not disclosed in AFCA case records.}

When to buy travel insurance for a cruise

Cruises are often booked well ahead of time, so you could be forgiven for forgetting or delaying the purchase of your travel insurance. But if your cruise is cancelled ahead of time and you don’t yet have cover, you could lose your money. The earlier you buy the policy, the better.

On the flip side, there aren’t many insurers that cover you more than a year out from starting your trip. If you book your trip more than a year out, shop around for a policy that will cover you.

The best value travel insurance for cruising

For our members, we’ve analysed the cost of travel insurance for cruises and the level of cover a policy provides, to reveal the best value insurance options for cruising by region.

Log in or sign up to ��Vlog to see the best value insurance options for cruises through New Zealand, South Pacific, Europe, UK and Ireland, Asia, US, South America and Canada.

As a ��Vlog member, you’ll also gain access to all of our expert independent reviews, including the best value travel insurance policies for cruising in various locations.

Unlike other insurance comparison websites, we ��ǲ�’t get paid by any of the insurers we’re comparing. So we only recommend the best insurance policies for you. Log in to unlock this members-only content, or join ��Vlog to get instant access.

How we test

We used our extensive dataset of quotes for top-tier travel insurance for each of the regions, with their cruise option included. The ��Vlog Expert Rating, which is the overall score, is made up of 60% cover score and 40% destination-specific cruise-inclusive price score.

Quotes for 29 international single-trip travel insurance policies were analysed. Scenarios used to obtain these quotes use a market-representative range of holiday duration and lead time, covering singles, couples and families with a variety of ages.

To obtain a price score, each quote was assigned a score, with the most expensive in each scenario scoring 0 and the least expensive scoring 100. The average score for each product was calculated. The products listed above had the highest average scores. Cover scores are the same used for our overall travel insurance review. Read more about how we calculate that.

The post The best travel insurance for cruises appeared first on ��Vlog.

Best travel insurance for Bali

Jane Bardell — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 03:31:08 +0000

Nowhere does a budget-friendly, easy, tropical vacation quite like Bali – and the short flight time from Australia adds to the appeal, particularly from Perth and the west coast.

But, whether you’re looking for nightlife and surf in Kuta or Seminyak, relaxation in a resort in Nusa Dua, or a romantic getaway in Uluwatu, you need to make sure you also budget for travel insurance.

Our experts have examined thousands of quotes for travel insurance to Indonesia to find the policies with the best prices, and gone through their fine print so you don’t have to. Below, we reveal the cheapest policies for Indonesian travel, and the policies that provide the best bang for your buck.��

On this page:

Do you need travel insurance for Bali?
What activities does travel insurance cover in Bali?
Checklist for your Bali holiday
How much does travel insurance for Bali cost?
What is the cheapest travel insurance for Bali?
Best value travel insurance policies for Bali

Do you need travel insurance for Bali?

If you’re heading to Bali, travel insurance is a must-buy. Travel insurance provides cover for when things go wrong, like medical care in case of an accident, alternative accommodation if something interrupts your travel, and cancellation costs. Medical evacuation, for example, can cost tens of thousands of dollars, so cover for this is essential.

Medical cover

The standard of Indonesia’s medical care is typically lower than in Australia, and can be quite basic in regional areas. Hospitals expect families to support patients, including all financial support, and may require confirmation of medical insurance before providing treatment. Cover for medical repatriation is essential in case you need to be transported to a place with better medical facilities.

If you have a pre-existing medical condition, read the fine print to make sure you understand whether you’re covered if you need medical treatment for the condition while in Bali. Some insurers will only cover pre-existing conditions for an extra fee and pending a medical assessment – so read your product disclosure statement (PDS) carefully.

warns of drink spiking incidents in Bali, where urgent medical attention can be lifesaving – highlighting the importance of both vigilance and medical cover when enjoying the nightlife in Bali. Make sure you also read their .

Natural disaster cover in Bali

Flooding and storms may interrupt travel around Bali, particularly during the wet season (November to March). There are 76 active volcanoes in Indonesia, including Mount Agung and Mount Batur in Bali, but they don’t have to be in Bali to disrupt your holiday plans. Ash clouds from volcanoes anywhere in Indonesia can cause flight disruptions and airport closures with little to no notice. Volcanic alert levels and exclusion zones may rise quickly. Indonesia also suffers from the occasional earthquake and tsunami, so make sure you check travel advice sites like before travelling.

Download the onto your phone for real-time updates when you’re travelling. And be sure to choose a comprehensive travel insurance policy that provides natural disaster cover. Most travel insurance policies cover medical expenses related to natural disasters, but ensure you check that your policy also covers cancellation and travel delay for natural disasters.

Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki volcano in Indonesia threw ash clouds over Bali in November 2024 and June 2025 that shut down flights in and out of Denpasar. Many insurers will list on their website when they will cut off cover for claims that result from the volcano. Some insurers stopped cover in June 2025, but others cut off cover earlier, in November 2024. See our advice on natural disaster cover in travel insurance to understand your travel insurance cover.

Terrorism

Smart traveller warns that there’s an ongoing risk of terrorist attack in Indonesia, and that popular tourist areas may be the target of attacks. It’s important to keep across government warnings and check your PDS, which will outline the cover in case of terrorism. Watch out that you’re at least covered for medical and cancellation costs in the event of a terror attack.

Scooter and motorbike cover

Most insurers only cover you for riding scooters and mopeds if you have an Australian motorbike license and many require you to wear a helmet. Motorcycle accidents in Bali are not uncommon. Make sure you think about how you’re going to get around and read the fine print of your policy documents if you need cover for scooter, moped, or motorbike riding.

��Vlog tip: Do a ‘find’ (Ctrl F) on your PDF and search for ‘natural disaster’, ‘terrorism’, or ‘moped’ to check for cover or exclusions. Don’t rely on ChatGPT or other AI tools to do it for you (we’ve tried it, it’s not always right).

What activities does travel insurance cover in Bali?

Many businesses in Indonesia do not follow safety and maintenance standards. This includes providers of adventure sports such as bungee jumping, paragliding and scuba diving. Australians have been seriously injured or died when participating in such activities in Indonesia. If you are going to participate in any adventure sport, first make sure that it’s covered by your travel insurance, then insist on minimum safety requirements.

Swimming at beaches around Bali can be hazardous. Several Australians drown each year in rough seas and strong rips at popular tourist beaches in Indonesia, including in Bali. Swimming conditions can change rapidly. Many beaches are not patrolled and do not have warning signs, and local rescue services may not be of the same standard we’re used to in Australia. Checking weather reports regularly is essential, as is making sure your travel insurance policy covers you for any planned water activities.

Many insurers will cover you for scuba diving with some special conditions, for example to a certain depth, and many offer further cover as an optional extra for an additional fee and some special conditions.

Checklist for your Bali holiday

Read the Bali Government’s advice for tourists.
Read the Australian Government’s full advice for visiting Indonesia on the .
Check if your passport is still valid, and if not, .
Keep a printout of your travel insurance details with you at all times while on your trip. It”s also a good idea to share your insurance details with family or friends before you leave.

How much does travel insurance for Bali cost?

A couple or family will pay about $210 for travel insurance for a 6–12-day Balinese holiday. A single person will pay around $115. These estimates are based on over 23,000 quotes.

How long your trip is, the comprehensiveness of your cover, your age, how far in advance you buy travel insurance and the policy’s excess will all affect the cost of travel insurance.

What is the cheapest travel insurance for Bali?

We analysed a database of over 33,000 quotes, varying all these factors, to reveal the cheapest insurance policies for a trip to Bali.

Note that medical-only policies provide medical cover and cover for medical repatriation, this is why they are cheap. They don’t provide cover for things like cancellation costs, lost baggage or missed connections. See further down for travel insurance policies that also provide good cover.

AHM Medical Only

Price score for Bali travel – 99%
Medical cover only.

Tick travel insurance Basic

Price score for Bali travel – 94%
Unlimited medical cover; no cover for cancellation; $2000 limit for lost baggage.

Zoom Medical Only

Price score for Bali travel – 94%
Medical cover only.

However, the cheapest travel insurance policy isn’t always the best. To find out the policies that provide the best bang for your buck – that is the best cover for the cheapest price – log in or become a ��Vlog member.

Best value travel insurance policies for Bali

Exclusively for ��Vlog members, we’ve listed the best value travel insurance policies for travelling to Bali.

Below, we reveal the best value policies. Log in to unlock this members-only content, or join ��Vlog to get instant access to all of our expert, independent reviews.

Going overseas? Get your free travel insurance guide now.

Read our privacy policy

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Best travel insurance for the UK

Jane Bardell — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 02:20:35 +0000

The United Kingdom is a popular holiday destination for Aussies. Whether you’re visiting relatives, castle-hopping in Wales, hiking through the lakes and peaks of England, chasing Harry Potter from London to Edinburgh, or all of the above, you need to make sure your travel insurance is in place before you reach Platform 9 and ¾.

Luckily, we’ve combed the fine print of more than 60 travel insurance policies and analysed prices from nearly 14,000 quotes to find you the cheapest, and the best value cover for your trip to the UK.��

On this page:

Do you need travel insurance for the UK?
Travelling around the UK
Checklist for your UK holiday
How much does travel insurance for the UK cost?
What is the cheapest travel insurance for the UK?

Do you need travel insurance for the UK?

Travel insurance is essential for every Australian’s trip to the UK. If something goes wrong, if there’s an accident, or even if your baggage is delayed, the right travel insurance policy can prevent your trip turning into a disaster.

Medical Cover

The standard of the UK’s medical facilities and care is similar to that of Australia.

There’s a reciprocal healthcare agreement in place between the UK and Australia, which means if you stay less than six months, some GP and hospital treatments are free. The services covered are limited to those that are medically necessary and don’t include dental or medicines. Make sure you take your medicare card as you’ll need to show this and your passport to prove that you’re eligible for subsidised medical care.

The reciprocal agreement will not cover the cost of medical evacuation, which can be very expensive, so when you’re purchasing a travel insurance policy it’s essential to look in the product disclosure statement (PDS) to make sure you have this cover.

Cover for terrorism and civil unrest

Smartraveller warns of the potential for terror attacks in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, related to Islamic extremism, extreme right-wing ideology and the status of Northern Ireland.

It’s possible that some events in Northern Ireland could be classified as civil unrest and Smartraveller warns that tensions can worsen in the weeks leading up to 12 July each year (also known as the ‘Twelfth’ or ‘Orangemen’s Day’). So it’s important to check you’re covered for both terrorism and civil unrest

A travel insurance policy’s PDS will outline the cover it offers in case of terrorism and civil unrest. Many policies cover medical expenses, cancellation expenses and the cost of additional accommodation in case of civil unrest, but terrorism cover is often more limited.

Beware, also, that travel to areas that the Australian government recommends avoiding will affect your travel insurance cover. It’s essential that you keep across government warnings before you travel, and follow the advice of local authorities.

Travelling around the UK

Hiring a car

The UK is a fabulous place for a road trip. It’s compact, with diverse landscapes and historic villages, and they drive on the same side of the road as we do!

You can drive a car or motorbike using your Australian licence for up to 12 months. Many travel insurance policies come with collision damage excess cover, meaning you don’t need to pay the insurance excess reduction that the car hire company charges. If you choose a policy with this cover and damage a hire car, you will need to initially pay the car hire company, but then you can claim it back on your travel insurance. See our advice on car hire insurance for more details.

Train travel

Train travel is also a popular choice for getting from A to B within the UK. The rail network is easy to navigate and extensive, but can be subject to industrial action, weather disruptions or trackwork. Did you know that travel insurance can help with additional costs if your transport is delayed by circumstances beyond the provider’s control, such as a strike?

recommends you check the and websites for the latest service updates.

Checklist for your UK holiday

From 2025, Australians visiting the UK who don’t require a visa will require an
Check if your passport is still valid. If not, .
Keep a print-out of your travel insurance details with you at all times while on your trip. It’s also a good idea to share your insurance details with family or friends before you leave.

Keep on top of the .

How much does travel insurance for the UK cost?

On average, a family pays $336 for travel insurance for a 3–4-week UK holiday. People under 60 years pay an average of $178 for a similar trip as a single, or $332 as a couple. However, a UK travel insurance policy for travellers over 60 years old for the same length holiday costs an average of $488 for a single, or $617 for a couple. The estimates above are based on over 4000 quotes for a 3–4-week UK holiday.

How comprehensive your cover is, your age, how long your holiday is, how far in advance you buy travel insurance and how much excess you nominate will all affect the cost of travel insurance.

What is the cheapest travel insurance for the UK?

We analysed a database of nearly 14,000 quotes looking at a huge variety of scenarios to identify the cheapest insurance policies for a trip to the UK.

Note that medical-only policies provide medical cover and cover for medical repatriation. They ��ǲ�’t provide cover for things like cancellation costs, lost baggage or missed connections.

Zoom Medical Only

Price score for UK travel: 99%
Unlimited medical cover only.

Tick Travel Insurance Basic

Price score for UK travel: 98%
Unlimited medical cover; no cover for cancellation; $2000 limit for lost baggage.

Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI) Medical Only

Price score for UK travel: 97%
Unlimited medical cover only

These policies are the cheapest travel insurance policies, but their cover isn’t necessarily the best. To find out the policies that also provide good cover, log in or join ��Vlog to see the best value policies as ranked by our experts.

Best value travel insurance policies for the UK

Below, we reveal the best value policies for UK travel. Log in to unlock this members-only content, or join ��Vlog to get instant access to all of our expert, independent reviews.

Top UK policies

Exclusively for ��Vlog members, we’ve listed the best value travel insurance policies for travelling to the UK.

The post Best travel insurance for the UK appeared first on ��Vlog.

Best travel insurance for the United States

Jane Bardell — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 05:50:50 +0000

Whether you’re planning to explore Hawaii, show your family the Grand Canyon, or take a road trip down Route 66, you’ll need to buy travel insurance for a holiday in the United States.

Medical care in the US is expensive and Australia doesn’t have a reciprocal agreement like we do with some other countries.

Some travel insurance policies also offer cover for if your travel is interrupted by civil unrest, a natural disaster, losing your passport and credit cards. Another benefit included in most policies is help paying car insurance excess or legal liability if you’re involved in a prang.

We take you through how to choose a policy that could prevent your magical Disneyland holiday turning into a travel nightmare.

On this page:

Do you need travel insurance for the US?
How much does travel insurance for the US cost?
Cheapest travel insurance for the US
Best value travel insurance for the US

Do you need travel insurance for the US?

Travel insurance is essential for Australians travelling to the United States. It’s best to buy your insurance at the same time as you book your trip so you’ll be covered if you have to cancel for some reason before you go.

Medical costs in the US

There is no reciprocal healthcare agreement between Australia and the US, and medical care in the States is expensive. If you need it, you could end up paying thousands of dollars, even for a minor issue. Payment may be required upfront for medical assistance, or you may be asked to show proof of insurance or your ability to pay before receiving treatment.

If you have a pre-existing condition, read the fine print of your policy to make sure you understand if you’re covered in the event you need medical treatment for that condition while in the US.

Minor conditions are often covered if you haven’t required treatment in the previous 12 months, but some insurers will only cover pre-existing conditions for an extra fee and pending a medical assessment. For these reasons, it’s vital to read your product disclosure statement (PDS) before taking out a policy.

Travel insurance policies also tend to cover personal liability and sometimes legal expenses, which may be useful if you end up being liable for someone else’s medical costs.

Hiring a car

What better way to see the US than driving between destinations in a big American car?

Many travel insurance policies cover collision damage excess cover, so you don’t need to pay the insurance excess reduction that the car hire company charges.

If the car hire company hits you up for damage, you’ll need to pay that to the car hire company, and then claim it back on your travel insurance.

Natural disasters

Due to the large size and diversity of the US landscape, the natural disasters you might face while travelling can vary from tornadoes to blizzards to wildfires.

Thankfully, cover for natural disasters is pretty common in travel insurance policies, but it’s still important to research possible dangers in the areas you’re travelling to, follow government travel warnings, and read your travel insurance PDS to make sure you’re covered for medical treatment and travel cancellation for natural disasters.

Entry restrictions: Smartraveller advises that the ‘US authorities have broad powers to decide if you’re eligible to enter and may determine that you are inadmissible for any reason under US law’. Unfortunately, travel insurance generally excludes cover for your cancellation costs if you’re denied entry by customs or immigration, whether that’s due to visa issues, missing documentation or failing to meet entry requirements at the border as this is deemed to be within your control. So keep an eye on the .

How much does travel insurance for the US cost?

For a 10- to 20-day trip, a family pay on average about $519 for their travel insurance. Insurance for a similar trip costs single travellers under 60 years an average of $283 as a single or $514 as a couple, while travellers aged over 60 will pay around $572 as a single person, or $878 as a couple.

The length of your trip, how comprehensive your cover is, your age, how far in advance you buy your policy and how much excess you’re willing to pay will all affect the price of your travel insurance policy.

We looked at over 11,000 varied quotes for 10- to 20-day holidays to the US, which we used to calculate the estimates above.

Cheapest travel insurance for the US

We used our database of nearly 30,000 quotes for US holidays that cover a huge range of scenarios to find the cheapest insurance policies for a US holiday.

These policies only provide medical cover and cover for medical repatriation. They don’t provide cover for things like cancellation costs, lost baggage or missed connections.

Zoom Medical Only

Price score for US travel: 100%
Provides unlimited medical cover only.

Southern Cross Travel Insurance Medical Only

Price score for US travel: 95%
Provides unlimited medical cover only.

1Cover Medical Only

Price score for US travel: 91%
Provides unlimited medical cover only.

Things to keep in mind

Buy your travel insurance as soon as you start booking your holiday – that way you’re covered, even if you have to cancel early.
If you’re going skiing or snowboarding, find the best travel insurance options for skiing and make sure you’re covered.
If you’re hiring a car, look at the excess cover for car hire.

Best value travel insurance for the US

Exclusively for ��Vlog members, we’ve also listed the best value travel insurance policies for travelling to the US.

If you’re not yet a member, join ��Vlog to see the top-rated policies for travelling to the United States. Unlike other insurance comparison websites, we ��ǲ�’t get paid by any of the insurers we’re comparing. So we only recommend the best insurance policies for you.

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Best travel insurance for Thailand

Jane Bardell — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 04:32:37 +0000

Thailand has long been a popular destination for Australian tourists. The relatively quick flight from Australia, stunning beaches, cultural experiences and low cost appeals to backpackers, honeymooning couples, retirees and families alike.

Whether you’re planning a trip to Bangkok, Phuket, Krabi, Chiang Mai, or Koh Samui, we’ve done the travel insurance research to take one thing off your to-do list.

On this page:

Do you need travel insurance for Thailand?
Will travel insurance cover scuba diving in Thailand?
Checklist for your Thailand holiday
How much does travel insurance for Thailand cost?
What is the cheapest travel insurance for Thailand?
Best value travel insurance policies for Thailand

Our experts have sifted through thousands of quotes and the fineprint of more than 65 travel insurance policies and found the policies that give you the best value cover for your trip to Thailand.

Do you need travel insurance for Thailand?

Travel insurance is a must-buy for Australians heading to Thailand. Travel insurance provides cover for things that you’ll need if something goes wrong, like medical care in case of an accident, alternative accommodation if something interrupts your travel, and cancellation costs if your trip needs to be cancelled or cut short. Medical evacuation, for example, can cost tens of thousands and is not something you want to hesitate about if you need it.

Medical cover

The standard of Thailand’s medical care varies across the country. Hospitals often need to confirm your insurance before treating you, otherwise they may require cash payment upfront, which can be very expensive. In the case of serious accidents and illness in more regional areas, you may need to be transferred to hospitals with better facilities in Bangkok and other large cities, so cover for medical repatriation is essential.

If you have a pre-existing medical condition, read the product disclosure statement (PDS) to make sure you understand whether you’re covered if you need medical treatment for the condition while in Thailand. Some insurers will only cover pre-existing conditions for an extra fee and pending a medical assessment.

Natural disaster cover in Thailand

Flooding and storms may interrupt travel around Thailand, particularly during the wet season (May to October). Thailand also experiences occasional earthquakes. so make sure you check travel advice sites like before travelling. Most travel insurance policies cover medical expenses related to natural disasters, but you should make sure you check that your policy covers cancellation and travel delays for natural disasters too.

Civil unrest

Smartraveller warns that the security situation in Thailand is unpredictable and can turn violent with little warning. This particularly relates to tension in border areas and the potential for protests in Bangkok. At the time of writing, the Australian Government advice is to reconsider your need to travel to the three most southern provinces of the Thailand-Malaysia border.

Beware that travelling to areas the government recommends you avoid will affect your travel insurance cover. So keep across government warnings and get in touch with your travel insurance provider if you need personalised advice.

A travel insurance policy’s PDS will outline the cover in case of civil unrest. Watch out that you’re at least covered for medical and cancellation costs in the event of civil unrest.

Scooter and motorbike cover

Most insurers only cover you for riding scooters and mopeds if you have an Australian motorbike licence, and many require you to wear a helmet and protective clothing.

Motorcycle accidents in Thailand are common, and if you just have a regular car licence, chances are your insurer will reject your claim for not being licensed to drive the vehicle.

Make sure you think about how you’re going to get around the country and read the fine print of your policy documents if you need cover for scooter, moped or motorbike riding.

Will travel insurance cover scuba diving in Thailand?

Many insurers will cover you for scuba diving with some special conditions; for example, to a certain depth with licensed operators only. Many offer further cover as an optional extra for an additional fee and with some special conditions.

Before getting insurance for a diving holiday, make sure it will cover you for the specific dives you intend to do by reading the PDS or getting in touch with the insurer. We don’t review these products, but you can get specialised diving insurance from organisations such as the Divers Alert Network that may cover diving activities not covered by regular travel insurance policies. But make sure you check their PDS to ensure you understand what they cover and what they don’t.

Decompression chambers are located near popular dive sites in Koh Tao, Koh Samui, Phuket, Pattaya and Bangkok.

Checklist for your Thailand holiday

Complete a Thailand Digital Arrival Card () within three days in advance of your arrival in Thailand. It must be submitted online through the Thailand Immigration Bureau website.
Use our guide below to buy a travel insurance policy that suits your needs.
Check if your passport is still valid, and if not, .
Keep a printout of your travel insurance details with you at all times while on your trip and share them with family or friends before you leave.
Keep on top of the .

How much does travel insurance for Thailand cost?

A couple pays around $255 for a one to two-week trip to Thailand. A single person or family pays roughly $142 or $236, respectively.

How comprehensive your cover is, your age, how long your holiday is, how far in advance you buy travel insurance and how much excess you nominate will all affect the cost of travel insurance.

We analysed more than 6000 quotes for 7–14 day trips to Thailand to provide the estimates above.

What is the cheapest travel insurance for Thailand?

We analysed a database of over 12,000 quotes for Thai holidays, covering a variety of scenarios to identify both the cheapest insurance policies for a trip to Thailand, and those that provide the best cover.��

Note that medical-only policies provide medical cover and cover for medical repatriation. They don’t provide cover for things like cancellation costs, lost baggage, or missed connections.

Tick Travel Insurance Basic

Price score for Thailand travel: 100%
Includes unlimited medical cover; no cover for cancellation; $2000 limit for lost baggage.

Zoom Medical Only

Price score for Thailand travel: 97%
Includes medical cover only.

Southern Cross Medical Only

Price score for Thailand travel: 94%
Includes medical cover only.

These may be the cheapest policies, but it doesn’t necessarily mean they offer the best value. Below for members we share the best value travel insurance for Thailand.

Best value travel insurance policies for Thailand

Below, we reveal the best value policies for a trip to Thailand, as recommended by our travel insurance experts. Log in to unlock this members-only content, or join ��Vlog to get instant access to all of our expert, independent reviews. Unlike other insurance comparison websites, we ��ǲ�’t get paid by any of the insurers we’re comparing. So we only recommend the best insurance policies for you.

The ��Vlog Expert Rating is calculated using the Thailand-specific price score combined with the policy cover score to find policies that give the best return on your investment. All policies have unlimited cover for medical expenses and repatriation, and allow you to choose your limit for cancellation cover.

The post Best travel insurance for Thailand appeared first on ��Vlog.

Best travel insurance for Fiji

Jane Bardell — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Given Fiji’s close proximity to Australia, its natural beauty and its affordability, it’s no surprise that this is one of Australia’s favourite holiday destinations.

You might be looking to board a ferry to the islands after flying into Nadi, or making your way to Suva or the eastern regions from Nausori. Whatever your itinerary, one thing you can’t forget when you’re organising your trip is to arrange travel insurance.

On this page:

Do you need travel insurance for Fiji?
Will travel insurance cover scuba diving in Fiji?
Checklist for your Fiji holiday
How much does travel insurance for Fiji cost?
What is the cheapest travel insurance for Fiji?
Best value travel insurance policies for Fiji

Our experts have analysed the prices and policy features of more than 60 travel insurance policies to take the hassle out of this task.

Below, we reveal the cheapest travel insurance for Fiji, as well as the policies that offer the best value cover.

Do you need travel insurance for Fiji?

Yes, travel insurance is essential for Australians travelling to Fiji. Depending on the level of cover you choose, travel insurance can be used for medical costs in case of illness or injury, medical repatriation to Australia, cover for lost baggage, cancellation costs, and alternative accommodation should something interrupt your travel.

Medical Cover

The standard of Fiji’s medical care is generally lower than in Australia, and fairly limited, with many hospitals only providing basic care. Before admitting patients, hospitals usually require a payment guarantee, proof of medical insurance and/or an upfront deposit. In the case of serious accidents and illness, you may need to be transferred back to Australia, making cover for medical repatriation essential.

If you have a pre-existing condition, read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) to make sure you understand whether you’re covered if you need medical treatment for the condition while in Fiji. Some insurers will only cover pre-existing conditions for an extra fee and pending a medical assessment.

Natural disaster cover in Fiji

Fiji can experience severe weather and natural disasters like cyclones, flooding, landslides, earthquakes and tsunamis.

Cyclone season is November to April, but they may also occur at other times. Flooding is common in Fiji, particularly around Nadi and the Coral Coast. Keep your eye on the for updates.

Earthquakes can also occur in Fiji and may be followed by a tsunami. urges travellers not to wait for official warnings but to move to higher ground if you feel more than a minor tremor or see or hear unusual changes from the sea. Once on higher ground, monitor local media and follow the authorities’ advice.

See our advice on natural disaster cover in travel insurance.

Do a ‘find’ (Ctrl F on a PC computer or Command F on Macs) on your PDS and search for ‘natural disaster’ to check for cover or exclusions. Don’t just rely on ChatGPT or other AI tools to read it for you (we’ve tried it, it’s not always right).

Will travel insurance cover scuba diving in Fiji?

Many insurers will cover you for scuba diving with some special conditions – for example, to a certain depth with appropriate qualifications or a certified instructor.

Before getting insurance for a diving holiday, make sure it will cover you for the specific dives you intend to do by reading the PDS or getting in touch with the insurer.

We don’t review these products, but you can get specialised diving insurance from organisations such as the Divers Alert Network that may cover diving activities not covered by regular travel insurance policies. But make sure you review their PDS well to ensure you understand what they cover and what they don’t.

There are two decompression chambers in Fiji, located in Suva and Nadi.

Checklist for your Fiji holiday

Check if your passport is still valid, and if not, . Australian travellers don’t need a visa to enter Fiji if staying less than four months.
Keep a printout of your travel insurance details with you at all times while on your trip. It’s also a good idea to share your insurance details with family or friends before you leave.

Keep on top of the .

How much does travel insurance for Fiji cost?

A single person pays about $100 for travel insurance for a one- to two-week holiday in Fiji, while a couple and family pay an average of $208 and $162, respectively.

The length of your trip, how comprehensive your cover is, your age, how far in advance you buy your policy and your excess will all affect the price of your travel insurance policy.

We looked at over 8,000 varied quotes for one- to two-week holidays, which we used to calculate the estimates above.

What is the cheapest travel insurance for Fiji?

We used our database of nearly 11,000 quotes for a huge range of scenarios to reveal the cheapest insurance policies for a Fijian holiday, detailed below.

But while these policies might be cheap, they won’t necessarily cover everything you need. For the policies that provide the best coverage for your buck, log in or join ��Vlog to discover the best value policies as evaluated by our experts.

Note that medical-only policies provide medical cover and cover for medical repatriation. They don’t provide cover for things like cancellation costs, lost baggage, or missed connections.

Tick Travel Insurance Basic

Price score for Fiji travel: 99%
Unlimited medical cover; no cover for cancellation; $2000 cover for lost baggage.

Zoom Insurance Medical Only

Price score for Fiji travel: 97%
Medical cover only.

AHM Medical Only

Price score for Fiji travel: 96%

Medical cover only.

Although these provide basic cover, sometimes you need to spend a little more to get the cover that will really save you money in the long run.

Best value travel insurance policies for Fiji

Exclusively for ��Vlog members, we’ve listed the best value travel insurance policies for travelling to Fiji. Log in to unlock this members-only content, or join ��Vlog to get instant access to all of our expert, independent reviews.

Unlike other insurance comparison websites, we ��ǲ�’t get paid by any of the insurers we’re comparing. So we only recommend the best insurance policies for you.

All of these policies provide unlimited cover for medical care, allow you to choose your limit for cancellation expenses, and cover for scuba diving up to at least 12 metres with appropriate qualifications.

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Best travel insurance for Japan

Jane Bardell — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Whether it’s the snow calling or the cherry blossoms, Japan is a very popular destination right now.

It doesn’t matter if you’re planning a ski trip in the mountains, a city-hopping adventure on the bullet train or a tour of Japan’s many theme parks, one thing that should always be on your packing list is a travel insurance policy.

On this page:

Do you need travel insurance for Japan?
Will travel insurance cover skiing in Japan?
Checklist for your Japan holiday
What is the cheapest travel insurance for Japan?
Best value travel insurance policies for Japan

Do you need travel insurance for Japan?

Yes, travel insurance is a must for Australians travelling to Japan. This insurance covers things like medical care and cancellation costs if your trip is interrupted by the unexpected.

It’s best to buy your insurance at the same time as you book your trip so that you’ll be covered if you have to cancel before you leave.

Medical costs in Japan

Medical cover is essential for any trip to Japan. Medical facilities in Japan are of a high standard, but you may need to pay upfront before receiving treatment.

The cost of being transferred back to Australia can also be expensive, so look at the PDS before buying a policy to make sure you’re covered for medical care and medical repatriation.

Natural disaster cover in Japan

Japan is prone to earthquakes and tsunamis. You may remember the earthquake-triggered tsunami that destroyed the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant in 2011. All major disaster warnings are published by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).

The Australian government recommends downloading Japan’s public broadcaster to your phone to keep abreast of natural disaster and emergency reports. Also check your travel insurance PDS to see if you’re covered for medical and cancellation costs for natural disasters.

Civil unrest

warns of regional tensions in Japan, including tension with North Korea, which could worsen with little warning. A travel insurance’s PDS will outline what is covered in the case of civil unrest – make sure that you’re at least covered for medical and cancellation costs.

Will travel insurance cover skiing in Japan?

Many insurers will cover you for skiing and snowboarding, but most offer this cover as an optional extra that comes with an additional fee and some special conditions.

For example, off-piste (backcountry) skiing or snowboarding is often not covered, and when it is covered, it’s usually only if you’re still within the resort boundaries or skiing with a guide. Riding a snowmobile tends to be an optional cover – check directly with insurers as some may only cover riding a snowmobile if you’re using it as a mode of transport rather than recreationally.

Before getting insurance for a ski holiday, make sure it will cover you for your specific skiing or snowboarding destination, as well as for the activities you intend to do.

Checklist for your Japan holiday

Use our guide below to buy a travel insurance policy that suits your needs. Check if your passport is still valid, and if not, .

Keep a printout of your travel insurance details with you at all times while on your trip. It’s also a good idea to share your insurance details with family or friends before you leave.
Keep on top of the .

How much does travel insurance for Japan cost?

For Japanese holidays ranging from 14-18 days in duration, a family pays an average of $298 for a policy, based on over 5000 travel insurance quotes. Singles and couples under 60 years pay $141 and $259, respectively, while singles and couples over 60 pay $355 and $532, respectively, on average.

Costs will depend on the length of your trip, how comprehensive your cover is, how old you are, how far in advance you purchase your policy and how much excess you’re willing to pay.

What is the cheapest travel insurance for Japan?

To find out, we analysed over 11,000 quotes for a Japanese holiday, covering a variety of scenarios and trip durations.

Note that the Medical Only policy from Zoom provides cover for medical care and medical repatriation only. It doesn’t provide cover for things like cancellation costs, lost baggage, or missed connections.

Policies are listed in order of cost from cheapest, on average, to most expensive.

Zoom Medical Only

Price score for Japan travel: 100%
Unlimited medical cover; no cover for cancellation.

Tick Travel Insurance Basic

Price score for Japan travel: 96%
Unlimited medical cover; no cover for cancellation, but $2000 for lost baggage.

Southern Cross Medical Only

Price score for Japan travel: 89%
Unlimited medical cover; no cover for cancellation.

However, there’s not much point in buying a travel insurance policy that doesn’t cover what you need. To find out which policies also provide good cover, log in or become a ��Vlog member.

Best value travel insurance policies for Japan

Below, we reveal the policies that offer the best coverage for the cost. Log in to unlock this members-only content, or join ��Vlog to get instant access to all of our expert, independent reviews.

Becoming a ��Vlog member also gives you access to a massive library of product and service reviews and comparisons based on our rigorous independent lab testing and expert knowledge so you can choose products and services with confidence.

How we score
The ��Vlog Expert Rating for Japan travel is made up of the policy cover score (60%) and a Japan-specific price score (40%).

Quotes were adjusted for a $20,000 cancellation benefit.��
Over 11,000 quotes were analysed from over 65 different single-trip travel insurance policies. Scenarios used to obtain these quotes are market representative and ranged from a holiday duration in Japan of six through 123 days, purchased between 6 and 283 days before travelling, and covered singles, couples and families with a variety of ages.
To obtain a price score, each quote was assigned a score, with the most expensive in each scenario scoring 0 and the least expensive scoring 100. The average score for each product was calculated. The products listed above had the highest average scores.
Cover scores are the same used for our international travel insurance review. Read about how we calculate our travel insurance cover scores.��

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Best travel insurance for Singapore

Jane Bardell — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Whether you’re planning a family trip to Sentosa Island for beach days and theme parks, a shopping spree on Orchard Road, or an adventurous getaway cycling through East Coast Park, you’ll need to include travel insurance in your Singapore holiday budget.

On this page:

Do you need travel insurance for Singapore?
Will travel insurance provide cover for pandemics in Singapore?
The cheapest travel insurance for Singapore
Best value travel insurance policies for Singapore

We explore why travel insurance is a must-buy for your trip to Singapore, and our experts reveal the best policies for your holiday.

Do you need travel insurance for Singapore?

Travel insurance is a must for Australians travelling to Singapore. It provides cover for when things go wrong, such as medical care in case of an accident, alternative accommodation if something interrupts your travel, and cancellation costs.

For example, medical care in Singapore is expensive and if you need it, you could end up paying thousands.

Medical cover

Singapore’s medical care is of a high standard, but it’s much more expensive than medical care in Australia. And payment may be required upfront, so it’s important to make sure your travel insurance policy covers medical costs and medical repatriation (the process of returning you home to Australia for medical treatment or recovery if needed).

If you have a pre-existing condition, read the fine print to make sure you understand whether you’re covered if you need medical treatment for the condition while in Singapore.

Minor conditions are often covered if you haven’t needed treatment in the previous 12 months, but some insurers will only cover pre-existing conditions for an extra fee and pending a medical assessment – so read your product disclosure statement (PDS).

Cancellation cover

One of the most common travel insurance claims is for a flight or tour being cancelled, or cancelling a trip before the departure date.

A number of situations are commonly excluded from cancellation cover such as terrorism, or travel agent insolvency, but you’re usually covered for natural disasters or the illness of a close relative.

Make sure you read your PDS to understand your policy’s cover.

Top tip: If you buy your insurance at the same time as you book your trip, cancellation cover may come in handy if you have to cancel for some reason before you go.

Scooter and motorbike cover

If you plan on renting a motorbike or moped while you’re away, be aware that most insurers only cover you if you have an Australian motorbike licence. If you just have a regular car licence, chances are your insurer will reject your claim for not being licensed to drive the vehicle.

Make sure you think about how you’re going to get around, and read the fine print of your policy documents if you need cover for scooter, moped or motorbike riding.

Will travel insurance provide cover for pandemics in Singapore?

Most travel insurers now offer cover for COVID-19. But what about the next pandemic? Some policies now offer medical-only cover for a pandemic, or more comprehensive cover for pandemics other than COVID, but the type of cover varies from policy to policy.

There are also other exclusions, especially for cruises and pre-existing conditions, so you need to read the insurer’s PDS carefully to check what you’re covered for.

How much does travel insurance for Singapore cost?

On average, a single person will pay about $167 for a 7–10-day holiday, and a couple will pay about $291.

Costs will depend on the length of your trip, how comprehensive your cover is, how old you are, how far in advance you purchase your policy and how much excess you’re willing to pay. We looked at over 2000 quotes for a 7–10-day trip to give the estimates above.

Checklist for your Singapore holiday

Use our guide below to buy a travel insurance policy that suits your needs.��
Check if your passport is still valid, and if not, .
Keep a printout of your travel insurance details with you at all times on your trip. It’s also a good idea to share your insurance details with family or friends before you leave.
Keep on top of the .

The cheapest travel insurance for Singapore

To find the cheapest policies, we used our database of nearly 11,000 quotes for holidays to Singapore covering a huge range of scenarios.��

Note that medical-only policies provide medical cover and cover for medical repatriation. They don’t provide cover for things like cancellation costs, lost baggage, or missed connections. The five cheapest travel insurance policies for Singapore are:

Zoom Medical Only

Price score for Singapore travel: 99%
Medical cover only.

Tick Travel Insurance Basic

Price score for Singapore travel: 98%
Unlimited medical cover, no cover for cancellation but $2,000 cover for lost baggage.��

Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI) Medical Only

Price score for Singapore travel: 96%
Unlimited medical cover only.

As is often the case, the cheapest travel insurance policy isn’t always the best. To find which policies provide the best value – good cover for a good price – log in, or become a ��Vlog member to see our results below.

Best value travel insurance policies for Singapore

Exclusively for ��Vlog members, we’ve listed the best value travel insurance policies for travelling to Singapore.

If you’re not yet a member, join ��Vlog to see the policies we think provide the best balance of cover and price for Singapore travel.

As a member, you’ll also be able to access our full travel insurance reviews, as well as other reviews that might be helpful if you’re expecting, such as cot, stroller, high chair and portable cot reviews.

The post Best travel insurance for Singapore appeared first on ��Vlog.

Travel reviews, advice, information and buying guides - ����Vlog

Everything you need to know about buying travel insurance

Why get travel insurance?

Holidays don’t always go as planned

Read more:

The Australian government won’t pay your medical bills

Travel insurance for countries with reciprocal healthcare arrangements

Why travel insurance is so important

I’m travelling in Australia; do I need domestic travel insurance?

Read more:

Buying travel insurance

Where to buy?

How to buy?

When to buy?

What to buy?

Best travel insurance for your destination

Will you use your travel insurance?

Will the insurers pay out?

Before you buy

1. Where are you going?

You might need different insurance cover for different regions. If you’re unsure, ask your insurer.

2. How long are you going for?

3. What are you going to do at your destination?

4. Are you taking any valuable items?

Read more:

5. Do you have any medical conditions?

Read more:

How to navigate travel insurance fine print

How to read the PDS

Read more:

What you’re covered for and what the catches are

Pre-existing conditions

Could a pre-existing condition spoil your holiday plans?

Is a disability a pre-existing condition?

Having trouble getting cover?

Cover for your equipment

Cover for your carer

What are ‘unforeseen circumstances’?

Travel insurance and Smartraveller advice

Lost luggage

Do you have the right licence?

Cruise-specific insurance

Cruising but not leaving Australian waters?

Motorcycles and scooters

Skiing and snowboarding

Read more:

Is it activated?

Is a credit card’s free travel insurance worth it?

What are the best travel insurance policies for pregnancy?

Does travel insurance cover pregnancy?

Read more:

Can you travel when you’re pregnant?

Best general travel insurance for your destination

What you need to know about travel insurance cover for pregnancy

1. Travel insurance pregnancy cover is limited by gestational period

2. Not all travel insurers cover multiple pregnancies or medically assisted pregnancies (e.g. IVF)

3. Many travel insurers don’t cover giving birth

Read more:

Which travel insurers cover pregnancy?

The best travel insurers for pregnancy

Unlock this article and more

The best travel insurance for cruises

Need to know

Does travel insurance cover you on a cruise?

Travel insurance for cruises: What you need to know

How much does travel insurance for a cruise cost?

Cheapest insurers for cruises

Cheap, but are they the best?

Travel insurers that cover international cruises

Do you need insurance for a domestic cruise in Australia?

What to look for in cruise cover

Medical cover

Cover for shore destinations and activities

Theft

Death

What’s not covered by cruise travel insurance

Existing medical conditions and pregnancy

Read more:

Claims resulting from being under the influence of alcohol

Read more:

Travel reviews, advice, information and buying guides - ��Vlog