Research by Smartraveller found that one in four Australian travellers experienced an insurable event on their last overseas trip – this includes anything from lost luggage, to delayed or missed flights, or more serious medical emergencies. 

And although reading small print isn’t as much fun as researching luxury hotels, the devil is in the details – insurance policies are not all created equal.

In fact, we’ve compared international travel insurance policies from over 30 insurers (over 100 policies in total) and found that many have tricky exclusions, miserly limits, or just don’t offer good value for money.

What makes a good travel insurance policy?

����Vlog travel insurance expert Jodi Bird says the best policies cover your needs for a good price. They should cover where you’re travelling to and the activities you’ll be doing, whether that’s cruising, riding a moped or skiing. 

And as we’re all trying to save a few bucks where we can these days, they should also be competitively priced based on your age, and include cover for any medical conditions you might have. 

In our travel insurance comparison you can compare policies on the cover they offer, and view how each policy compares on cost using our ‘price score’.

Annual or single-trip policy?

If you’re just going on one holiday, you only need a standalone or ‘one-trip’ travel insurance policy. 

We’ve listed the worst value single-trip policies further below so you know which ones to avoid.

But if you travel often, you might like to consider an annual multi-trip policy. If you visit our insurance review, and filter by annual policies, you’ll find these policies can provide good value for money. Check the fine print as some can restrict the length of each trip you take. 

Best travel insurance for your destination

For members, we’ve also identified the best policies by destination:

• Best travel insurance for Bali
• Best travel insurance for Fiji
• Best travel insurance for Japan
• Best travel insurance for New Zealand
• Best travel insurance for Singapore
• Best travel insurance for Thailand
• Best travel insurance for USA
• Best travel insurance for UK

The lowest scoring travel insurance policies

The best ����Vlog Expert Rating we’ve given a one-trip policy in our review is 69%. The policies we list below get 54% or less. 

We rate travel insurance based on the value you get for the price. The lowest rated policies cover overseas emergency medical and hospital expenses, so they’re better than no cover at all, but there are cheaper policies out there with better cover. 

����Vlog experts recommend you give these policies a wide berth in your travel planning.

1. Flight Centre Gold and Silver Travel Insurance

• ����Vlog Expert Rating: 50% (Gold); 48% (Silver)
• Cover score: 75% (Gold); 64% (Silver)
• Price score: 13% (Gold); 24% (Silver)

The lowest ranked policies in our comparison are good examples of why it pays to shop around. Both of these policies have good overall cover, with the Gold policy scoring among the highest for cover. But the high cover comes at a price – some of the highest prices in the market, in fact. With just a bit of research, you can get better cover at a cheaper price from a policy recommended by ����Vlog. 

Read the full Flight Centre Gold policy review and the Flight Centre Silver policy review.

2. 1Cover Medical Only

• ����Vlog Expert Rating: 54%
• Cover score: 35%
• Price score: 82%

This is a medical-only policy, which means it will only provide coverage for certain types of medical expenses, and not for other travel-related costs such as lost baggage or missed flights.

Unfortunately, ����Vlog experts say that even with the lower than average price, the minimal cover means it’s not a great deal. 

Read the full 1Cover Medical Only policy review.

3. World Nomads Standard

• ����Vlog Expert Rating: 54%
• Cover score: 55%
• Price score: 53%

This is a perfectly average policy with average cover at an average price. If you want average, this is the policy to get. But there are a lot of other policies with a cheaper than average price that offer better than average cover. We suggest you buy one of those policies instead.

Read the full World Nomads travel insurance review.

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Does travel insurance cover war?

All travel insurers in ����Vlog’s travel insurance comparison exclude cover for claims that arise as a result of war. This includes flights interrupted by military strikes in the Middle East.

Travel insurers specify this in the General Exclusions section of their Product Disclosure Statement. It is generally stated as:

We will not pay for claims arising as a result of war, invasion, act of foreign enemy, hostilities (whether war be declared or not), civil war, rebellion, revolution, insurrection or military or usurped power.

Will travel insurance cover trips interrupted by ‘Do Not Travel’ warnings?

Travel insurance doesn’t cover claims arising from you not following an Australian Government ‘Do not travel’ warning. 

If the warning level for your destination was escalated to ‘Do not travel’ after you bought your policy, travel insurers may cover you to change plans, but only if the reason for the claim isn’t already excluded by the insurer.

Since claims due to war are not covered by travel insurance, you will unfortunately still not be covered for claims due to war.

What will your travel insurer help with?

If your claim isn’t related to war, you may be covered for other incidents. You may also have some cover in a ‘Do not travel’ destination if you bought your policy before that advice was published.

For example, if you are unable to change your plans and your flight or tour transits through a destination with a Smartraveller ‘Do not travel’ advice, you may be covered if you break your toe on the stairs. But if your hotel is bombed in a drone strike, you may not be covered.

Insurers may also offer you a free extension of your insurance if you bought your travel insurance policy before the travel advice was escalated to ‘Do not travel’. So if you’re stranded overseas for longer than you planned, speak to your insurer about extending your policy. That way you’ll at least still have cover for events unrelated to the military conflict, such as if you’re phone is stolen or you slip in the shower and need medical attention.

Insurers should also offer support via their emergency assistance, for example to help you coordinate medical care, access prescription medication or to report an incident you want to claim for.

What should you do if your flight is booked through the Middle East?

Keep an eye on your airline’s advice about your flight, especially if you have a stopover in the Middle East. If you cancel your ticket you will be subject to the terms and conditions of the ticket. Unless you have a flexible ticket, you’re unlikely to get your money back from the airline. However if the airline cancels the flight, you will usually be entitled to a refund or credit.

If the airline has cancelled or delayed flights due to war or a “Do not travel” warning, it’s considered an event that is out of their control and the airline will have a policy providing compensation for cancellation or delay. Familiarise yourself with the policy in case you need to remind the airline of their terms and conditions, because they won’t necessarily volunteer it to you.

Let your airline know if you’re unable to get to the airport due to a war. If you can get a real person on the phone that you can explain your situation to that will help, otherwise try their social media accounts. That will often get a response where other avenues don’t.

Should you book a flight via the Middle East now?

The is currently set to ‘Do not travel’ or ‘Reconsider your need to travel’ for the Middle East. The travel advice applies to stopovers in the destination as well as longer stays, so you should avoid booking travel to or through this region for the foreseeable future.

How to get money back on accommodation

Keep an eye on your airline’s advice because your airline may cover accommodation costs incurred due to flights cancelled or rescheduled due to the military conflict.

Otherwise, contact your accommodation provider and ask if you can reschedule or get a refund. Military situations have a big economic impact on tourist destinations so flexibility on both sides of the equation can help the community, as well as ensuring you still get a holiday.

How to get back from third-party booking sites

Booking sites generally have their own terms and conditions and if you booked through them, you should deal with the booking site, not the end-point service provider. The booking site should still be subject to Australian Consumer Law.
The sites usually have standard cancellation policies but in the event of war, they may make an exception. Airbnb, for example, may in the event of a war. So familiarise yourself with the booking site’s policy and quote it to them if necessary.

You’ve tried everything else, is there any other way to get your money back?

When you have exhausted your attempts to get money or a credit back from your airline, accommodation or travel agent, you should still lodge a claim with your travel insurer. Even if you don’t think you’ll be covered.

If you don’t think you got a fair go from your travel providers, then you may also want to consider raising a credit card chargeback. Or if you’re not happy with your travel insurer, see our advice on How to complain about an insurer.

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When Maaz Sayed recently booked a flight through Flight Centre for a family trip to Mumbai, the transaction took a turn he wasn’t expecting.

Without his consent, the business tacked on both $932 worth of travel insurance to the quote they emailed him, and something called the “Captain’s Pack”, which cost $236 and included extras such as lost baggage tracking and a tree planted through a Brisbane-based organisation called ReForest to offset the carbon miles.

Maaz paid the quote without knowing these extras had been added.

“At no point during my phone consultation was insurance discussed or offered as an optional product,” Maaz says.

After he complained, Flight Centre told Maaz that it was up to him to notice the additions and let Flight Centre know if he didn’t want them.

Citing chapter and verse of the Australian Consumer Law (ACL), Maaz informed Flight Centre in no uncertain terms that he was not happy about this approach to doing business.

It’s a sales trick we’ve seen all too often in our continuing campaign against unfair business practices, or unfair trading. Automatically adding unwanted extras would be classified as a ‘dark pattern’ when it happens online, or a design element on a digital page that pushes you into making choices you didn’t intend to make.

The federal government has vowed to legislate a ban on unfair trading tactics, starting with subscription traps and drip pricing. Whether adding extras without consent will be outlawed remains to be seen.

Non-transparent disclosure

The explanation to Maaz from the Flight Centre complaints team suggests that adding expensive options without explicitly informing the customer was nothing new for the business.

“The quote sent through included a price for insurance. At this stage, it was simply a quote and as the consumer you are under no obligation to proceed with the purchase of the product if it did not meet your requirements,” a customer service agent told him in an email exchange.

The agent made the point that the insurance price was itemised and listed separately throughout the quote, saying “if you did not wish to proceed with this product you did not have to proceed with payment”.

They added that he should have called and spoken to FlightCentre about this before completing payment.

The original Flight Centre agent Maaz booked the flight through also stressed these points, saying “I include both travel insurance and the Captain’s Pack in all initial quotes to provide a complete travel package for review. These items are entirely optional, and you were under no obligation to proceed with them.”

The self-exoneration didn’t sit well with Maaz.

“Your message repeatedly implies that as a consumer I should detect undisclosed add-ons myself and contact your agent before payment,” he told the Flight Centre rep.

“That is the opposite of informed consent and inconsistent with your duties when offering financial products and add-ons.”

“Pre-loading optional products and then suggesting the consumer should later detect them contradicts the requirement for transparent disclosure of optional extras and constitutes an unfair sales practice,” he added.

We asked Flight Centre whether it automatically added options to bookings and left it up to customers to notice this and ask that they be removed but didn’t receive a response.

ACCC says adding extras is not illegal

An Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) spokesperson tells us that adding in extra options for customers is not a violation of the ACL as long as the extra cost is included in the topline price shown by the business.

“If a business accurately represents upfront the total single price of a good or service, inclusive of pre-selected extra fees, they will not be in breach of the ACL unless they have otherwise misled or deceived consumers,” the spokesperson says, adding that whether a business has misled or deceived consumers “will depend on the individual circumstances in each case”.

It’s not the first time Flight Centre has been called out for questionable tactics. In 2018, the company copped a $12.5 million fine in a case brought by the ACCC for trying to induce Singapore Airlines, Emirates, and Malaysia Airlines to enter into price fixing arrangements.

In 2019, ����Vlog published the results of our COVID travel cancellation survey, revealing Flight Centre to be one of the worst offenders when it came to processing refunds.

Following Maaz Sayed’s complaint, the insurance policy was cancelled and he was refunded for the extras he never asked for.

But he feels he has a duty to let other Flight Centre customers know to check their quotes before paying.

As Maaz explained to Flight Centre, “adding the highest-priced product without discussion is inconsistent with obligations to ensure consumers are not misled or sold unsuitable products”.

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We’ve reviewed over 100 international travel insurance policies and rounded up our pick of the best travel insurance policies that cover pregnancy and what you need to consider. 

On this page:

• Does travel insurance cover pregnancy?
• Can you travel when you’re pregnant?
• What should you know about travel insurance cover for pregnancy?
• Which travel insurers cover pregnancy?
• Which are 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 travel insurance for your destination

• Best travel insurance for Bali
• Best travel insurance for Fiji
• Best travel insurance for Japan
• Best travel insurance for New Zealand
• Best travel insurance for Singapore
• Best travel insurance for Thailand
• Best travel insurance for USA
• Best travel insurance for UK

What should you 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.

Which are 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. 

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Whether you’re chasing adventure, looking to immerse yourself in nature, or planning a road trip to Hobbiton, New Zealand has a lot to offer, and has long been a favourite destination for Aussie travellers. 

The land of the long white cloud often seems like an extension of Australia, so some might wonder whether it’s actually worth buying travel insurance for a New Zealand holiday.    

We explore why you should buy travel insurance before you embark on your trip across the Tasman, and reveal which policies are best for your holiday.

On this page:

• Do you need travel insurance for New Zealand?
• Will travel insurance cover skiing in New Zealand?
• How much does travel insurance for New Zealand cost? 
• Checklist for your New Zealand holiday
• What is the cheapest travel insurance for New Zealand?
• Best value travel insurance policies for New Zealand

Do you need travel insurance for New Zealand?

Travel insurance is essential for Australians travelling to New Zealand. Buy your insurance at the same time as you book your trip so you’ll be covered if you have to cancel before you go. 

Medical costs in New Zealand

New Zealand and Australia have a reciprocal healthcare agreement, meaning that Australian travellers can access New Zealand’s public health service in an emergency, and vice versa. So remember to take your Medicare card with you – you’ll need it, along with your passport, to prove that you’re eligible. But the agreement isn’t a replacement for travel insurance.

You still have to pay some fees for treatment and medication. For example, reciprocal health care does not cover you for free or subsidised care by a GP or ambulance, and if you get seriously ill, medical repatriation is very expensive and only covered by travel insurance.

Accident cover in New Zealand

It’s essential that visitors to New Zealand are covered by travel insurance for repatriation, loss of income, and disruptions to travel plans in the case of an accident. 

For example, if you have a skiing accident you’ll need travel insurance to cover your trip home. Repatriation isn’t covered by the reciprocal healthcare agreement and, even if the accident was someone else’s fault, you won’t be compensated for it.

In New Zealand, accident victims cannot sue a third party for compensation. Instead, the Accident Compensation Commission (ACC) covers the cost of medical care within New Zealand.

Because of the ACC fund, CTP car insurance is not compulsory in New Zealand as it is in Australia. However, it’s still recommended and is provided with most rental cars, but it’s important to check before you hire. Travel insurance can reduce the excess on the insurance your car hire company offers you, but only if the hire company has insurance in the first place.  

Earthquake cover in New Zealand 

Most travel insurance policies should cover medical costs for natural disasters like earthquakes in New Zealand. Comprehensive policies will also cover cancellation, or costs to rearrange your trip. Check your insurer’s travel insurance product disclosure statement (PDS) to make sure.

New Zealand sometimes experiences severe seismic activity. The 2011 Christchurch earthquake claimed 185 lives and levelled much of the city centre.

Safety campaigns in New Zealand advise you to ‘drop, cover and hold’ – drop to the ground, take cover and hold on – in the event of an earthquake. See for more specific advice. 

Do a ‘find’ (Ctrl F) on the PDF file of the policy’s PDS and search for ‘natural disaster’ 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).

Will travel insurance cover skiing in New Zealand?

Many insurers will cover you for standard skiing and snowboarding, but some only offer coverage for these activities as an optional extra and some have special conditions.

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. We outline which of the best value policies for New Zealand cover skiing below.

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. 

The same goes for riding on a snowmobile, which 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.

How much does travel insurance for New Zealand cost? 

On average, for a 10- to 14-day trip, a single person will pay about $99; a couple about $196; and a family of four around $175. 

The price varies depending 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 analysed more than 6600 scenarios for a 10- to 14-day trip covering a variety of scenarios to provide the estimates above.

Checklist for your New Zealand holiday

• 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 .

What is the cheapest travel insurance for New Zealand?

We analysed over 20,000 quotes from 63 different policies, covering a variety of scenarios, to find the cheapest insurance policies for a New Zealand holiday. 

Tick Travel Insurance Basic

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

Virgin Australia Travel Safe International

• Price score for NZ travel: 97%
• Unlimited medical cover; choose your own cancellation limit; no cover for lost baggage.

Zoom Medical Only

• Price score for NZ travel: 97%
• Unlimited medical cover only.

Bupa International Essentials

• Price score for NZ travel: 95%
• Unlimited medical cover; choose your own cancellation limit; no cover for lost baggage.

Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI) Medical Only

• Price score for NZ travel: 94%
• Unlimited medical cover only.

Best value travel insurance policies for New Zealand

Exclusively for ����Vlog members, below we reveal the best value policies for travelling to New Zealand. Unlike other insurance comparison websites, we don’t get paid by any of the insurers we’re comparing. So we only recommend the best insurance policies for you.

Log in or join ����Vlog to see the best value travel insurance for New Zealand and get instant access to all of our expert, independent reviews.

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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.

How much does travel insurance for the US cost? 

For a 10- to 17-day trip, a family will pay on average about $478 for their travel insurance.  Insurance for a similar trip will cost travellers under 60 years an average of $262 as a single and $478 as a couple, while travellers aged over 60 will pay around $552 as a single person, or $881 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 nearly 9000 varied quotes for 10- to 17-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.

1Cover Medical Only

• Price score for US travel: 92%
• Provides unlimited medical cover only.

Southern Cross Travel Insurance 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, or doing any other adventure sports, 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 don’t get paid by any of the insurers we’re comparing. So we only recommend the best insurance policies for you.

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

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 will pay around $267 for a 10–14-day trip to Thailand. A single person or family will pay roughly $238 or $147, 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 4000 quotes for 10–14 day trips to Thailand to provide the estimates above.

What is the cheapest travel insurance for Thailand?

We analysed a database of over 112,000 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.

Tick Travel Insurance Budget

• Price score for Thailand travel: 94%
• Includes unlimited medical cover; $5000 cancellation cover; $2500 limit for lost baggage.

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 don’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. 

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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 couple will pay about $215 for travel insurance for a six to 10-day holiday in Fiji, while a single person will pay an average of $97.

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 3700 varied quotes for six to 10-day 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.

AHM Medical Only

• Price score for Fiji travel: 97%

• Medical cover only.

Zoom Insurance 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 don’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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No matter where you’re planning to hit the slopes, don’t forget to sort out travel insurance before you go.

Our experts have examined thousands of quotes for travel insurance that includes snow sport cover, to help find you the policies with the best prices and best cover.  

On this page:

• Do you need travel insurance for skiing?
• Which winter sports and activities are covered by travel insurance?
• How much does travel insurance for skiing cost?
• The best value travel insurance for snow sports

Do you need travel insurance for skiing?

Travel insurance is a necessity for any overseas snow trip. And even if you’re staying in Australia, it’s also worth considering for cancellation cover – ski trips can be very pricey. Skiing and snowboarding are usually an optional extra in travel insurance, meaning that you’ll need to opt in and pay the extra fee to make sure you’re covered for any mishaps. 

As always, medical cover is essential if you’re heading overseas. And, given the expense of most alpine getaways, you’ll want a good level of cancellation cover too. 

Medical cover for winter sports

Any snow sport, including skiing and snowboarding, comes with a level of risk, and if you do get hurt outside of Australia, your cover for medical care and medical evacuation is vital. 

Even in countries like New Zealand where there are reciprocal medical arrangements with Australia, travel insurance is a must for things like ambulance cover and medical repatriation if you’re seriously hurt.  

Natural disaster cover in alpine regions

Mountainous environments are prone to extreme and unpredictable weather events that can disrupt travel. 

In addition to causing serious injury, avalanches and blizzards can block roads and shut down resorts, restricting your access and delaying travel. 

Do a ‘find’ (Ctrl F) on your digital PDS and search for ‘natural disaster’ 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). 

Cancellation cover

You’d be hard pushed to find a snow holiday that doesn’t break the bank, so if you want to be able to recoup costs should you need to cancel, a comprehensive travel insurance policy will have your back.

If you’re buying travel insurance for your trip to the Australian fields, you’ll notice that domestic policies don’t include medical cover. This is because you’re covered by Medicare (and maybe private health insurance) as usual. But given the cost of skiing in Australia, you may still want to consider domestic travel insurance to cover cancellation expenses.

Which winter sports and activities are covered by travel insurance?

Cover for skiing and snowboarding is usually an optional extra that you need to add to your policy when you buy it – and that’s the case with all the policies we mention in this article. 

This option covers you for skiing and snowboarding on-piste. If you need cover for other winter activities, skiing or snowboarding off-piste or outside resort boundaries, cover varies policy to policy – so cross-country skiers and snowshoers take note! 

Cover for snowmobile use and tobogganing can also vary, though we found that when skiing is covered, these activities usually are too.    

The price scores for skiing are calculated using quotes for the destinations listed, with the winter sport option selected.

How much does travel insurance for skiing cost?

Usually you have to add winter sports as an additional option, which increases the price of your policy. Adding this cover will increase the cost of your travel insurance by roughly 60% on average, according to our analysis of the price increase to 26 single-trip policies.

Only one of the travel insurance policies in our international travel insurance comparison covers snow sports by default (the Virgin Australia policy that you can buy with flights).

What is the cheapest travel insurance for snow sports?

The cheapest policy to cover snowsports for holidays in New Zealand is Allianz Comprehensive with a Snow Pack. For all the other popular and chilly destinations we looked at – Japan, Europe, US, and Canada, Zoom Comprehensive with their Winter Sports Pack was the cheapest option.

We used our extensive database of travel insurance quotes to find the cheapest policies for snow holidays to various destinations around the globe. Note that these don’t provide the most extensive cover, so make sure you read the policy details to understand the cover they do and don’t provide.

The best value travel insurance for snow sports

As a ����Vlog member, you’ll gain access to all of our expert, independent reviews including the best value travel insurance policies for skiing in various locations. Unlike other insurance comparison websites, we don’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.

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Here at ����Vlog, we consider travel insurance to be an essential part of planning a holiday, especially if you’re leaving Australia.

This is because if things go wrong, you could end up paying big bucks to get your holiday back on track and travel insurance policies can help cover these costs.

Most people get travel insurance in case they need medical treatment overseas – you’re unlikely to get the same subsidised arrangement as in Australia, so foreign medical bills can escalate into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Depending on the level of cover you choose, travel policies can also help smooth over transport cancellations, delays, lost luggage and even cover costs stemming from seismic events like natural disasters and pandemics.

Are scams covered?

Australians lost almost $260 million to scams this year and the stories we’ve heard from consumers confirm cons targeting holiday makers have contributed to that toll.

Online scams like fake accommodation listings and hacked hotel profiles have led to consumers losing hundreds of dollars in one fell swoop.

Meanwhile, more traditional schemes like being overcharged for a taxi or tickets can also still knock a hefty hole in your holiday budget.

So will travel insurance cover you for these losses? We dive into the fine print to find out.

The great scam exception

Travel insurance providers have to explain what they will and won’t cover in each policy’s product disclosure statement (PDS).

We looked through 89 of these documents, detailing the ins and outs of multiple policies from some of the most well-known providers, and reached out to several insurers directly to ask if they would cover losses stemming from common travel scams.

In bad news for scam victims, most policies don’t cover losses from scams, fraud or other situations where people have abused your confidence, tricked or deceived you.

“Broadly, the only travel insurance cover for scams or fraud is in relation to if your credit card is lost or stolen while overseas, and then used fraudulently,” says ����Vlog insurance expert Jodi Bird.

“And only a few policies appear to cover you if your credit card details are skimmed or stolen, as opposed to the card itself being taken.”

But one insurer we looked at considers several common travel scams “cyber incidents” and does provide cover for policy holders in these situations.

To pinpoint where these differences in cover emerged, we looked at how insurers would respond to five common travel scam scenarios.

1. Fake accommodation listing

Picture it: you’ve snagged a great price for a fetching property listed on an established short-stay platform like Booking.com or Airbnb.

But on arrival, you discover the property doesn’t exist and the money you sent the host to secure the booking has disappeared.

It may sound like a nasty joke, but fake listings are a recurring problem on booking platforms that allow people to put their own properties on the market – we’ve heard from travellers who’ve lost hundreds of dollars to this type of scam.

But will your insurance cover it?

Jodi’s interpretation of a raft of policies from across the market suggests not.

“Many policies contain an exclusion that relates to a ‘cyber act’,” he explains.

“Cyber acts can be a threat or hoax threat involving access to, processing of, use of or operation of a computer system. This definition likely excludes cover for an accommodation listing ‘hoax’.”

We heard a similar story when we presented this scenario to the insurers we contacted.

Travel policy provider Go Insurance confirmed they didn’t cover customers for losses caused by fake listings because they excluded fraud and deception.

At least one insurer, however, does promise to cover policy holders who lose money to a fake listing scam – Passport Card told us it considers this scenario a “cyber incident” and said it would cover for the disruptions it would cause.

2. Hacked hotel profile

Another scam known to occur on major booking platforms involves hackers taking control of an accommodation provider’s account and using it to message guests.

Customers who have booked to stay at the affected property will receive messages appearing to come from the provider asking them to make extra payments (into an account controlled by the hackers) to secure their reservation.

Jodi says losses to this type of scam also won’t be covered by most travel policies.

“Travel insurance primarily covers events that occur when you are already on a trip, so presuming you sent the money before your departure, it won’t be covered,” he says.

“And if you made such a booking on a trip, it would probably be excluded by a ‘cyber act’ clause.”

But again, there are some differences between individual insurers here.

Most insurers don’t cover for this type of scam, but Passport Card said they would also consider this event to be a cyber incident and will cover it.

3. Dodgy travel documents

Preparing for a trip overseas often involves going online to obtain important documents like visas, transport tickets or driving permits ahead of your departure.

Unfortunately, dodgy websites promising to source these are a threat to be reckoned with and can appear among search engine results.

Visitors to these pages might be charged high fees for documents that are fake, overpriced or never provided at all.

Unfortunately, most travel insurance policies won’t reimburse money you’ve sent away before your trip for a visa that didn’t arrive

“Travel insurance primarily covers events that occur when you’re already on a trip, so presuming the booking was made at home, before your departure, it won’t be covered,” Jodi explains.

In this instance, all the individual insurers we reached out to were in lockstep in not providing cover for this situation.

4. Taxi overcharging

More than a few of us have been there – arriving in a foreign city, you take a ride with a taxi driver who overcharges you for the journey.

Our assessment of PDS documents didn’t unearth any specific clause excluding this. 

One insurer, however, did exclude “Any scam or fraud that you could have reasonably anticipated or avoided”.

“This is an obvious grey area,” notes Jodi. “If you could have ‘reasonably anticipated or avoided’ a scam, surely you wouldn’t have got scammed to start with.”

In any case, the insurers we presented the taxi scam scenario to said they wouldn’t cover it.

5. Pickpocketing

Not a scam per se, but grabbing something valuable from right under your nose is the ultimate goal of criminals in some locations who may target backpacks or pockets that are easy to reach without you noticing.

In some cases the criminals will orchestrate distractions by pretending to be beggars or charity fundraisers in order to gain access to your valuables.

Luckily, this is the type of “physical loss” that travel insurance is likely to cover.

“Just ensure you get a police report to give to your insurance provider,” Jodi advises.

Check cover before you buy

Ultimately, most travel insurance policies are designed to tackle truly unexpected disruptions like medical emergencies, cancelled flights or natural disasters.

Most insurance policies don’t cover for scams, but some providers like Passport Card may reimburse you if you fall victim to some common travel cons, which it considers to be cyber incidents. 

Overall, prevention is better than (no) cure. One of the providers we looked at, Go Insurance, told us:

“Travel insurance is designed to respond to unexpected and disruptive events [but] … scam losses usually sit outside that framework because there’s no insured event for the policy to respond to.”

“It’s the result of deliberate deception rather than something unforeseen happening to your trip. The best protection is still prevention. A few extra checks upfront can save a lot of disappointment once you’re overseas.”

For tips on choosing the best travel insurance to suit your needs, visit our buying guide. For tips on how to spot common travel cons, see our guide on travel scams to avoid.

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