It’s not mandatory to purchase travel insurance as a condition of entry to Australia or neighboring New Zealand in the Australasia region. However, the Australian government strongly recommends visitors have travel insurance to cover unexpected medical costs.
While public Medicare and domestic travel insurance cover residents, visitors to Australia are treated as private patients. Therefore, you’re generally required to pay hospital expenses and other medical bills at the time of treatment. Furthermore, comprehensive travel insurance with trip cancellation protects against sudden cancellation costs.
Australia is renowned for exciting adventure activities, including boating, hiking and winter sports. Medical coverage ensures you’ll have peace of mind in the event of an injury. The following are some of the most common policies to help you buy travel insurance to suit you.
Types of Travel Insurance for Australia
Travel insurance plans differ in their coverage options. For comprehensive coverage, be sure to opt for a plan with trip cancellation and interruption coverage, baggage loss and baggage delay, emergency evacuation coverage, cancel for any reason insurance and medical coverage.
Cancel for Any Reason Coverage
Cancel for any reason coverage, or CFAR, is sold as an additional premium that reimburses nonrefundable trip costs without limits on why you need to cancel. With standard insurance products, cancellation policies generally reimburse you for a limited and predetermined number of reasons, including hospitalization or the death of a family member.
This type of coverage is useful during situations such as the coronavirus pandemic with changing circumstances and in the absence of COVID-19 coverage. Whether your reason is due to a country’s travel advice changing or simply a change of personal plans, you can claim for prepaid costs and enjoy the flexibility.
CFAR is subject to rules that vary via insurance providers. They can include time limits, such as a requirement to cancel within 48 hours of departure.
Gear Theft Protection
Whether you’re traveling to Sydney or exploring the Outback, gear theft protection is useful on every overseas trip as insurance for your personal effects. For a trip to Australia, you might wish to bring the following:
- Laptop
- Jewelry
- Professional camera plus equipment
- Sports equipment, including surfboards and snowboards
Travel insurance plans help you recover the costs of items that are stolen, damaged or lost via airlines or tour operators. As general advice, your policy covers up to predetermined cost limits, and exclusions may apply.
Be aware that the sub-limits might not cover the full value of items. Check the product disclosure statement (PDS) to ensure gear theft protection is sufficient; otherwise, leave valuable items at home.
Medical Emergency Insurance and Emergency Medical Evacuation
Excellent medical treatment is available in Australia, and there are no major health hazards of concern, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). However, in the case of medical expenses, emergency assistance or any pre-existing medical conditions you may have, health insurance is important to recover significant up-front costs.
In the case of an overseas emergency, travel insurance for medical emergencies covers a range of expenses including:
- Ambulance
- Dental emergencies
- Hospital fees
- Lab tests and X-rays
- Operating room charges and anesthesia
Depending on the insurance company, policies also cover expenses if you require medical assistance for injuries via sports and adventure activities. Most cover emergency medical evacuation to a major hospital or your home country.
Rental Car Protection
In Australia, a loss damage waiver and third-party insurance for personal liability are mandatory and therefore, included in the contract for any rental vehicle. Premium car insurance, through an authorized representative for rental cars, further limits your liabilities while driving.
Depending on the type of car insurance and the coverage you choose, premium plans may include the following safeguards:
- Collision damage waiver and theft protection
- Personal effects coverage
- Roadside protection
- Tire and windshield protection
As a separate protection and on top of local car insurance, a standard travel insurance policy generally includes rental vehicle excess cover. This helps to recoup the losses you’re liable for regarding extra costs for damaged or stolen vehicles.
Trip Cancellation Insurance
Standard Australian travel insurance cover generally provides reimbursement for financial loss due to cancellation up to a limit. If you cancel your vacation before departure, nonrefundable and prepaid expenses are covered. However, trip cancellation insurance is subject to binding rules limiting valid reasons. For flexibility, it’s a good idea to choose CFAR.
One of the most common questions regarding cancellation coverage is how you qualify for it. As general advice, the acceptable reasons include:
- Death of a family member
- Hospitalization, illness or serious injury
- Jury duty
- Military orders
- Severe weather conditions, excluding some natural disasters
Source: marketwatch.com
George Barham, an accomplished journalist and avid gambling enthusiast, serves as the esteemed Editor-in-Chief at fly-to-australia.com, Australia’s leading source for comprehensive gambling news and insights. With an unwavering passion for both the written word and the ever-evolving world of betting and gaming, George brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the helm of our editorial team.
