Compare Travel Insurance

When you are travelling, some of the best memories come from the most unexpected moments. But sometimes, these very unpredictable moments, can also lead you into a financial pickle. Whether it's an unforeseen medical emergency, misplaced passports or lost baggage, it is always advisable to protect yourself from possible unfortunate circumstances. So when you think of your next international trip, spend a few minutes with us at Mozo as we help you compare more than 200 policies to pick out the ideal travel insurance plan based on your travel details.

While it's tempting to go for the cheapest travel insurance you find on the Internet, it could actually be a big mistake because you could end up paying for something that doesn't really cover your needs. Going through hundreds of travel insurance policies and reading the fine print might is a tedious task, so to make life simpler, here's a quick overview of the basic types of travel insurance so you can identify the features that match your needs the best.

Single/multi-trip travel insurance

If your international travels are limited to one family holiday in a year, then you should just go for the standard single trip travel insurance. But if you are one of those jetsetters who take off on holidays three or more times in a year or your work makes you travel across the world frequently, you should consider an annual multi-trip insurance that covers a number of trips instead of buying a new one every time you travel. This will save you both time and money. In case you purchase a multi-trip insurance for the entire family but also need to make individual trips during this period, you will still be covered under your multi-trip insurance.

Fine print: Usually, there is a cap of 30 to 90 days for every individual trip.

Snow travel insurance

Snow clad mountains make for the most serene settings, but come a snow storm and you could be in for some seriously violent weather. It's a good idea to get snow travel insurance and protect yourself and your ski equipment from any snow related accidents or bad weather!

Fine print: It's one thing to hurt yourself because of an avalanche, but your insurance won't cover an injury you incur while skiing under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Also, some of the more dangerous winter sports like heli-skiing would most likely not be covered.

Cruise travel insurance

Did you know that once your ship leaves the port, your medical expenses will no longer be covered by Medicare? The sea is known for its unpredictable nature, so it's definitely a good idea to get insurance for your cruise. Cruise insurance will cover you for medical emergencies, cancellations in case of bad weather and protect your possessions on board.

Fine print: If you are planning on indulging in adventure activities like parasailing or scuba diving, you will have to check if your insurance covers these or if you need to pay extra.

Seniors travel insurance

The golden years are a great time to travel and explore the world, visit children and grandchildren or take off on a luxurious cruise. Increasingly, many Australian insurance providers are raising the age limit for their policies making it easier for seniors to travel with insurance.

Fine print: You have to keep in mind that the premium generally keeps increasing as the age bracket goes up. For instance, according to our calculations at the time of writing, if you want to buy a basic travel insurance policy for a week-long trip to Thailand, the cheapest insurance for a 25-year-old would be around $32, for a 65-year-old about $38, and for a 75-year-old about $74.

Travel insurance for pregnancy

If you are planning to travel during pregnancy, you should definitely look at getting a policy that covers pregnancy. Just remember that your travel insurance will generally cover a pregnancy up to the end of the second trimester or till 27 weeks.

Fine print: You must carefully understand all the exclusions, for instance, if you've had past complications or conceived through assisted reproductive services. In such cases, you might be able to pay an extra premium and still be covered.

Backpacker's travel insurance

When you are backpacking across exciting unchartered paths, you don't want to bother carrying too much cash in your wallet. What you also don't want is to get stuck in an unfortunate situation without any money. That is what makes Backpacker's travel insurance essential because it covers you for longer periods of time than standard insurance and can also include extreme sport cover so you can tickle your adventurous bone with activities such as bungee jumping and hang gliding.

Fine print: A backpacker's travel insurance policy is usually valid up to 12 continuous months, but if you break your trip and come back home during that period, the insurance often doesn't extend when you get back to the trip.

It is essential that you know the different kinds of cover that a travel insurance policy can provide and then make an informed decision based on your needs and of course the best price. The usual covers that are included in standard travel insurance policies are:

Medical expenses: Most travel insurance policies provide generous medical care, with many of them actually offering unlimited cover. But an important thing to note is that most travel insurers have a list of pre-existing medical conditions that are not covered, so you must check with your insurer about any exclusions. Medical care overseas can run into thousands of dollars if you are not insured and when compared with the insurance cost, it's really not a risk worth taking.

Dental care: Most travel insurance providers include emergency dental care, but you would need to take care of any ongoing treatment and costs once you are back in Australia.

Luggage and personal belongings: Your baggage cover could be anywhere from $2,000 to $12,000 depending on the policy you buy. But do remember, you won't get anything in case you lose unattended baggage in a public place or unmanned vehicles.

Cancellation and delays: If your flight is cancelled or delayed (generally by over 24 hours) your insurance provider would reimburse you for the delayed expenses.

Accidental death and injury: In the unfortunate circumstance of you being permanently disabled or dying while you are travelling, you or your estate will receive money for repatriation or loss of income.

Personal liability: Unfortunately,accidents could happen not just to you but also by you. If you are legally responsible for causing someone else injury or damage to their property while you are travelling, you would need a personal liability cover.

Cash: Not all travel insurance policies cover cash, but some policies do cover about $100-$200. However, most clauses require you to have had the money on you at the time of theft.

Rental or car excess: Most travel insurance policies cover any rental car excess, so if you are renting a car on your trip, make sure you don't pay the car rental company extra reduction insurance.

Airline and holiday insolvency: In the rare event that your pre-paid holiday company goes bust, an airline and end supplier insolvency insurance would cover your prepaid expenses.

Tips and traps

We cannot stress enough how important it is to read the fine print before you purchase a travel insurance policy. You must know exactly what your insurance covers and what it leaves out. Here are some tips on how to read between the lines and avoid those sneaky traps:

Know your destination: One of the key deciding factors for your choice of insurance would be your travel destination. Say for example, you are going to the United States, you would need a comprehensive medical cover but for a place like New Zealand, medical limit would not be as crucial and there's no need for you to spend that extra money.

Check on excess fees: You should check if the policy requires you to pay an extra amount while making a claim. This would vary for different policies based on the claim type. For example, you might have to pay $1,000 excess for a medical claim but only $200 for a luggage delay.

Report pre-existing conditions: You must mention any pre-existing conditions that you might have to make sure you know exactly how much you are covered for in case of an emergency. Every insurance would cover a number of pre-existing conditions such as asthma or high blood pressure and exclude others like cancer or cardiovascular diseases.

Read the inclusions and exclusions: This goes back to our mantra of 'always reading the fine print'. While some policies might exclude certain circumstances like a pre-existing health condition, there could be other cases where you might not even realise that you are already paying for a service. For instance, your policy might be covering your car rental insurance, saving you that extra buck.

Report incidents promptly: In case of an incident it is good to inform your insurer as soon as you can to make sure they are aware of the claim you are going to make. It will also ensure that they tell you of any specific paperwork or proof, such as receipts, doctor fees, police reports and cancellation emails, which you might need to submit when you register your claim.

Don't drive unlicensed vehicles: While you may be covered for accidents, you must remember that if you get hurt or damage a vehicle that you are not licensed to drive in a foreign country, your insurance won't cover it. So if you're in Bali and don't have the licence to drive a scooter, don't drive it!

Drink wisely: Now we're not trying to be pedantic here, but your insurance company will not cover an injury incurred under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Say, even if you are covered for skiing, but if you hurt yourself while skiing and are found to have been under the influence of alcohol, your insurance provider could refuse to reimburse your claim.

Finding the perfect match - travel insurance calculators

Don't worry, you don't need to spend hours looking for the right travel insurance. Mozo has some really easy tools to help you crunch those numbers and find that ideal combination of features and price. Start off by taking a look at these links that can guide your decision.

Mozo comparison tool: Get a customised comparison for some of Australia's top travel insurance providers. The results are based on your travel details (destination, duration of travel, extra covers, etc) and provide a comprehensive market overview that can make your decision much simpler. Click here to see the best travel insurance quotes for you.

Travel insurance reviews: It always helps to hear about the personal experiences of people who have used a particular travel insurance. Read how Australian travellers rate different insurers on various criteria such as medical claim, baggage loss and delays. Check out our list of reviews by insurer.