Choosing travel insurance for a family holiday

When you’re planning your family holiday, there are more exciting things to think about than travel insurance – from dreaming up fun activities to checking out the best hotel deals. But insurance can give you peace of mind that you have cover from some of the unexpected hassles that can often come from travelling. It really is worth doing your research to choose the travel insurance that includes the required cover to protect your family’s travel plans and be able to access the care and support they might need. 

The Australian Government’s Smart Traveller website says that travel insurance is “as important as a passport”. Even if you’re not going overseas, but taking a trip locally, there is always a chance that things can take an unexpected turn, from a medical emergency, missed connections, and delayed luggage to a ding on your rental car. That’s where travel insurance can make all the difference.

What is travel insurance? 

Travel insurance provides protection for you against specific risks while you’re travelling, by helping cover the costs associated with:

• Lost, damaged or stolen luggage, travel documents, and other personal belongings.
• Overseas hospital care and medical transportation or evacuation.
• Trip cancellations, missed connections, and travel delays.
• Rental vehicle excess.

Family travel insurance covers you, your partner, and children all under one policy. Most insurers won’t charge you extra for children under a certain age (typically under 18 to 25 years), if they’re your financial dependants and not in full time employment. 

Factors to consider when choosing family travel insurance 

Tailoring insurance to your family's needs 

When choosing travel insurance for your family, it’s essential to consider your circumstances, travel plans, and the needs of individual family members. Each policy has its own inclusions, limits, and exclusions depending on the provider and level of cover – so read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) carefully as well as frequently asked questions to clear any concerns you have before choosing a cover.

If your family has a taste for adventure, some activities – such as skiing, zip lining, quad biking, or snowboarding – may not be automatically covered under your policy. The good news is you can tailor insurance to suit your travel plans by purchasing additional cover specifically for snow, cruise, or adventure holidays. 

You should also consider how many valuables your family is travelling with. For example, if you’re carrying a lot of electronic devices, you might opt for higher levels of cover for theft or damage. 

Key considerations for comprehensive coverage 

• Age limits and eligibility: Your dependants, such as children, may be covered under family travel insurance at no extra cost – subject to age limits and eligibility requirements.
• Level of cover vs budget: Lower-cost policies tend to cover medical expenses, while comprehensive cover offers more inclusions and higher claim limits but at greater cost.
• Exclusions: It’s just as important to check what isn’t covered in your policy as what is. Common exclusions include participating in high-risk activities or going to destinations with a travel warning from the Australian Government.
• Optional extras: Depending on your travel plans, you might add on cover for certain activities – for example, rental car cover if you intend to hire a vehicle. 
• Covid cover: Some family travel insurance policies offer cover for Covid-19 related events such as medical expenses and cancellations if someone contracts the virus and can’t start the trip or must cut it short. 

Benefits of travel insurance 

Plan for the unexpected     

Insurance is the only thing we buy that we hope to never use. But the reality is, things can go pear-shaped – and you don’t want that to derail your entire holiday. 

No matter how well you plan for your trip, there are a lot of reasons why you may suddenly need to cancel, such as an unexpected illness or death in the family. Luckily, travel insurance can have you covered in moments like that.

Remember, even lost luggage can cause you to lose days of travel if you have to wait for your suitcase to turn up. And in the worst-case scenario, your policy could provide cover for tens of thousands of dollars in medical costs, for example, an emergency dentist visit.  

Travel with confidence 

The best part about travel insurance is that it allows you to relax on your holiday – without constantly worrying about the ‘what-ifs’ should something go wrong. With the whole family covered under a single policy, you can feel confident that you can all get access to care and support if you need it. That means you can get on with doing what family holidays are meant for: building precious memories with your loved ones that will last a lifetime. 

With Real Travel Insurance, you have access to 24/7 emergency assistance services for additional peace of mind. To get cover for your family’s travel plans, get a quote today.