Travel Insurance Q&A

It’s up to you when you purchase travel insurance, however, keep in mind these three things:

1. You can purchase travel insurance up to 12 months in advance.
2. You must purchase travel insurance before you start your journey. Your journey starts when any traveller named on the Certificate of Insurance leaves home or work in Australia to commence travel.
3. Depending on the plan you choose you may have trip cancellation cover, which covers unexpected trip cancellation, rescheduling or shortening from the date your Certificate of Insurance is issued. So, consider purchasing travel insurance as soon as you’ve booked and paid for some or all of your trip as you may be covered for such events before you depart.

No, you must purchase travel insurance before you have started your journey. Your journey starts when any traveller named on the Certificate of Insurance leaves home or work in Australia to commence travel.

No, as your journey starts when any traveller named on the Certificate of Insurance leaves home or work in Australia to commence travel, and ends when you return to your home or arrive at a hospital or residential care facility in Australia (if you are evacuated or repatriated for medical reasons), whichever happens first.

Our Comprehensive, Domestic and Non-Medical plans are available to travellers of all ages.

Our Essentials and Multi-Trip plans are only available to travellers who are aged under 75 years at the time your Certificate of Insurance is issued.

Please note: if you choose to extend your travel insurance policy after you have begun your journey, age limits may apply.

You can insure up to 10 dependants on your travel insurance policy.

Dependants must be your child or grandchild (including step-child, adopted child, foster child and child you care for under a legal guardian arrangement), aged under 25 years, not employed full-time, and with you for 100% of the journey.

Yes, if you change your mind after you purchase your travel insurance policy, you may cancel it within 14 days of your Certificate of Insurance being issued. You will be given a full refund of the premium you’ve paid, provided you have not started your journey and do not intend to make a claim or exercise any other right under your policy.

Our Multi-Trip Plan offers a high-level of cover for multiple trips to your chosen destinations within a 12-month period. Each individual trip will be limited to 15, 30 or 45 days and is chosen during your quote.

This is a summary only. Terms, conditions, limits and exclusions apply; refer to the Product Disclosure Statement.

This product has a general exclusion, with limited exceptions, against epidemics and pandemics. That means we don’t cover claims that arise from, or are related to, an epidemic or pandemic. However, you are covered under selected benefits in this product if, during your period of cover, you are positively diagnosed as suffering a sickness recognised as an epidemic or pandemic, such as COVID-19. Refer to the Product Disclosure Statement to see which benefits offer cover in the event that you contract a sickness recognised as an epidemic or pandemic, and the terms, conditions, limits and exclusions that apply.

If you have any questions call us on 1300 551 513.

There is no cover under any benefit of this policy if your claim arises because you did not follow an advice or warning that a reasonable person would have been aware of:

• by the Australian government (when a reconsider your need to travel or do not travel alert is in place), which can be found on Smartraveller; or
• which was published in a reliable mass media source.

Before purchasing travel insurance, and while you're travelling, check Smartraveller and Allianz Partners for travel alerts or advisories for your intended destination(s). Please note: this applies even if an Australian government has given you permission to travel, or you fall under a specific exemption where there is otherwise a travel ban in place.

Tip! Subscribe to Smartraveller to receive travel alerts and advisory updates via email. Refer to the General Exclusions in the Product Disclosure Statement for a full list of exclusions.

If you have any questions call us on 1300 551 513.

A general exclusion, sometimes referred to as a policy exclusion, is an exclusion that applies to all policy benefits, regardless of when the travel insurance policy was purchased. Should a general exclusion apply, your travel insurance policy will not provide cover for the specified event, activities or circumstances.

Refer to the General Exclusions in the Product Disclosure Statement.

We define an epidemic as an infectious disease that rapidly spreads to a large number of people in a community, population, or region.

We define a pandemic as an epidemic that spreads to multiple countries, continents, or worldwide.

If a COVID-19 border closure or mandatory quarantine period prevents you from travelling, or requires you to shorten your journey while travelling, you may be entitled to cancel your policy and receive a partial or full premium refund. Refer to the Product Disclosure Statement for conditions.

If you have any questions or would like to apply for a refund call us on 1300 551 513.

To amend your travel insurance policy, call us on 1300 551 513.

To cancel your travel insurance policy, call us on 1300 551 513, or email us.

If you’re cancelling within 14 days of your Certificate of Insurance being issued you'll be given a full refund of the premium you've paid, provided you have not started your journey and do not intend to make a claim or exercise any other right under your policy.

You can make a claim online while on your trip or upon your return to Australia through our online claims portal.

Have your policy number and personal details ready. We may also ask you for receipts, medical records, police records or your travel itinerary.

If you’re in Australia and need assistance with your claim call our claims team on 1300 551 513.

For 24/7 emergency assistance call +61 7 3305 7499 (overseas) or 1800 010 075 (within Australia).

Please note additional charges may apply for any calls made from mobiles, public telephones or hotel rooms.

Excess is the initial amount of a claim we don't pay for. Each claim you make will incur an excess or excesses, unless we state in the Product Disclosure Statement that there is no excess payable.

Depending on your policy you may have up to 3 different types of excesses, however only 1 or 2 may be payable each time you claim. You can find out what excesses may apply to you in the Product Disclosure Statement and in your policy documentation.

The 3 types of excesses are:

Base Excess
Every travel insurance policy has a base excess and it'll apply to all insured events causing a claim, unless we state in the Product Disclosure Statement that there is no excess payable or that other excesses apply.

During purchase you'll be given the opportunity to choose your base excess amount. Varying your base excess will affect your premium in 1 of 2 ways:

• reducing the base excess will increase the premium you pay; or
• increasing the base excess will reduce the premium you pay.

Medical excess
If you have a pre-existing medical condition we agree to cover, it may incur a medical excess. Claims arising from your assessed medical conditions will incur your chosen medical excess instead of your chosen base excess. We’ll inform you during the medical assessment if the assessed medical conditions will incur a medical excess.

Additional excess
Snow and adventure packs have an additional excess of $500 per pack, which can't be changed or removed. Overseas Medical & Hospital Expenses or Cancellation claims arising from your participation in snow sport or adventure activities will incur a $500 excess in addition to your chosen base excess.

In most cases, we will deduct the excess or excesses from your claim payment. If you have to pay an excess or excesses we’ll let you know during the claims process. You can find out what excesses may apply to you in the Product Disclosure Statement and in your policy documentation.

Yes, even if the insured event was not caused by you, any applicable excess or excesses will still be payable. You can find out what excesses may apply to you in the Product Disclosure Statement and in your policy documentation.

Call emergency services immediately if your condition is life threatening. Call us on +61 7 3305 7499 (overseas) or 1800 010 075 (within Australia).

If the unexpected happens while on your trip call us as soon as you can, our Australian-based case managers are here for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with registered nurses and doctors available when you need them. They’ll step you through the process and take care of things. If you can’t call us straight away, make sure you keep any documentation that may help with your claim, this could include, receipts, invoices, medical records or police reports, and contact us as soon as you’re able to.

Please note additional charges may apply for any calls made from mobiles, public telephones or hotel rooms.

We define a pre-existing medical condition to be a condition of which a reasonable person in the circumstances, should have been aware at the time of issue of the Certificate of Insurance, including:

• any dental condition;
• any physical condition;
• pregnancy (see travel during pregnancy below);
• any lifelong illness;
• any chronic illness;
• any mental illness;
• any current or previously treated cancer; or

any condition which, in the last two years:

• was treated by surgery (including day surgery);
• required regular medication;
• required on-going treatment;
• was referred to a specialist medical adviser;
• had regular reviews or check-ups;
• caused admission to hospital; or
• was treated at a hospital emergency department or out-patient clinic.

If you have a pre-existing medical condition that meets this definition, you can apply to include cover under your policy for your pre-existing medical condition(s) at the time of purchasing your policy. Alternatively, you can call our contact centre and they can step you through the medical assessment over the phone, call us on 1300 551 513.

We don’t cover any pre-existing medical conditions unless you complete a medical assessment and we agree to cover you. If you choose not to tell us about your pre-existing medical condition(s); or we decline to cover you; or you decline our offer; you, or anyone else on the policy, won’t be covered for any claim arising from your pre-existing medical condition(s).

If you’re currently pregnant and:

• you’ve had pregnancy complications¹ with this or a previous pregnancy; or
• you’re expecting more than one child,

you will need to choose an eligible plan and complete our easy online medical assessment during purchase to apply for cover. Alternatively, you can call our contact centre and they can step you through the medical assessment over the phone, call us on 1300 551 513.

Otherwise, you don’t need to tell us about your pregnancy as your policy will automatically provide cover for pregnancy-related claims arising from an unforeseen event, as long as:

• the event occurs prior to the 24th week of your pregnancy; and
• it’s not something excluded under the policy.

If you fall pregnant or discover you’re pregnant after you purchase travel insurance, you’ll be automatically covered.

_{1. Pregnancy complications are a medical condition for which the diagnosis is distinct from pregnancy but is caused by or adversely affected by pregnancy.}

Please note: pregnancy cover is for unforeseen events only, we don’t cover:

• a pregnancy once it’s 24 weeks or more gestation; or
• any expenses for routine or regular antenatal care; or
• childbirth at any stage of your pregnancy or costs relating to the care or health of a newborn child, other than as a result of an accident occurring prior to the 24th week of your pregnancy which causes you to give birth prematurely; or requires you to be admitted to hospital beyond the 24th week of your pregnancy, during which time your child is born.

If you fall pregnant or discover you’re pregnant after you purchase travel insurance, you’ll be automatically covered.

Please note: pregnancy cover is for unforeseen events only, we don’t cover:

• a pregnancy once it’s 24 weeks or more gestation; or
• any expenses for routine or regular antenatal care; or
• childbirth at any stage of your pregnancy or costs relating to the care or health of a newborn child, other than as a result of an accident occurring prior to the 24th week of your pregnancy which causes you to give birth prematurely; or requires you to be admitted to hospital beyond the 24th week of your pregnancy, during which time your child is born.