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Travel Insurance for Australia

Travel Insurance for Australian Holidays

What you need to know about travel insurance cover for trips to Australia

Australia is high on the bucket list for many travellers – and luckily for New Zealanders, this Great Southern Land is just a short trip across the ditch!

The world’s only island continent, Australia, could fit our humble New Zealand into its borders around 29 times; and the adventures that await are as vast as its landmass. From sparkling Sydney Harbour and Melbourne’s cosmopolitan café culture to the vibrant turquoise of the Great Barrier Reef and the Red Centre’s ochre landscapes and rich Indigenous culture, whether you’re exploring bustling cities, charming beach towns, or wide-open spaces, Australia is sure to leave a mark on your heart.

No matter what’s on your itinerary, it’s important to protect your trip with travel insurance for Australia. While you never plan for things to go wrong while you’re away, sometimes they do – and travel insurance can help protect you against unexpected incidents and expenses.

From lost passports and hotel cancellations to emergency medical treatment and repatriation, our Cover-More travel insurance may be able to help equip you with expert assistance when you need it most.

Read on to find out more about our best travel insurance for Australia.

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Overseas Medical Cover

Cover for unexpected medical and dental expenses if you get sick or injured on holiday

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Cancellation Cover

Cancel or amend your trip before you depart*

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24/7 Emergency Assistance

Access to our global network of 24/7 Emergency Assistance

 

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Do I need travel insurance for Australia if I’m from New Zealand?

While Australia might be just a short trans-Tasman flight away, it’s just as important to have travel insurance for Australia as it is for any other international destination.

The reality is that things can go wrong anywhere, and even though your holiday destination may only be a few hours from home, travel insurance for Australia can protect you from the expenses of unexpected situations. This includes requiring emergency medical care, a hospital visit, lost luggage, travel delays, severe weather, and more.

You should consider buying travel insurance for Australia as soon as you plan to go or book your flights. To compare travel insurance for Australia, read this.

What level of travel insurance do I need for Australia?

Looking for our best travel insurance for Australia? We know every traveller – and every holiday – can be different. That’s why we offer two different international plans suitable for Australian holidays, so you can choose the right level of travel insurance to suit your needs.

Our Cover-More international travel insurance plans include:

  • Options Plan
  • Essentials Plan

Options Plan

Our Options Plan is our most comprehensive online travel insurance plan, is suitable for trips to Australia, and can provide extra peace of mind while you’re exploring Australia.

Benefits include:

  • Unlimited medical expenses~
  • Unlimited additional expenses**
  • Emergency dental expenses
  • Trip cancellation protection up to the level of cover chosen
  • Luggage and travel documents cover
  • Rental vehicle insurance excess
  • Delayed luggage allowance
  • Hospital incidentals
  • Legal expenses
  • Personal liability

and more.

If you travel frequently to Australia and other parts of the world, you may wish to consider our Annual-Multi Trip (AMT) Plan which can save you time and money. Protected for an unlimited number of journeys in a 12-month period, you won’t have to worry about taking out a new travel insurance policy every time you jet off on a trans-Tasman trip.

Essentials Plan

Looking for high-quality travel insurance for an affordable price? Our Essentials Plan may be right for you. Popular among travellers on a budget, such as students and backpackers, this plan focuses on the most important benefits to offer low-cost, great-value travel insurance.

Benefits include:

  • Medical and dental expenses
  • Luggage and travel documents cover
  • Delayed luggage allowance
  • Trip cancellation protection up to the level of cover chosen
  • Personal liability

...and more.

Ready to choose the plan that suits you best? Compare our travel insurance for Australia.

~Medical cover will not exceed 12 months from onset. Medical and dental expenses cover is limited to $1,500 for treatment provided in New Zealand.

**Limits apply to subsections 2 and 6f.

*Limits, sub-limits, conditions and exclusions apply. Please read the Policy Wording before deciding if our travel insurance is right for you.

 

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Does Cover-More travel insurance cover adventure activities in Australia?

From snorkelling the Great Barrier Reef and horse riding along gold-sand beaches, to hot air ballooning over wine country, jet boating through Sydney Harbour, or trekking through ancient rainforest, one thing’s for sure: Australia is built for adventure.

If you’re a thrill-seeker wanting to engage in adventure activities while on holiday, our travel insurance for Australia can help protect you. Adventure activities often involve higher risk or travelling to more remote locations, so without the right level of insurance, you could be looking at a complicated and expensive medical care or evacuation if things don’t go to plan.

When you buy our travel insurance for Australia, we can automatically provide cover for activities such as:

  • Abseiling
  • Archery
  • Ballooning
  • Bungy Jumping
  • Flying Fox
  • Horse Riding
  • Jet Boating
  • Jet Skiing
  • Kayaking
  • Parasailing
  • Paragliding
  • Skydiving
  • Snorkelling
  • White Water Rafting

...and more.

It’s important to understand that reasonable care must be taken, all protective equipment must be worn, and you must not be competing in a professional capacity for this cover to apply.

Check out our Adventure Sports FAQs page for more information.

If your planned activity is not listed on our website or in the Policy Wording, we may be able to cover it. Give us a call on (0800) 500 225 to check.

Snow Sports Cover is also available for an additional cost if you plan on going skiing, snowboarding, or snowmobiling on your trip to Australia.

Does Cover-More travel insurance provide cover for COVID-19?

Our Options Plan policyholders will receive additional travel insurance cover for common scenarios relating to COVID-19.

It’s been a tough time for international travel adventures, so whenever you’re able to escape the everyday and explore the natural beauty of Australia or an overseas destination SafeTravel marks as safe during the current coronavirus pandemic, our COVID-19 travel insurance benefits can help give you peace of mind and extra confidence to book the trip you’ve been longing to take.

COVID-19 Cover Benefits

Our Options Plan travel insurance for Australia includes the following COVID-19 cover:

  • COVID-19 Overseas Medical Costs*#~
  • COVID-19 Amendment and Cancellation Costs*
  • Additional COVID-19 Expenses*

Important:Our COVID-19 benefits do not provide cover for claims related to government border closures or lockdowns. Cover is not provided on our Essentials Plan.

Want to know more about what we provide cover for when it comes to COVID-19? Read more about our COVID-19 cover here.

*Limits, sub-limits, conditions, and exclusions apply. For full details on exactly what’s covered, please read our see our Policy Wording document or visit our COVID-19 travel insurance FAQs page.

#For customers 70 years or over, reduced maximum limits may apply.

~Medical cover will not exceed 12 months from onset. We cannot pay for any medical costs resulting from COVID-19 if your claim directly or indirectly arises from cruise travel, or if you’re travelling to a country that is subject to “Do not travel” advice from SafeTravel at the time you enter the country or part of the country.

Does Cover-More travel insurance cover cruising in Australia?

Planning to cruise on your Australian holiday? A cruise can be an incredible way to experience Australia, from journeying up the east coast to the Great Barrier Reef, to exploring our ‘Top End’.

All our Cover-More NZ policies automatically include travel insurance cover for cruises, so you can worry less about the costs if something goes wrong while you’re on board. Just another important reason why you should consider travel insurance for Australia.

Our travel insurance can protect you from:

  • Medical costs on board
  • Emergency evacuations
  • If you or your luggage miss the boat
  • Recover non-refundable expenses due to sudden illness, injury, or unexpected weather events

Read more on our cruise travel insurance page.

 

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Can Cover-More help me in an emergency?

Emergencies can happen and it’s important you have the right support and assistance available when they do. When you purchase a policy with us, you have access to our 24/7 in-house Emergency Assistance – a global network of doctors, nurses, and logistical staff – who are there to help when you need it most.

Known for flooding, bush fires, and wild weather, parts of Australia can be prone to natural disasters. If a rare event does occur, our Emergency Assistance team is never far away, no matter the time of day or night.

You can find out all the types of emergency support we offer and which contact numbers to use for our Emergency Assistance teams here.

Do I need travel insurance for driving a car or van in Australia?

Australia’s wide-open spaces make it perfect for a road trip. One of the best ways to experience the country is by renting a car and seeing where the road takes you: whether that’s tackling the Great Ocean Road over a few days, meeting charming beach towns as you drive along the legendary Pacific Way, or an intrepid adventure completing the ‘big lap’ right around Australia’s coastline.

But before you go it’s important to ensure you have the right coverage when renting a vehicle.

Our International Options Plan includes a rental vehicle insurance excess up to a benefit limit of $10,000. This means that if you hire a car and happen to have an accident, cover is included for the rental vehicle’s insurance excess only.

You must have comprehensive motor vehicle insurance for the rental vehicle for the period of hire, and you must be the nominated driver on the rental car agreement.

No cover is provided on our Essentials Plan.

“Rental vehicle” means a campervan/motorhome that does not exceed 6 tonnes, SUV, sedan, station wagon, hatchback, people mover, coupe, convertible, four-wheel drive, mini bus, moped or motorcycle rented from a licensed motor vehicle or motorcycle rental company or agency.

Please note: refer to the Policy Wording for more information on motorcycle and moped cover as eligibility conditions apply.

Am I covered when riding a motorcycle/moped?

Do you intend to ride a motorbike or moped as part of your trip to Australia? Our policies can automatically cover riding a motorcycle or moped – whether you plan or driving or being a passenger on one. You do not need to buy additional coverage for this protection to apply.

You can only be covered for riding a motorcycle or moped if:

  • Whilst in control of a motorcycle/moped you hold a valid New Zealand motorcycle licence or New Zealand motor vehicle driver licence;
  • You hold a licence valid in the relevant country;
  • Whilst you are a pillion passenger, the driver holds a licence valid in the relevant country;
  • The engine capacity is 250cc or less;
  • You are wearing a helmet;
  • You are not participating in a professional capacity; and
  • You are not racing.

No cover applies for personal liability. You are responsible for any costs associated with damage to the motorcycle, moped or property, or injury to another person. Make sure you read the Policy Wording before purchasing, so you are aware of the terms and conditions, limitations and exclusions of coverage.

You can read more on our motorcycle travel insurance page.

 

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