What does medical coverage include and are there limits?

Medical expenses cover your costs if you end up in hospital. Overseas medical costs can be in the tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars, so if you're travelling overseas, travel insurance is a must for your medical costs.

Do I really need travel insurance if I'm going to a country with reciprocal healthcare?

Australia has reciprocal healthcare agreements with several countries. But it usually only covers urgent care that can't wait until you get home and you still may have to pay fees for treatment and medication. So if for example, you break a leg skiing in New Zealand, your travel insurance can pay for a medically assisted flight home. Which will be handy if you can't afford to live overseas until you're well enough to pay your own way home.

Do I need to declare pre-existing medical conditions?

Pre-existing medical conditions are one of the main reasons why travel insurers deny claims. If you have a pre-existing medical condition, use our comparison to find out if you can get cover, and speak to your insurer about what you need to do to make sure your condition is covered. Some insurers don't cover pre-existing conditions at all while others require additional fees and medical assessments. Minor pre-existing medical conditions such as asthma, hypertension, diabetes, epilepsy, osteopenia and more are usually covered.

When should I buy my travel insurance?

To ensure you're covered for cancellation expenses from the start, buy your travel insurance at the same time that you book your trip. The further out from your departure date that you buy travel insurance, the more you're likely to pay for it, but you'll be covered from the moment you buy your policy.

When can I cancel my trip and get reimbursed?

Travel insurance with cancellation can cover your expenses to cancel due to sickness, injury, natural disasters, family emergencies and other unexpected circumstances. You should notify your insurer immediately when cancellation becomes necessary. A good insurer will guide you through trying to recoup costs from travel providers like airlines and accommodation first, and then cover what's left over.

By Jodi Bird