For most of us, insurance is usually something of a grudge purchase and travel insurance is no exception. Amid the excitement of booking your flights and accommodation, the idea of forking out for something you may not use can leave many of us reluctant to part with our dollars.
But travel insurance is a must. Without it, you could be left with hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt – and some countries won’t even let you enter unless you have travel insurance.
Travel insurance premiums can vary widely depending on your age, medical conditions, where you’re travelling to, what you plan to do on holidays, and the level of cover. But even if all those factors are identical, premiums can still differ significantly between insurers.
The cheapest comprehensive policy’s average premium varies from less than $100 for travel in the Pacific to over $1700 for travel in Africa.
Our travel insurance comparison of policies from more than 30 different insurers looks at benefits, average policy costs, medical expense limits and a range of other criteria to help you find the best option for your next getaway. We’ve waded through the thousands of pages of product disclosure statements to recommend policies that offer the best value for Australians embarking on an overseas adventure.
Text-only accessible version
How much is travel insurance?
The infographic above shows two bar charts. We calculated the average premium for each policy. The bar charts depict the average cost of the cheapest and most expensive policy, for each regions. One chart represents quotes for comprehensive travel insurance policies, the other represents cheaper medical-only policies. Average premiums are based on a market-representative sample of 230,296 quotes for international travel insurance collected in March 2026.
Comprehensive
For destinations in Africa, the cheapest average premium for comprehensive policies was $268. The most expensive was $1718.
For destinations in the Americas, the cheapest average premium for comprehensive policies was $495. The most expensive was $1630.
For destinations in Asia, the cheapest average premium for comprehensive policies was $112. The most expensive was $1024.
For destinations in Europe, the cheapest average premium for comprehensive policies was $267. The most expensive was $1335.
For destinations in the Middle East, the cheapest average premium for comprehensive policies was $143. The most expensive was $820.
For destinations in the Pacific, the cheapest average premium for comprehensive policies was $78. The most expensive was $307.
Medical-only
For destinations in Africa, the cheapest average premium for medical-only policies was $115. The most expensive was $877.
For destinations in the Americas, the cheapest average premium for medical-only policies was $216. The most expensive was $720.
For destinations in Asia, the cheapest average premium for medical-only policies was $73. The most expensive was $494.
For destinations in Europe, the cheapest average premium for medical-only policies was $117. The most expensive was $834.
For destinations in the Middle East, the cheapest average premium for medical-only policies was $74. The most expensive was $530.
For destinations in the Pacific, the cheapest average premium for medical-only policies was $48. The most expensive was $151.
2. Buy a policy recommended by CHOICE
While it can be tempting to simply choose the cheapest option when buying any kind of insurance (leaving you more holiday spending money), that strategy could backfire.
You may just end up spending money on a policy that doesn’t give you the coverage you need, which could mean a nasty surprise when you go to make a claim. The policies we recommend take into account all the features that make for good value, not just price.
“The cost of similar levels of cover can vary widely. That’s why we recommend policies that perform well on price and cover,” says Jodi.
Text-only accessible version
How much can you save with a policy recommended by CHOICE?
The infographic above shows a map of the world divided into different destination regions: the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, the rest of Asia, and the Pacific. Against each region is a dollar figure representing the potential savings you could achieve when travelling to these regions, if you purchase a policy we have recommended.
Potential savings are the difference between the average premium quote from all non-recommended policies in our pricing dataset and the cheapest average quote from a recommended policy. Based on 230,296 market-representative quotes for international travel insurance collected in March 2026.
For destinations in the Americas, potential savings are $110.
For destinations in Asia, potential savings are $17.
For destinations in Europe, potential savings are $43.
For destinations in the Middle East, potential savings are $136.
For destinations in the Pacific, potential savings are $20.
Note: For African destinations in our April 2026 comparison, the cheapest policy we recommended was $99 more expensive, on average, than the market. Because we take cover as well as price into account when making recommendations, we sometimes recommend policies that are not the absolute cheapest available.
3. Compromise when you can
While you must have good coverage for medical expenses, there are some typical policy inclusions you may be able to do without, meaning you’ll pay a lower premium.
If you’re not spending a lot on your holiday or taking expensive items with you, it could make sense to reduce the cover for cancellation, delays and baggage. Make sure you explore these options when getting quotes for your travel insurance.
“If you’re embarking on a cheap backpacking holiday in Vietnam as opposed to an expensive cruise, for example, you probably don’t need all the bells and whistles for cancellation and baggage cover,” explains Jodi.
Our experts have found that some of these cards can offer good coverage, though you need to be mindful of the conditions required to use them. For example, just having the card may not be enough and generally, you’ll only be eligible for the insurance if you buy your tickets with it. You may also find your coverage won’t apply to pre-existing conditions.
Make sure you understand what’s included and how to activate the policy, as there may be additional steps beyond simply using your card for holiday expenses
If you’re considering using travel insurance attached to a credit card, make sure you understand what’s included and how to activate the policy, as there may be additional steps beyond simply using your card for holiday expenses.
“Some credit cards may require a minimum trip spend of, say, $500 to activate the insurance. So a bargain flight to Bali that costs less than the minimum spend won’t activate your insurance. You’ll need to check your card’s rules to make sure you’re covered,” says Jodi.
5. Look for member discounts from your existing insurance providers
If you have home, car or health insurance, your insurer may offer travel insurance at a discount to existing customers. In some instances this can be as much as 10–15%, so it’s worthwhile investigating this option when you’re shopping around for travel insurance.
“Many travel insurance policies are packaged up by the same provider and sold with another company’s name on them, like Medibank and Qantas. The advantage for consumers is the discounts you can get if you’re already a Medibank member or a Qantas frequent flyer,” Jodi explains.
Just ensure you check the details of the policy offered to ensure the coverage suits your needs, even if it is substantially discounted.
Margaret Rafferty joined CHOICE in 2018 as a Content editor and since then has filled the roles of Commissioning editor, Managing editor and now Editorial consultant.
Margaret has written on a wide variety of topics and enjoys making complex subjects easy to understand. With over 20 years of media experience, Margaret brings a strong storytelling background to CHOICE. She works closely with people across the organisation to help tell stories that make a positive difference to people and is passionate about uncovering bad practices and helping Australians to avoid falling victim to shonky products and services. LinkedIn
Margaret Rafferty joined CHOICE in 2018 as a Content editor and since then has filled the roles of Commissioning editor, Managing editor and now Editorial consultant.
Margaret has written on a wide variety of topics and enjoys making complex subjects easy to understand. With over 20 years of media experience, Margaret brings a strong storytelling background to CHOICE. She works closely with people across the organisation to help tell stories that make a positive difference to people and is passionate about uncovering bad practices and helping Australians to avoid falling victim to shonky products and services. LinkedIn
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