Asia offers the traveller an exotic mix of culture, religion, history and cuisine, and every year, thousands of Australians head overseas to experience the Asian way of life. But while Asia can be fascinating, it can also be unpredictable and you should take some precautions before heading overseas.
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While Asia is a close destination to Australia, there are many differences in safety that could cause an unsuspecting traveller grief. Travel insurance can protect you from the following:
Continue reading our guide on useful safety tips and travel insurance information for Asia.
What are some travel risks specific to Asia?
Asia is made up of a mix of countries with different safety concerns.
Safety concerns for female travellers. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has warned female travellers to take caution in parts of Asia, including India. Travellers to India are often subject to unwanted attention and in some cases serious harassment and assault.
Risk of disease. Travel to some parts of Asia leaves you vulnerable to diseases uncommon to Australia. For instance, if you're going to Japan, then it is vital to get a vaccination for Japanese encephalitis.
Pollution. Regions of Asia, most notably China, are known for severe pollution. Pollution can impose health risks on travellers, particularly children, the elderly and travellers with pre-existing cardiac or respiratory conditions.
Food poisoning. Parts of Asia, especially South-East Asia, have poorer food standards compared to Australia. Indulging in local street food or even having ice in your drink can lead to food poisoning if you're not careful.
Political unrest and civil conflict. DFAT warns against travel to particular regions of Asian countries that are currently undergoing civil conflicts. For instance, Southern Thailand close to the border of Malaysia has been reported to have frequent violence in recent years including shootings and bombings.
Strict drug laws. Most Asian countries have strict drug laws, yet drugs are abundant in the black market. The availability of illegal drugs creates a dangerous trap that sadly many Australian travellers fall into.
Should I avoid travelling to Asia?
There are major safety concerns in Asia, but this doesn't mean you should avoid travelling to this amazing part of the world. Make sure you do the following:
What exactly does travel insurance cover me for? When looking for travel insurance for Asia, you need to find a policy that provides cover in several important areas. These include the following:
Property theft or loss. Petty crime such as theft can be widespread in some Asian countries, so you need to insure your belongings in case they are lost or stolen.
Trip interruption or cancellation. Delays and cancellations can and do happen, particularly in Asian countries such as mainland China, so you need cover that will compensate you if your travel arrangements are interrupted or delayed and you suffer financially as a result.
Emergency medical evacuation. If you are badly injured or severely ill and need to be evacuated back to Australia, this can cost tens and sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars, so medical evacuation insurance is a vital part of any travel insurance policy for Asia.
Dodgy food standards in Asia: Am I covered for food poisoning?
Asia is famous among Australian travellers for its delicious and varied cuisine. However, some Asian countries have much lower standards of food hygiene than Australia, so it’s not uncommon for visitors to Asia to come down with a bout of food poisoning.
Yes, you're covered for medical expenses
If you're unlucky enough to suffer a nasty case of food poisoning, travel insurance can cover the overseas medical and hospital expenses you incur. Your hip pocket doesn’t have to suffer along with your stomach.
Some policies cover changes to your trip and more
If your doctor advises you to stay in hospital for a few days to recover, you can get cover for the following:
Additional accommodation costs
Cancellation fees or reimbursement for pre-paid trip expenses (travel, accommodation, tours etc) you’re unable to use.
A daily allowance while you are hospitalised to help you cover incidental expenses such as phone calls, newspapers and TV rental.
Example: The unexpected cost of bad food
Australian tourist Craig thought the family-run restaurant in a Hong Kong alley looked clean enough, and the seafood noodle dish he devoured for lunch certainly tasted delicious. But when Craig woke up after a nap in his hotel room a couple of hours later and needed to rush to the toilet, he knew he’d made a big mistake.
With severe vomiting and diarrhoea plus a fever and other flu-like symptoms, Craig was diagnosed with a bad case of food poisoning and ended up spending 2 nights on a drip in hospital. After being discharged from hospital, Craig’s doctor also recommended that he stay in Hong Kong for a few extra days to recover, meaning Craig had additional accommodation expenses to cover and also that he missed his flight to Tokyo and 2 nights of pre-booked accommodation.
Luckily, Craig had taken out comprehensive travel insurance cover for food poisoning before departing on his trip.
Expenses incurred
Hospital accommodation: $1,440 (2 nights @ $720 a night)
Medical treatment: $500
Hospital incidentals: $40
Extra accommodation in Hong Kong: $450 (3 nights @ $150 a night)
Unused airline ticket: $220
Unused accommodation in Tokyo: $400 (2 nights @ $200 a night)
Total cost covered:
$3,050
Cost of travel insurance
$110
Purchasing a $110 travel insurance policy ensured that food poisoning didn’t leave Craig more than $3,000 out of pocket.
* This is a fictional, but realistic, example.
Can I get cover for motorbikes and mopeds?
In order to get travel insurance cover for riding a motorbike or moped, you will need to follow the road laws of the country you're visiting.
You will need an Australian motorbike licence
Many Asian countries require you to have a licence of some kind to ride a motorbike, usually an equivalent Australian motorbike licence.
Can I just use my car licence?
An Australian car licence is not enough, as it must be a motorbike licence and you will need to obtain it before you leave home. Although it's easy to simply hire a motorbike from a street vendor without a motorbike licence, if you're injured, your travel insurance will not cover you in the event of an accident.
Some countries require a local motorbike licence
Some countries such as Cambodia and Vietnam require you to have a valid local motorbike licence as well. In these countries, you will need to pay about $40 and pass a riding test before you can head out legally on 2 wheels.
You will also need to wear appropriate safety gear, including a helmet and protective clothing and not ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol or else your travel insurance will not cover you in the event of an accident. You may also need to pay more for motorbike cover, so check your policy carefully before you leave Australia.
Shouldn’t healthcare in Asia be cheap?
Food, accommodation and a range of other items are ridiculously cheap in many Asian countries, so some travellers make the mistake of thinking that healthcare will simply be affordable. Unfortunately, that’s not the case.
Without travel insurance, you run the risk of relying on poor facilities
The quality of medical facilities varies greatly between major cities and rural areas in Asia. If you suffer an injury or illness in some parts of Asia, for example in rural Thailand, the best option may be to medically evacuate you to the nearest appropriate medical facility or even repatriate you to Australia. This can be a very expensive operation.
Travel insurance can cover the following:
Overseas medical and hospital expenses in Asia
Cost of medical evacuation and repatriation if required (e.g. if there's no adequate treatment or facilities in your vicinity)
I’m only concerned about my medical expenses in Asia: Can I buy medical-only travel insurance?
Yes, you can. If you don’t want to pay for the broad range of benefits provided by a comprehensive travel insurance policy, consider a medical-only travel insurance policy. You’ll pay only for the cover that you need and save some pennies for your holiday. Medical-only travel insurance covers you for just emergency medical treatment overseas but some policies include personal liability cover as well.
Another option to consider is a basic travel insurance policy. If you’re keen to save money but still want to be insured for a level of cancellation and personal belongings cover, some providers offer a more economical version of their comprehensive cover. These stripped-down policies give you the essentials that you need so you can feel secure on your holiday.
Am I covered for cameras and valuables?
In some Asian countries, theft is a common problem for travellers. According to Smartraveller, this is particularly true for the following:
Tourist hot spots
Major train stations
Airports
These policy features can cover you
Look for a policy that has these features:
Theft of cash. This covers stolen cash (and credit card fraud in some cases).
Luggage and personal effects. This covers the theft of items such as laptops, cameras (including GoPros), phones, golf clubs and your bags.
Insurers will impose a maximum limit on the amount of cover they will provide for stolen items and will also impose sub-limits on the amount they will pay for certain items such as laptops and cameras:
Free cover for kids. Some policies offer free cover for dependents under the age of 21.
You can find more ways to get cheap travel insurance here.
Not necessarily. Instead of looking at just price, it pays to ask yourself the following questions:
What are the limits of coverage? Is the cover provided in each of the areas mentioned above enough to pay all the potential costs involved?
How much is the excess you will have to pay? An excess is the amount you must contribute to a claim. Paying a larger excess to reduce the premium is hardly worth it if the cost of the item being claimed for is less than the excess you must pay.
Will the policy cover all my activities? If you plan to go trekking in Vietnam for instance, make sure your travel insurance policy can cover the activity.
Does it cover all of the countries you plan to visit in Asia? If it doesn’t, you could find yourself uninsured in these countries, even if you are only stopping over for a day or two.
Does it cover frequently stolen items such as cameras and laptops? If so, is the cover provided sufficient to replace them?
These are only a few of the things you should look for when comparing travel insurance policies and it is a good idea to seek professional advice from a travel agent or insurance broker if you are at all unsure about what's covered.
The type and amount of cover you choose for travel in Asia will depend on your particular circumstances, so here are some additional questions you should ask yourself before you buy.
What are your insurance needs? For example, if you are a student travelling to Asia for an extended period, your insurance needs will be vastly different from a family going to Bali for a week.
What countries are you visiting? The quality, availability and cost of medical services in various countries will determine how much medical cover you will need (Japan is the most expensive).
Do you have any pre-existing medical conditions? You will need to tell your insurance provider about these and they may cost you more or not be covered, depending on the insurer.
Will you be engaging in any extreme sports or dangerous activities while you are away? If so, you will need to take out extra cover for these and some may not be insurable.
Getting the most out of your policy
Once you have purchased your travel insurance for Asia, you need to make sure you get the most from it so that if anything untoward were to happen, you would be assured of receiving a benefit when you make a claim. Things you can do to ensure you get the most from your cover include the following:
Keep good records. Records can include listing your personal belongings and valuables, keeping receipts, as they may be required when making a claim, and making a copy of your policy and leaving it in a safe place at home.
Have all the relevant emergency numbers. Keep these in case you need to make a claim while overseas.
Make sure you get a police report. This report will be required by your insurer if you are a victim of a crime.
Check the latest Smartraveller advisory reports. Travelling against Australian government advice can void your insurance cover, so make sure you follow reports for the destinations you're visiting.
Follow these tips while in Asia
The only thing better than having travel insurance is having an uneventful trip and not having to claim on it. With that in mind, here are some handy tips when travelling in Asia.
If you are hiring a car or motorbike, make sure you have a licence to drive it in the country you are visiting (either an international driving licence or equivalent Australian licence).
When driving in Asia, do what the locals do, know where you’re going and know what the road rules are.
When shopping, leave your jewellery in the hotel safe, as you may attract pickpockets and thieves and it is also harder to get a bargain when you are displaying obvious wealth.
Avoid too much sun, as the symptoms are similar to "Bali belly" (fever, nausea and diarrhoea).
Drink bottled water and don’t eat local food from market stalls unless you are confident about its origins and the way it has been prepared.
Carry your money in a money belt and your handbag close to your body to prevent bag snatchers and don’t make a show of money or valuables.
Avoid taxis that have no markings or ones that don’t switch on their meters when you get in.
If you’re in a bar or club, make sure your drink never leaves your sight to avoid drink spiking.
Who do I contact in an emergency?
If you find yourself in an emergency in Asia, the following are some useful contacts:
Your travel insurer. Your insurance provider will have a 24/7 helpline for claims and medical emergencies.
Australian embassies and consulates. You can find the contact details of Australian embassies and consulates in Asia below.
Questions you may still have about travel insurance
A: The definition of a pre-existing condition will likely vary by insurer, but generally, a pre-existing condition is any defect, condition, disease or illness that has been diagnosed or treated by a doctor before taking out travel cover.
A: Yes, you can normally get cover for up to the 26th week of pregnancy, but cover is not provided for childbirth expenses, only for unexpected serious complications.
A: Yes, but you must take all reasonable precautions to avoid any loss or damage, report any loss or damage within 24 hours and obtain a police report before making a claim.
A: No. Most travel insurance is designed for leisure travellers and does not cover events linked to overseas employment. You would need to take out special cover for this or ensure you are covered by your employer’s insurance.
A: Yes, you can cancel your policy usually within 15-21 days of issue and get a full refund as long as you have not started your journey or made a claim.
A: You may need original documents such as medical reports, police reports, invoices and receipts, depending on the nature of the claim.
Yes, you can get cover for Russia. Most policies will typically include Russia in the same region as Asia. You should however always double-check before you apply for your policy as Russia may be included in the "Worldwide" region.
Get travel insurance for your holiday to Asia in minutes
Travelling to Asia is a life-changing experience for many people. The fascinating cultures, friendly people and incredible scenery draw thousands of Australians to places like Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, Vietnam and China every year. And the travel insurance they take out before they leave performs a vital role in helping to ensure that they return with wonderful memories rather than horror stories and debts they can’t afford to pay.
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*The use of terms "Best" and "Top" are not product ratings and are subject to our disclaimer. You should consider seeking independent financial advice and consider your personal financial circumstances when comparing products.
Cristal Dyer is a travel writer at Finder. She has been writing about travel for over five years and has visited over 40 countries around the world. Cristal currently travels full-time, writing about her favourite cities and food finds, and she is always on the lookout for amazing flight deals to share.
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Can I get cover for motorbikes and mopeds?
