Pros
- There is no age limit on NIB's comprehensive policy, good news for older travellers.
- NIB covers over 40 pre-existing medical conditions as standard and extends cover for many more if travellers pay a higher premium.
Cons
- Although cruising is covered as standard, there's no add-on option for specific cruise-related risks including cabin confinement or missed port excursions.
- Individual benefits aren't particularly high in comparison to some other providers.
Well done, nib
nib ranked in third place, gaining an overall score of 4.18/5 for Customer Satisfaction in 2023. 85% of those surveyed would recommend nib travel insurance to a friend. nib scored higher than average for customer service, along with its COVID coverage.
Full list of 2023 winners
| Overseas Medical and Hospital Expenses | Unlimited |
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| Cancellation and Amendment Fees | Chosen cover |
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| Luggage and Personal Effects | $12,000 |
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| Maximum Age Limit | No age limit |
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Table updated September 2023
NIB offers cover for COVID-19 in a range of different situations and scenarios, including:
- Overseas medical costs related to COVID-19
- Cancellation or amendment costs if:
- -you or a travelling partner is diagnosed with COVID-19
- -a close relative or business partner is hospitalised or dies due to COVID-19
- -you're permanently employed as a healthcare worker, residential care worker or law enforcement officer, and your pre-approved leave is cancelled due to COVID-19.
- Travel and accommodation costs if a tour is cancelled due to your tour guide contracting COVID-19 or if your accommodation can't operate due to staff contracting COVID-19.
- Travel, meals and accommodation if you're not permitted to board your scheduled public transport due to being suspected of having COVID-19.
- Childcare costs if COVID-19 renders you unable to care for your dependent children while on holiday.
- Pet care costs if you can't travel back to Australia at your scheduled time due to COVID-19.
There are some scenarios that are not covered by NIB including if you were diagnosed with COVID-19 before heading on your trip but you went anyway or if you knowingly put yourself in contact without someone diagnosed with COVID-19.
NIB offers five insurance policies to travellers. The two international policies are Comprehensive and Essentials. The two domestic policies are the Australian Travel Plan and the Cancellation and Additional Expenses Plan. Finally, the Annual Multi-Trip Plan offers cover for overseas and domestic travels, more than 200km from your home in Australia, for trips of up to 45 days.
International Comprehensive
International Essentials
Australian Travel Plan
Cancellation and Additional Expenses Travel Plan
Annual Multi-Trip
The insurer of this product is Pacific International Insurance Pty Ltd. It comes with a cooling-off period of 21 days and choice of $250 standard excess for international plans.
Standard features
These are some of the main insured events that NIB will cover. These benefits may only apply on NIB's Comprehensive International Plan.
- Overseas medical treatment
- Lost, damaged or stolen property
- Trip cancellation or amendment
- Additional accommodation and transport
- Theft of money
- Luggage and travel delay
- Emergency dental costs
- Kidnap and hijack
- Personal liability
- Accidental death
Optional add-ons
NIB also offers an add-on cover for snow sports.
- Snow Sports Cover.Cover for equipment, cancellation expenses, ski lift passes and ski run closure if you're heading to the slopes.
Exclusions
Unfortunately, travel insurance doesn't cover everything. Generally, NIB will not pay your claim if it relates to:
- Unlawful, wreckless or unreasonably unsafe behaviour by you
- Behaviour while you were drunk or under the influence of drugs
- An act of war, invasion or revolution
- Mandatory quarantines or isolations
- An act of war, invasion or revolution
- You being unfit to travel or travelling against medical advic
- Childbirth or pregnancy complications after the 26th week of gestation or if you have had previous pregnancy complications
- A multiple pregnancy or one where the conception was medically assisted
- An elective medical or dental treatment, cosmetic procedure or body modification (including tattoos or piercing)
- Self-inflicted injury or illness, suicide or attempted suicide
Make sure you review the NIB PDS for a detailed breakdown of what won't be covered, found under its list of general exclusions.
Follow these instructions to make a claim from NIB Travel Insurance:
- Create a NIB account or log in to your existing account.
- Tell NIB what happened and lodge the expenses you're claiming.
- Check your email for relevant supporting documents to upload.
- Submit your claim and the NIB team will be in contact.
NIB Travel Insurance has fairly stock-standard benefits and limits. However, it has a strong focus on offering cover to travellers with pre-existing conditions and does not implement an age limit on its International Comprehensive policy.
Over 40 pre-existing medical conditions are covered as standard and travellers can apply to have their pre-existing medical condition covered for an extra premium.
If you're still not sure about NIB, you can compare other travel insurance companies here.
Request travel insurance quotes and compare policies
Why does Norfolk Island not show up as ‘No matches found’ in the destination option search?
Hi Garry,
You’re absolutely right, we haven’t yet built the functionality to include Norfolk Island on the form.
You may want to check out our page on domestic travel options. Since 2016, Norfolk Island has been considered a domestic territory of Australia meaning you’ll be covered by a domestic policy (assuming you’re flying to the island).
Of course, you can also get in touch directly with NIB about your needs should you need more assistance.
Best,
James
Does NIB have unlimited cancellation costs?
Hi Rbara!
NIB International Comprehensive and Annual Multi Trip has unlimited cancellation costs for both single and family cover.
Check out their Product Disclosure Statement on their website for further information.
Hope this helps.
Cheers,
Jonathan
Seeking domestic repatriation insurance .
We are a couple 82+ 76 travel and resort holiday -Melbourne to Queensland for 28 days ,our concerns are for a non road accident or illness ,and we are incapacitated ,how do we get home?
We don’t need cover for luggage or resort refund,or hospitable medical costs.
There is no ambulance covet for Such an event,say for a totally incapacitated person .
We gave private cover with NIB
Hi Kathleen,
Thank you for your question.
You have contacted finder.com.au, we are a comparison and information service and not actually NIB Travel Insurance. NIB Travel Insurance is not currently one of the brands in our panel of travel insurers. If you would like to get cover from NIB you will need to contact them directly.
Most of the travel insurance brands won’t cover you for repatriation on the domestic policy. However, most of the brands will cover you for TPD while traveling in Australia. If you would like to compare quotes from the travel insurance brands in our panel, please head to the travel insurance home page.
Cheers,
Zubair