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Comprehensive travel insurance

If you're looking for ultimate peace of mind while travelling, you'll want comprehensive travel insurance. Compare quotes from 13 brands – that’s more than any other site in Australia.

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Gary Ross Hunter

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Comprehensive travel insurance is the highest level of cover you can get. It covers overseas medical expenses, cancellations, delayed or lost luggage, personal liability and much more. While most brands have a comprehensive policy, not all policies are created equal so shop around to find one that works for you.

Best comprehensive travel insurance: Southern Cross Travel Insurance

Southern cross

Best Travel Insurance - Comprehensive

Why choose SCTI's comprehensive travel insurance policy?

  • It won Finder's comprehensive travel insurance award. It won because it covers more for a comparatively cheap price. Our research is based on over 300+ quotes.
  • It's cheaper than most insurers. Out of 28 international policies, it was typically the third cheapest.
  • It covers a lot – trip cancellations or changes before your journey because of an unexpected event, COVID related expenses, medical cover, lost luggage, delayed luggage, travel delays and more.
  • There may be a couple cheaper options. Fast Cover and Medibank travel insurance tend to offer slightly cheaper comprehensive options. But they don't cover as much.
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What is covered by comprehensive travel insurance?

Hospital

24/7 medical assistance

Most comprehensive travel insurance policies cover you for unlimited medical expenses and 24/7 medical care, including repatriation.

Plane icon

Delays and cancellations

Comprehensive travel insurance can cover you for cancelled or delayed flights. This is the most common reason for claims. According to Finder research, 29% of Australians, equivalent to around 5.8 million people, have had their flight delayed or cancelled in the last 12 months.

Coronavirus

COVID-19 expenses

Comprehensive travel insurance policies now cover COVID. This includes medical expenses, cancellations and rearrangement costs.

Lost luggage

Luggage and personal belongings

Unlike a basic policy, comprehensive policies typically cover lost and delayed luggage and personal items. They also come with high limits so it can cover all of your expenses.

Is comprehensive travel insurance worth it?

Almost 1 in 3 Australians, equivalent to 3.5 million people, suffered a travel mishap while abroad in the past 12 months, according to a July 2023 Finder survey. 14% have endured travel delays, while 8% lost personal items. Comprehensive travel insurance can cover this but a basic policy often won't.

Reasons you might need better cover

  • If you're travelling with family. Because there are more of you travelling, there's more chance something could go wrong – and when it does, it's often very expensive.
  • If you're going on an expensive holiday. Planning that trip of a lifetime to North America or Europe costs a lot of money before you even get there. Cancellation cover here is vital. Can you imagine getting a bad flu or COVID a few days before take-off and your doctor advising against travel?
  • If you're going to a country where medical care is expensive. Making sure you have unlimited medical cover can be hugely important in countries such as US, Japan and Singapor.
  • If your luggage is expensive. Travelling for a longer period or as a family usually means your luggage is worth a lot. If it was to get lost, you could be out of pocket for hundreds or maybe even thousands of dollars.
  • If you're going to a country where petty crimes are common. It's so important to see different places in the world but that can sometimes mean theft and petty crimes are more common. A comprehensive policy can cover you for things like a stolen passport, phone or camera.

FAQs about comprehensive travel insurance

  1. Travel insurance methodology
  2. Travel insurance 2023 Finder Awards
  3. SCTI PDS (accessed August 2023)

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4 Responses

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    DenesSeptember 16, 2023

    I am an amateur photographer travelling overseas with a suite of camera equipment; what options do have for insuring a more expensive camera body and lens? My current travel insurance cover will not cover two of the most expensive pieces of equipment.

    Reply
      AvatarFinder
      GarySeptember 29, 2023Finder

      Hi Denes,

      Thanks for getting in touch. You should look at our guide on travel insurance for expensive items. There are a handful of policies that will allow you to increase your cover on certain items for up to $10,000. Hopefully this helps.

      Thanks,
      Gary

      Reply
    Default Gravatar
    KelJuly 22, 2017

    I am traveling to Fiji for business what insurance do I need?

    Reply
      Default Gravatar
      JonathanJuly 22, 2017

      Hello Kel,

      Thank you for sending your inquiry. :)

      Please feel free to compare travel insurance for Fiji. Kindly input the travel details on the form and click “Get Quote Now” green button.

      Please take note of their benefits, exclusions and fees by looking at their individual product T&Cs.

      Hope this helps.

      Cheers,
      Jonathan

      Reply
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