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We reviewed a bunch of travel insurance policies and found some brands offering specific cover for COVID-19-related expenses in their product disclosure statements (PDS). These can include the following main benefits:
Some brands go further when it comes to COVID benefits, but make sure you read the fine print so you know exactly what's covered. Benefits may include:
🔥 Hot tip: The easiest way to find out what's covered is to use the find tool (Ctrl+F or Cmd+F) and search for the terms "COVID-19" and "coronavirus" in the digital copy of your policy.
For new policies, you'll want to check carefully as terms can vary. Plus, insurance may not be available for all destinations. Finally, remember that travel insurance only kicks in when the government says it's safe to travel to a country.
You can click on "View details" to compare more COVID-19 benefits.
Your travel insurance policy may offer cover for COVID-related medical expenses so you're not left with hefty bills.
If you don't have travel insurance or your policy doesn't include costs related to COVID, your medical expenses could be covered by a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA). This agreement allows citizens to receive health care treatment at a reduced cost while visiting a partner country.
While you can expect to receive essential medical care on the same (or similar) terms as a local, you'll probably still need to fork out for hospital fees and medicines.
Australia has an RHCA agreement with New Zealand, UK, Italy and Ireland, among others.
The pandemic is considered a "known event" and so, unfortunately, travellers have to take on many of the risks of COVID-related travel disruption. This is because insurance is designed to cover unforeseeable events only.
Your policy won't typically offer cover for the following COVID-19-related events:
Some travel insurance policies still don't offer any cover for COVID-19. Plus, there are a number of other COVID-linked costs you may need to consider, such as PCR or rapid tests.
"I cannot see them (travel insurers) ever covering the PCR tests. I think these will be something that is just considered as a cost as part of travelling," Sandra Skelton, Luxury Travel CEO, told Finder.
There are some general exclusions that most Australian travel insurers won't ever cover – for example, if your luggage is left unattended.
There are 4 travel advice levels from Smartraveller, which is provided by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) to give official overseas travel advice.
On 28 October 2021, the Australian government removed its "Do not travel" warning for 162 countries. This means travel insurance will likely cover your trip if you're going to a country classed under a level 2 category. If you're going to a level 3 country, some travel insurers might not cover you.
To hold a valid travel insurance policy, the 2 key requirements are as follows:
That is, borders are open to the public and there are no government-imposed restrictions. If you travel against the advice of DFAT, your policy may be voided.
This has generally always been a condition of buying travel insurance. That said, there are a handful of specialised policies that can be bought by people visiting and travelling around Australia.
🔥 Hot tip: In the future, DFAT may lift its warnings and you may find more travel insurance that covers COVID-19. Keep an eye on Smartraveller before and during your trip for the latest advice.
With travel plans changing all the time, you may want to choose flexible flight payment options – which have been offered by the likes of Qantas and Virgin – to help reduce out-of-pocket expenses if things go wrong.
"Look through each travel provider's terms and conditions, paying close attention to their wording on cancellations and refunds," explained Adam Glezer, travel expert and consumer rights advocate.
Glezer added: "If your terms and conditions are live on a website, make sure you print a copy for your records. In the event of a cancellation, you'll have the relevant evidence of your entitlements."
It's a good idea to try booking with flexible conditions for minimum hassle. Keep in mind, if you book through a third party such as a travel agent, you'll also have to deal with it for any refund or change requests.
Finally, be sure to check your passport has at least 6 months' validity before it expires.
You can read more on the latest international travel rules in our comprehensive guide here.
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