Fewer Australians visiting high-risk destinations
Travel to dangerous areas probably not covered by insurance.
Important:
Travel insurance rules continue to change as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. We’re working hard to keep up and make sure our guides are up to date, however some information may not be accurate during the pandemic. It’s even more important to double-check all details that matter to you before taking out cover. Please know that some policies may not be available through Finder at this time. Here are some helpful tips:- If you're buying a policy today, it's unlikely that you'll be covered for border closures
- If your travel plans go against government advice, your policy will most likely be voided and you won't be covered
Finally, some good news! Travel is picking up, so some insurers have started offering cover again.
Just remember, you won't be covered for any pandemic related claims if you do take out domestic travel insurance.finder.com.au analysed the latest overseas arrivals and departures figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and found that over the past 12 months fewer Aussies had travelled to countries deemed "dangerous" or "unsafe" by the Australian government.
158,200 Australians visited Sub-Saharan Africa in the 12 months to July 2016, down from 159,800 in 2015. Four countries on the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade's (DFAT) "Do Not Travel" list are in the region.
Despite this, almost a quarter of a million Aussie travellers (231,200) visited the Middle East and North Africa in the year to July 2016, with five countries in these regions making DFAT's "Do Not Travel" list.
There are 12 off-limits countries (below) and 28 countries where travel is not advised in certain areas.
Australians are not only travelling abroad, they're sending money overseas too. In the past year, there's been a 155% hike in the number of Aussies sending money abroad.
Australia's consumer watchdog recently advised holidaymakers to be cautious when booking on travel websites such as Airbnb, to avoid scammers attempting to retrieve deposits and funds directly.
Obtaining travel insurance to visit these countries can be difficult as most policies won't provide cover.
Thinking of visiting an unstable country against official government advice? Compare coverage options.
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