Some insurers need you to have a return date but a large number of travel insurance brands cover one-way trips.
One-way travel insurance can cover you for up to 24 months – after which it will expire.
It can cover flight cancellations, rearrangements, lost and delayed luggage, and more.
What is one-way travel insurance?
One-way travel insurance, as the name implies, cover you for trips where you don't have a return flight booked. It can usually cover you for 12-24 months or you can have it expire once you reach your destination and you've organised local health insurance.
It works similar to regular travel insurance, except you don't need to provide the exact end date of your trip.
Who needs one-way travel insurance?
If you've booked a flight overseas with no return date in mind, you probably want to get one-way travel insurance – for example, if you're moving to a different country and want covered for flight cancellations and medical expenses when you first get there.
Note: This information was last updated August 2023
The benefits of one-way travel insurance
You get the same benefits as a normal travel insurance policy.
Suitable for different travellers, whether you're immigrating to another country or just not sure when you'll return home.
The flexibility of being able to extend your expiration date if you give enough notice to your insurer. This way, you only pay for the cover you need.
Being covered while you sort out local health insurance at your final destination.
What does a one-way policy cover?
There are no major differences between one-way travel insurance and standard travel insurance in terms of what's typically covered. You should get:
Cancellation and amendment fees. If unforeseen circumstances force you to cancel your trip, you’ll be reimbursed for any cancellation fees or lost deposits on prepaid travel arrangements such as flights, meals, accommodation and activities.
Medical expenses. A medical complication overseas can be expensive, so your one-way travel insurance will cover things like medical costs, hospital costs and emergency dental costs.
Repatriation. The expense of your medical repatriation back to Australia is also covered but you may have to reimburse your insurer for the price of an economy ticket (if you had already purchased a return flight, the insurer might have been able to obtain a refund for it. But since you don’t have a return ticket, you might be responsible for their inability to recoup those funds).
Additional accommodation and travel expenses. If your trip is disrupted or you have to return to Australia sooner than expected due to unforeseen circumstances, your one-way travel insurance will cover the additional accommodation and travel expenses you incurred.
Lost, stolen or damaged personal items and luggage. If your luggage and/or personal belongings are lost, stolen or damaged, your one-way travel insurance will cover the cost of their repair or replacement.
Misplaced luggage. If a travel provider misplaces your luggage, you’ll receive the funds you need to buy emergency clothing and toiletries.
Lost, stolen or damaged documents, credit cards and travellers’ cheques. If your important travel documents (including your passport) are lost, stolen or damaged, your one-way travel insurance will cover their replacement.
Theft of cash. You’ll be covered up to a certain limit for the theft of cash from your person.
Travel delays. If your prepaid transport is delayed, cancelled or rescheduled due to unforeseen circumstances you’ll be reimbursed for the cost of things like extra accommodation, meals and transfers.
Personal liability. Your policy will cover you if you cause bodily injury or property damage to a third party.
Rental vehicle excess. If your rental car is stolen, damaged or crashed, your one-way travel insurance will cover the cost of the rental company’s insurance excess.
Accidental death. Your family will receive a benefit if you die as a result of an accident while overseas.
Disability. You’ll receive a benefit if you become disabled as a result of an accident while travelling.
Loss of Income. If you are injured while travelling and unable to work when you return to Australia, your one-way travel insurance will cover your lost income for a certain period of time.
Resumption of Journey. If your trip was cut short due to an unforeseen circumstance, you will be covered for the return flight to the nearest international airport where your trip unexpectedly ended.
Pre-existing conditions. Not all pre-existing conditions are covered under a typical one-way travel insurance policy, but some of these can be added for an extra fee if you undertake a medical assessment. Even if your pre-existing medical condition does not qualify, you may still be able to get coverage for everything not related to that condition.
Pregnancy. Depending on how far along you are in the pregnancy and whether or not you are having complications, you may not need any extra insurance. But in some cases you will need to be assessed and may have to pay additional cover or forfeit any pregnancy-related claims.
Valuable items. If you plan to take items that are more valuable than your policy will cover you for, you may be able to upgrade this portion of your policy to the level you need.
Cruise. This offers additional cover for specific things that could go wrong on a cruise. Some providers automatically cover cruises under their travel insurance policies, while others charge an additional fee. So if you’re planning a one-way cruise to New Zealand, then make sure your plan covers it.
Anything else I need to know?
Do I need to tell my insurer I'm going on a one-way trip? You’ll need to tell your insurer that you’re travelling on a one-way ticket when you apply for cover. If you fail to do so, your policy could be void. It’s always important to be upfront and honest with your insurance provider and disclose any relevant information about your travels.
How long am I covered? Terms and conditions differ between policies. Some policies let you nominate an end date of your choosing up to a year from the date your policy starts. Others only cover you during transport and the policy will cease anywhere from 24 hours to 7 days after you arrive at your final destination. It is important to read the PDS of each policy and understand the specific terms and conditions.
Can I extend my cover from overseas? Some policies will allow you to extend your coverage from overseas for up to a maximum of one-year total coverage from the start of your journey.
How old can I be when taking out one-way travel insurance? Every travel insurance policy comes with a maximum age limit. This may be 75 years on some policies, or 100 or more on others. You’ll need to be aware of this when applying for cover.
I have a pre-existing condition. Does it matter? You need to inform your insurer of any pre-existing medical conditions you have. Whether or not you’ll be able to take out cover for those conditions will depend on your insurer and the nature of your illnesses or injuries. In some cases you may be denied coverage. In other cases you will be able to take out cover, but will be unable to make claims related to the pre-existing condition.
Do I need to come home to make a claim? No. You can make the claim from anywhere in the world. The point of travel insurance is to make you life easier while travelling, not harder.
In the event I need to be repatriated, can I choose where I am repatriated to? Some policies allow you to nominate a final destination that is different than Australia. If you need to be repatriated, you can choose to be repatriated to that destination. Be sure to check the PDS and/or talk to a consultant to find how each insurer handles this option.
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Questions you still might have
Yes. Some providers offer one-way travel insurance, ideal if you're leaving Australia and are not sure exactly when you'll be heading back home. It can cover you for up to 24 months.
If you're going overseas and haven't booked a return flight, some but not all insurers will allow you to take out travel insurance.
It makes sense to get one-way travel insurance if:
You're going overseas and you're not sure when you're coming back home. For example, if you've decided to backpack around Asia and haven't decided when you will return home, you need one-way cover to safeguard against any risks you encounter while travelling.
You're moving overseas and need to be covered until you organise insurance in your new country. For example, if you're moving to the USA for a new job, you'll want to make sure that you're covered for cancellations, luggage and medical expenses before you land.
You already have insurance organised in your new country and you only need cover for the flight over. For example, if you're a UK citizen who is returning to the UK from Australia, this cover can act as a bridge to make sure that you and your possessions arrive home in one piece
If you're moving to another country, some insurers will end your cover between 24 hours to 7 days from leaving immigration control at the airport. This is for those who don't have a return date to Australia at all. This is because if you're relocating to another country, you're no longer "travelling" as such, so it's expected that some form of local health insurance will kick in.
There are certain circumstances under which travel insurance claims will not be paid. These are similar to those you'll find with standard travel insurance and include:
If your claim is the result of attempted suicide or an attempted self-inflicted act
If your claim is a result of you acting unlawfully or recklessly
If your claim results from you being under the influence of drugs, except for those prescribed by a medical practitioner
If your claim results from you being excessively under the influence of alcohol
If you ride a motorcycle on your trip (unless you are wearing a helmet and are licensed to ride a motorcycle in Australia)
If your claim results from you leaving your belongings unattended in a public place and they are lost or stolen
If you participate in high-risk adventure sports and activities like skydiving (unless you have added this to your policy)
If you are more than 26 weeks pregnant and you suffer any pregnancy-related complications.
Your travel insurance will automatically cancel after the expiry date. You can't cancel the remaining unused portion of a policy for a refund after the cooling-off period.
Gary Ross Hunter is an editor at Finder, specialising in insurance. He’s been writing about life, travel, home, car, pet and health insurance for over 6 years and regularly appears as an insurance expert in publications including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Guardian and news.com.au. Gary holds a Kaplan Tier 2 General Advice General Insurance certification which meets the requirements of ASIC Regulatory Guide 146 (RG146).
Guide to high-risk travel insurance: What is and isn't covered.
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