Travel insurance for children and under 18s

If you’re over 18 years of age, finding an insurer willing to offer you cover shouldn’t be a problem. If you are under 18 (21 for some insurers) and looking to go travelling alone – i.e. without your parents – you will need to take out an individual “adult” policy. This will provide the same level of cover as an adult policy. Most insurers will provide complimentary cover for dependent children under the age of 21 on the parent’s adult policy. There are certain terms and conditions for this type of cover that will be discussed below.

Who offers free travel insurance for children and dependents travelling with a parent or guardian?

ski insurance

Brand	Dependent Children Covered Free?	Maximum Age To Qualify	Apply
1 cover	Yes	18
american express amex	Yes	21
columbus	Yes	18
fast cover	Yes	20
Holiday Rescue	Yes	17
insure and go insureandgo	Yes	18	Get quote
	Yes	21
	Yes	21
tick	Yes	18
travel insurance saver	Yes	25
travel insuranz	Yes	21
worldcare world care	Yes	21
yougo you go	Yes	21

Is it possible to get travel insurance for a child travelling alone?

There are many reasons why a child (this means anyone under 18 years of age) might need to travel overseas without their parents. Perhaps they’re heading overseas for an educational school trip, or maybe they’re ready to start their "gap year" and they’re still only 17 years old. Whatever the case may be, it is possible to take out travel insurance cover for children travelling alone. The majority of insurers will require you to take out an adult travel insurance policy. You can find basic policies that cover the essentials like overseas medical emergencies and personal liability, as well as comprehensive policies that provide cover for a broad range of incidents and events. You will also need to decide whether you want a single-trip policy or an annual policy to cover several trips during a 12-month period.

How old is an unaccompanied minor?

An unaccompanied minor is a child aged generally 5-14 years old who is not travelling with an adult parent or legal guardian.

What age can a child fly alone?

The earliest a child can travel as an unaccompanied minor is three months old. However, this is uncommon. Generally, your child will need to be a minimum of five years old. If you're looking for the unaccompanied minor requirements of a specific airline, the table at the end of this article lists all of the Domestic and International requirements of airlines flying to and from Australia.

Find out the age requirements for major airlines

So how do I get a quote for my child if they are travelling alone?

Simply enter their age in the quote engine and pricing for an adult policy will be displayed.

Does it cost more for a child to fly alone than with its parents?

It depends. Some airlines offer unaccompanied minors service free of charge while others charge upwards of $120 for your child to travel alone.

Does this mean I am paying more than I should for my child’s policy?

No. Travel insurance pricing is the same for travelers under 18 as it is for those aged 18. Pricing generally only increases for policyholders over the age of 59.

Do I need to take out travel insurance for my newborn baby travelling with me?

No, as mentioned previously. Dependent children under 18 years of age (some under the age of 21) are automatically covered under the adult policy. No additional cover is required.

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How do I get free travel insurance for my child?

If you’re planning to take an overseas trip with your dependent children, the good news is that most insurers provide free travel insurance cover for your dependent children. This means they will receive the same type and level of cover as you, although certain benefits may not apply. For example, some providers may not pay an accidental death benefit for your dependent children, while other benefits such as loss of income caused by an injury suffered during your trip simply will not apply.

Common conditions for complimentary child cover

• Cover only applies to children or grandchildren.
• Child must be travelling with parents for duration of trip in order for cover to apply.
• Child must not be engaged in full-time employment.
• Benefit limits for family cover apply to total claims combined, regardless of the number of people the claim relates to.

Read the fine print on your chosen travel insurance policy to make sure that cover is provided for your dependent children. Remember to specify that they will be travelling with you when you apply for a policy to ensure that you will receive the insurance protection you need.

What if my kids are travelling alone for some of the trip?

Your children will only be covered for the portion of trip that they are travelling with you. Cover will not apply if they are travelling alone at stages of the trip. If your children are travelling alone, it is worth taking out a separate policy for them.

How do I include my children on my policy?

Simply add your children's ages when receiving a quote in the form below and you will receive a quote for family policies that includes cover for you and your family. You will need to let your insurer know of any pre-existing conditions that your child has prior to purchasing cover.

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Child travelling alone? Additional documentation may be required

Once you’ve got your travel insurance sorted, keep in mind that there may be other legal requirements you need to satisfy for your child to travel alone. In order to depart Australia, children travelling alone will need their passport and a valid visa for their destination. But many foreign countries will require your child to carry a range of additional documents in order to be granted entry. These may include:

• A letter that provides a parent or guardian’s permission for the child to travel.
• A copy of a divorce or custody decree that proves you, as a parent, have legal custody of the child.
• A court order that grants you guardianship of the child, or adoption papers (where relevant).
• A certified copy of your child’s birth certificate.

Contact the embassy, high commission or consulate of the country your child plans to visit for a full list of the entry requirements they will need to satisfy. Finally, you should also be aware that many airlines impose a range of rules regarding unaccompanied minors, which are generally regarded to be children under 15 years of age who are travelling alone. A parent or guardian may be required to fill out a permission form in order for the child to board a flight, while a range of other airline-specific requirements is also in place. Check with your airline to see what you will need to do before you book any tickets for your child.

How old does my child have to be to fly alone?

Compare various airline policies for unaccompanied minors from carriers flying Domestic and International routes.

Domestic

Airline	Not available	Mandatory	Optional
Airnorth	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-11 years (inclusive)	12-15 years (inclusive)
Jetstar	0-11 years (inclusive)	12-15 years (inclusive)	n/a
Qantas Domestic	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-11 years (inclusive)	12-15 years (inclusive)
Rex	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-11 years (inclusive)	12-15 years (inclusive)
Tiger Airways	0-11 years (inclusive)	12-15 years (inclusive)	n/a
Virgin Australia	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-11 years (inclusive)	12-15 years (inclusive)

International

Airline	Not available	Mandatory	Optional
Aer Lingus	0-11 years (inclusive)	12-15 years (inclusive)	n/a
Aeroflot	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-11 years (inclusive)	12-16 years (inclusive)
Aerolineas Argentinas	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-11 years (inclusive)	n/a
Air Austral	0-3 years (inclusive)	4-11 years (inclusive)	12-16 years (inclusive)
Air Canada	0-7 years (inclusive)	8 to 11 years (inclusively)	12-17 years (inclusive)
Air China	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-11 years (inclusive)	12-17 years (inclusive)
Air France	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-14 years (inclusive)	15-17 years (inclusive)
Air India	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-14 years (inclusive)	n/a
Air Macau	0-3 months (inclusive)	3 months-12 years (inclusive)	n/a
Air Malta	0-6 years (inclusive)	7-11 years (inclusive)	12-17 years (inclusive)
Air Mauritius	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-14 years (inclusive)	n/a
Air New Zealand	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-11 years (inclusive)	12-16 years (inclusive)
Air Tahiti Nui	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-11 years (inclusive)	13-14 years (inclusive)
Air Vanuatu	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-11 years (inclusive)	n/a
Aircalin	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-11 years (inclusive)	12-17 years (inclusive)
Airnorth - International	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-11 years (inclusive)	12-15 years (inclusive)
Alaska Airlines	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-12 years (inclusive)	13-17 years (inclusive)
All Nippon Airways	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-11 years (inclusive)	12-16 years (inclusive)
American Airlines	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-14 years (inclusive)	15-17 years (inclusive)
Asiana Airlines	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-12 years (inclusive)	n/a
Austrian Airlines	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-11 years (inclusive)	12-17 years (inclusive)
Bangkok Airways	0-1 years (inclusive)	5-11 years (inclusive)	n/a
British Airways	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-12 years (inclusive)	13-17 years (inclusive)
Cathay Pacific	0-5 years (inclusive)	5-12 years (inclusive)	13-17 years (inclusive)
China Airlines	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-12 years (inclusive)	13-17 years (inclusive)
China Eastern Airlines	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-12 years (inclusive)	13-15 years (inclusive)
China Southern Airlines	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-12 years (inclusive)	13-15 years (inclusive)
Croatia Airlines	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-12 years (inclusive)	13-17 years (inclusive)
Delta Air Lines	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-14 years (inclusive)	15-17 years (inclusive)
Dragon Air	0-5 years (inclusive)	6-11 years (inclusive)	12-17 years (inclusive)
Emirates Airlines	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-11 years (inclusive)	12-17 years (inclusive)
Etihad Airways	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-11 years (inclusive)	12-15 years (inclusive)
Eva Air	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-11 years (inclusive)	12-15 years (inclusive)
Fiji Airways	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-11 years (inclusive)	12-15 years (inclusive)
Finnair	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-11 years (inclusive)	12-17 years (inclusive)
Garuda Indonesia	0-6 years (inclusive)	7-11 years (inclusive)	n/a
Hawaiian Airlines	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-11 years (inclusive)	12-17 years (inclusive)
Hong Kong Airlines	0-5 years (inclusive)	6-12 years (inclusive)	n/a
Japan Airlines	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-11 years (inclusive)	12-17 years (inclusive)
Jet Airways India	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-12 years (inclusive)	13-16 years (inclusive)
Jetstar - International	0-11 years (inclusive)	12-15 years (inclusive)	n/a
Kenya Airways	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-14 years (inclusive)	15-17 years (inclusive)
KLM Airlines	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-14 years (inclusive)	15-17 years (inclusive)
Korean Air	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-12 years (inclusive)	13-17 years (inclusive)
LAN Airlines	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-11 years (inclusive)	13-17 years (inclusive)
Lufthansa	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-11 years (inclusive)	12-17 years (inclusive)
Malaysia Airlines	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-14 years (inclusive)	n/a
Philippine Airlines	0-7 years (inclusive)	8-11 years (inclusive)	n/a
Qantas Airlines - International	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-11 years (inclusive)	12-15 years (inclusive)
Qatar Airways	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-11 years (inclusive)	n/a
Royal Jordanian	0-5 years (inclusive)	5-11 years (inclusive)	12-15 years (inclusive)
Scandinavian Airlines	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-11 years (inclusive)	12-15 years (inclusive)
Singapore Airlines	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-11 years (inclusive)	12-17 years (inclusive)
Solomon Airlines	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-11 years (inclusive)	n/a
South African Airways	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-11 years (inclusive)	12-16 years (inclusive)
Swiss International Air Lines	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-12 years (inclusive)	13-17 years (inclusive)
TAP Portugal	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-11 years (inclusive)	12-17 years (inclusive)
Thai Airways International	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-17 years (inclusive)	n/a
Turkish Airlines	0-6 years (inclusive)	7-12 years (inclusive)	13-17 years (inclusive)
United Airlines	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-11 years (inclusive)	12-17 years (inclusive)
Vietnam Airlines	0-1 years (inclusive)	2-5 years (inclusive)	6-14 years (inclusive)
Virgin America	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-11 years (inclusive)	12-15 years (inclusive)
Virgin Atlantic	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-14 years (inclusive)	n/a
Virgin Australia - International	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-11 years (inclusive)	12-15 years (inclusive)
Virgin Samoa	0-4 years (inclusive)	5-11 years (inclusive)	12-15 years (inclusive)

Receive a quote for under 18s travelling alone or with parent Picture: Shutterstock