Grounded travellers could be in for insurance refund
Aussies may be able to claim money back on travel insurance premiums that went unused due to coronavirus. Here's how.
Until recently, many Aussies who had to cancel holiday plans due to coronavirus have been unable to claim refunds for travel insurance. However, a recent announcement by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) suggests that might be about to change.
On 2 April, the ACCC confirmed it would be letting brokers and insurers work together, to implement a range of COVID-19 relief measures for small businesses and everyday Aussies.
One of the benefits included in the relief package is the ability for consumers to claim refunds on unused insurance policies, which includes travel insurance, as long as the trip was cancelled for reasons related to COVID-19.
"All policyholders, including consumers, eligible small businesses and larger businesses, who cancel travel plans will be able to get a credit or refund for any unused travel insurance premiums, again without administration or cancellation fees." – ACCC
So far, the authorisation applies to Suncorp, Allianz and QBE. But the ACCC has said any other insurance company or broker is welcome to participate, as long as it informs the ACCC.
Basically, this means your insurer could be offering refunds for travel insurance – something that hasn't been available until now – as long as it's taking part in the scheme.
The best way to find out is to contact your insurance company directly, mention the ACCC announcement and ask if you can have a refund on your unused travel insurance premium. It might take a little while on the phone, but if you've spent your hard-earned money on insurance you didn't get to use, why not give it a go?
To make things a little easier for you, here's the contact information for some travel insurance brands under Suncorp, Allianz or QBE brands.
| Brand | Phone number | Email address |
|---|---|---|
| Boomers | 1800 780 577 | boomerstravelinsurance@allianz-assistance.com.au |
| Online Travel Insurance | 1800 010 078 | enquiries@onlinetravelinsurance.com.au |
| Virgin Money | 1800 134 419 | VirginMoneyAustralia@allianz-assistance.com.au |
| Webjet | 1300 468 601 | Sorry! We couldn't find an email address |
| WorldCare | 1800 008 614 | sales@worldcare.com.au |
Remember, you can still request a refund from other brands. They might not have been given authorisation yet, but that doesn't mean it'll be that way forever.
| Brand | Phone number | Email address |
|---|---|---|
| 1Cover | 1300 854 759 | Visit https://www.1cover.com.au/contact/form to submit an online enquiry |
| ahm | 1300 617 409 | ahm@travelinsurancepartners.com.au |
| AllClear | 1800 785 870 | allclearservice@mapfre.com |
| American Express | 1800 139 149 | amextravel.au@chubb.com |
| Australia Post | 1300 728 015 | auspost@travelinsurancepartners.com.au |
| Budget Direct | 1800 444 424 | Visit https://www.budgetdirect.com.au/contact-us.html to submit an online enquiry |
| Columbus Direct | 1300 669 999 | admin@columbusdirect.com.au |
| CoverMore | 1300 728 822 | enquiries@covermore.com.au |
| Fast Cover | 1300 409 322 | info@fastcover.com.au |
| Holiday Rescue | 1800 960 374 | hello@holidayrescue.com.au |
| ING | 1800 456 406 | Sorry! We couldn't find an email address |
| InsureandGo | 1300 401 177 | info@insureandgo.com.au |
| Insure4Less | +61 7 3005 1613 | travel@gbtpa.com.au |
| iTrek | 1300 884 508 | info@itrek.com.au |
| Medibank | 1300 362 544 | medibank@travelinsurancepartners.com.au |
| Qantas | 1300 783 146 | travel-service@nib.com.au |
| RACV | 13 72 28 | Visit https://www.racv.com.au/utility/contact-us/contact-racv.html to submit an online enquiry |
| Simply | 02 8776 3010 | sales@simplytravelinsurance.com.au |
| Ski-insurance | 1300 856 032 | info@ski-insurance.com.au |
| Southern Cross | 1800 196 484 | info@scti.com.au |
| Tick | 02 9333 3963 | info@tickinsurance.com.au |
| Tilda | 02 8016 9220 | travelinsurance@tildatravel.com |
| Travel Insurance Direct | 1300 843 843 | Visit https://www.travelinsurancedirect.com.au/customer-contact to submit an online enquiry |
| Travel Insurance Saver | 03 9427 9224 | Visit https://travelinsurancesaver.com.au/contactus to submit an online enquiry |
| Travel Insuranz | Sorry! We couldn't find a phone number | travel@travelinsuranz.com.au |
| Travel with Kit | 02 8880 9428 | hello@travelwithkit.com |
| Travel with Jane | 02 9159 6649 | hello@travelwithjane.com |
| World2Cover | 02 9225 7599 | travelservice@world2cover.com.au |
| Zoom | Sorry! We couldn't find a phone number | info@zoomtravelinsurance.com.au |
Picture: GettyImages
