Travel insurance for family emergency

A travel ban is in place for all Australians effective 25 March 2020. Most travel insurance brands will not cover you if you travel against a government warning. If you already have a policy, please contact your insurer directly for more information. We are currently updating our site to reflect the Australian government’s advice. Some travel insurance policies will be temporarily unavailable.

If a family member falls ill or dies while you are travelling or before you depart, travel insurance can help you recover your cancellation costs including pre-booked tickets and hotels, costs associated with returning home at short notice and costs associated with resuming your journey at a later date. Most insurers have the following conditions:

• The person must meet the insurer’s definition of a relative
• The person must be under a specified age limit (according to the travel insurance policy)
• The death or illness must be unexpected

This guide outlines the benefits and conditions that apply to trip cancellation cover, including resumption of journey and pre-existing medical conditions.

How am I covered by travel insurance for family emergency? Compare your options

Brand	Maximum age of relative	Conditions	Apply
	84	You are covered for unexpected hospitalisation or death of a relative. If your relative is hospitalised or dies due to a pre-existing medical condition, you are only covered if you were unaware of the likelihood of hospitalisation or death when you purchase your policy.
	Not stated	You are covered for the unexpected death, sudden injury or illness of relative. No cover if you were aware of any pre-existing medical condition before the policy started
	Not stated	You are covered for the unexpected death, sudden injury or illness of relative. No cover if you were aware of any pre-existing medical condition before the policy started or if during the 90 days before the policy they needed any treatments, consultation, required medication or had been diagnosed with a terminal condition.
	Not stated	You are covered for any unexpected serious illness, injury or death of a relative that lives in Australia. No cover if the death or illness is due to a pre-existing health condition.
	Not stated	You are covered for the unexpected death, sudden injury or illness of relative. No cover if the death or illness is due to a pre-existing health condition.
	84	You are covered for the unexpected death, injury or hospitalisation of a relative in Australia or New Zealand. If your relative is hospitalised or dies due to a pre-existing medical condition, you are only covered if you were unaware of the likelihood of hospitalisation or death when you purchased your policy.
	Not stated	You are covered for the unexpected death, sudden injury or illness of a relative who is in Australia at the time the event occurs. You are not covered for any of your relative's medical conditions you knew about before the policy starts.
	Not stated	You are covered for the unexpected death, sudden injury or illness of relative. You are not covered for any of your relative's medical conditions you knew about before the policy starts.
	Not stated	You are covered for the unexpected death, sudden injury or illness of a relative who is in Australia at the time the event occurs. You are not covered if you are aware of any pre-existing medical condition before the policy started or if during the 90 days before the policy they needed any treatments, consultation, required medication or had been diagnosed with a terminal condition.
	Not stated	You are covered for the unexpected death, sudden injury or illness of a relative who is in Australia at the time the event occurs. You are not covered if you are aware of any pre-existing medical condition before the policy started
	84	You are covered for the unexpected death or hospitalisation of a relative. If your relative is hospitalised or dies due to a pre-existing medical condition, you are only covered if you were unaware of the likelihood of hospitalisation or death when you purchased your policy.
	84	You are covered for the unexpected death or hospitalisation of a relative. If your relative is hospitalised or dies due to a pre-existing medical condition, you are only covered if you were unaware of the likelihood of hospitalisation or death when you purchased your policy.

What do insurers consider as a ‘relative’?

In order to qualify for trip cancellation cover following the illness or death of a relative, your family member must meet the insurer’s definition of ‘relative’. The term normally refers to a:

The exact definition of a relative for each travel insurance policy will differ. It is best to check with your insurer if you're unsure.

Am I covered if my relative falls ill or dies from a pre-existing medical condition?

A pre-existing medical condition is a condition that is known about prior to an insurable event.

If you're unaware of the condition, then yes

Trip cancellation cover may still be available if you were unaware of the likelihood of the illness or death occurring at the time of applying for cover. However, most insurers will only pay a limited benefit amount in such circumstances (typically around $2,000 for a single policy and $4,000 for a family policy). For example Check-In Travel Insurance states an exclusion for pre-existing medical conditions of your relative unless you are 'reasonably unaware'.

If Your Relative is hospitalised in or dies in Australia or New Zealand after the Policy is issued and the hospitalisation or death is due to a Pre-Existing Medical Condition that at the time of Policy issue You could not reasonably be aware would result in hospitalisation or death, then We will pay up to $2,000

What is considered as 'aware'

Travel insurers will typically exclude cover if your family member is on any sort of waiting list or if you were aware of any recent:

Can I resume my trip and be covered for it?

Most trip cancellation policies will allow you to resume your journey at a later date after being forced to return home due to the illness or death of a relative. There are normally specific conditions surrounding this type of cover, including:

• Your trip must have been for a minimum number of days
• Your insurance must have had a minimum period left to run (usually at least 50%)
• You must have had no knowledge that such an incident might occur prior to your departure
• Your resumption expenses must be pre-approved by your insurer
• You must resume your journey before your policy expires.

Am I still covered if my relative is over 90 years old?

Age limits apply to many trip cancellation policies when it comes to the illness or death of a relative. The age your relative can be will vary with insurers, but many set a maximum age of around 90, after which the illness or death is not deemed to be ‘unexpected’ and therefore no cover is offered. Some travel insurance brands do not state an age limit, however the health of your relative is a condition many policies will consider.

If your relative is elderly and you are concerned about whether you will be covered if an incident occurs while you’re away, you should read your product disclosure statement (PDS) carefully and contact your insurer for further information.

When won’t I be covered?

As with all forms of insurance, trip cancellation cover has certain exclusions or circumstances in which a claim will not be paid. These depend on the individual insurer, but they generally include:

• Travelling despite suspecting that your relative might die or become hospitalised
• Expenses that you incur while you’re at home
• The cost of a return flight home if you haven’t already booked one (considered part of normal costs rather than emergency expenses)
• Any expenses that you’ve already claimed for elsewhere in your travel insurance policy

Conditions of Australian travel insurance brands for non-travelling relative deaths and injuries