Travel insurance for Vietnam

Do I Need Travel Insurance for Vietnam?

If you are travelling to Vietnam, remember to exercise normal safety precautions with regards to your belongings and be careful not to be caught up in scams, traffic accidents or petty theft of your cash and belongings. However, no matter how careful you are there is always the possibility that something could go wrong, which is why it helps to take out travel insurance for Vietnam. Travel insurance for Vietnam generally covers you for the following:

• missed, cancelled or delayed flights
• medical emergencies e.g. injuries, accidents and illnesses
• loss or damage of your belongings or gear
• personal Liability
• loss of cash.

Is Travelling Around Vietnam Safe?

Vietnam is a relatively safe country, with many Australians receiving a warm reception from locals. However, there are several minor safety concerns that travellers should be aware of. With a bit of planning, precaution and common sense, your trip to the country can be smooth and incident-free.

• Theft. One of the major safety concerns for all foreigners is petty theft. Pick-pockets and other petty thieves target tourists on the streets. To ensure you are not a victim, always exercise caution while walking on the streets and keep your jewellery, cash and valuable documents well hidden. Wearing flashy jewelry or carrying a bag with you could be unsafe especially in overcrowded streets. Be sure to lock your belongings in a safe or to always lock your hotel room to avoid getting robbed.
• Pushy merchants. Be on the lookout for aggressive vendors. Although they pose little threat (they are just trying to sell you chewing gum fruit or other commodities), some travellers find this practice intrusive.
• Scams. Scams are quite uncommon, though it helps to be sharp and attentive to your surroundings to avoid being ripped off.

Other than those few security concerns, the country is a safe destination, and you can have a lot of fun visiting and experiencing the many sites Vietnam has to offer.

What Does Travel Insurance for Vietnam Usually Cover?

Different travel insurance policies will offer you different covers and benefits, so it is important to shop around for one that provides you the specific protection you need based on your situation. Below are some of the common situations that will be covered by travel insurance for Vietnam:

• Overseas Medical cover. Should you get injured or seriously ill while away, your travel insurance for Vietnam will cover the costs of your medical care including hospitalisation, medication, ambulance fees and guarantees of payments in emergency situations.
• Travel Delays. Missed or cancelled flights can wreak havoc with your travel plans and raise your travel expenses significantly. With travel insurance Vietnam, you will be covered for delays in your flight schedule, and compensated for delays that are more than 12 hours. Travel delay cover also protects you from flight interruptions, missed flight connections and cancelled pre-booked tours and flights.
• Luggage and Personal Item cover. This covers you for the loss, damage or theft of all your personal belongings, cash and gear while on your travels.
• Rental Vehicle Excess. This cover compensates you for any excess charges on your rental car following a crash, theft of the rental car or damage to the car.
• Personal Liability Cover. This caters for all legal fees in case of any claims against you following damage to property or personal injury to any individual.
• Hospital Cash Cover. Travel insurance Vietnam covers you for hospitalisation costs should you require to remain admitted in hospital while in Vietnam. The policy provides a daily cash allowance to cover your accommodation costs for a specified duration of time.
• Credit Card Loss and Fraud. Covers you for the loss of your credit card while overseas, taking care of card replacement costs and compensating you for all loss caused by fraudulent transactions on your credit card account.

How to survive a Vietnam Holiday

Vietnam Travel Highlights

Vietnam offers visitors contrasting scenes with many islands, historic sites, lush green fields and sandy beaches to enjoy.

• Cu Chi Tunnels. If you are a lover of ancient and elegant scenes, you will find the Cu Chi Tunnels especially captivating. These tunnels were used by guerilla fighters during the Vietnam war and now act as tourist attractions. Tourists are allowed to crawl into some tunnels and get a taste of history first-hand.
• The Reunification Palace and War Remnants Museum. You can also get to learn more about the war history of the country and the amazing resilience of the Vietnamese people with a trip down to the Reunification Palace and War Remnants Museum.
• Halong Bay and Hanoi. A trip north of the country to the Halong Bay and Hanoi would also offer a fascinating experience, with fresh seafood and magnificent views of the thousands of limestone islands located there on offer.
• Nha Trang. Vietnam also boasts beautiful and clean sandy beaches in its seaside resort town of Nha Trang, where you can spend an afternoon in the warm ocean water and enjoy the beautiful bays and warm weather.
• Mui Ne. Lovers of wind and kitesurfing can make a trip to the village of Mui Ne, known for its strong wind breeze and famous sand dunes.
• Phu Quoc. No trip to Vietnam would be complete without a visit to the Phu Quoc island, which is famous for its undamaged coral reefs, beautiful beaches and pristine tropical forests. The island also serves up some of the most delicious fermented fish in the world.

Vietnam Travel Tips

Vietnam offers mind-blowing natural beauty, diverse cultures, amazing activities and delicious foods all rolled up in one.

• Cuisine. There are many Vietnamese cuisines for to explore including traditional soups, fried egg rolls and fresh fish and meat. Eating at street stalls is a great cheap option for the budget conscious traveller, you can end up having a decent meal for less than $1AUD.
• Travelling. If you are on a tight budget, it is cheaper to take a tour bus around the country than to use regular transport means.
• Haggle. In Vietnam, almost everything is negotiable. The price displayed is generally marked up to take advantage of tourists not accustomed to bargaining.
• Wet-weather. Keep in mind that Vietnam is wet almost all year round, so be sure to bring along your rain poncho and a warm sweater.
• Insects. Due to the rich vegetation and moisture in the country, there may be insects and mosquitoes in many parts of the country, so be sure to carry your insect repellant.
• Language. Most people in the country understand English, so you won’t have a very hard time communicating with locals. However, it is important to keep in mind that traditions are very important to the Vietnamese people, so be courteous and polite.

Travel Insurance Vietnam FAQs

Who do I contact in an emergency?

If you find yourself in an emergency in Vietnam, some of helpful contacts include:

• You travel insurer. You insurance provider will have an 24/7 helpline for claims and medical emergencies.
• Police. You can reach this service by dialing 113
• Fire. You can reach this service by dialing 114.
• Ambulance. You can reach this service by dialing 115.
• Australian Embassies and Consulates. You can find the contact details of Australian Embassies and Consulates in Vietnam below.

Travel insurance traps you must be aware of in Vietnam

Be aware of these travel insurance exclusions when travelling to Vietnam:

• You leave your belongings unattended in a public place e.g. you get leave your belongings inside your car in Hanoi.
• It results from you being under the influence of drugs or alcohol, except those prescribed by your medical practitioner.
• You visit an Australian Government has issued a travel advisory warning against visiting.
• You do not comply with local laws, regulations or road rules e.g Vietnam has different laws to Australia, much more similar to Thailand.

Ask yourself these six questions to best compare travel insurance for Vietnam

Five steps to comparing travel insurance for Vietnam

• 1. How many times will you visit Vietnam this year? Decide on single trip or annual multi-trip cover.
• 2. What activities in Vietnam will you take part in? If you plan on hiking along the Vietnamese country side make sure you choose a travel insurance policy that includes cover for this.
• 3. Are you taking valuable items? Consider extra cover for expensive cameras and electronics.
• 4. Do you have any medical conditions? Make you declare any pre-existing medical conditions and make sure your policy covers medical cover.
• 5. Do you prefer paying more upfront or only when you have to clam? Look at both the price of the policy and excess required for claims.

Enquire About Travel Insurance Vietnam

Every year, hundreds of Australians run into trouble while travelling overseas. Many things could go wrong on an overseas trip including the loss of valuables, medical emergencies and travel delays, which is why you cannot afford to travel without taking up travel insurance.

Travel insurance Vietnam can help save you money while on your Asian getaway, and protect you from costs associated with:

1. Medical expenses for injury or illness.
2. Baggage delay, damage or theft.
3. Travel delays including cancelled or interrupted flights.

Compare Travel Insurance Vietnam