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Travel insurance for Australians already overseas

Forgot something? Get travel insurance if you're already abroad.

What you need to know

  • A handful of Australian travel insurers let you buy a policy if you are already overseas.
  • It can cover you for medical expenses, cancellations, lost luggage and more.
  • It will not cover you for events that have already happened.

Already overseas? Get travel insurance with these brands right away.

BrandWaiting PeriodJourney Must End in Australia?Enquire
Medibank Travel Insurance3 days for all claims
Bonus
Get quote
Freely Logo3 days for all claims
Bonus
Get quote
Fast Cover Logo72 hours for Covid related claims
48 hours for other claims
Finder AwardBonus
Get quote
Insure4Less Travel Insurance Logo48 hours for all claims
Get quote
Travel Insuranz Travel Insurance Logo48 hours for all claims
Get quote
Covermore logo3 days for all claims
Bonus
Get quote
Travel Insurance Saver72 hours for all claims
Get quote
Easy Travel Insurance3 days for all claims
Get quote
Kogan travel insurance logo3 days for all claims
Get quote
1Cover Logo
72 hours for all claims
More info

Note: This information was last updated August 2023

General conditions for getting travel insurance while abroad

  • You must be an Australian resident
  • You must be planning to returning to Australia by the end date of the policy
  • You must be under a cerrtain age (usually 70 or under)

What does already overseas travel insurance cover?

Already overseas travel insurance policies will generally offer the same level of cover as any other plan. This includes:

  • Overseas medical assistance and hospital expenses.
  • Medical evacuation and repatriation
  • COVID-related losses
  • Hire car excess
  • Cancellation or amendment to your trip (e.g if you suffer a serious illness and are unable to travel home as planned)
  • Theft, damage or loss of your belongings.
  • Theft of cash, valuables and belongings
  • Family emergencies

Tips for comparing travel insurance policies if you are already overseas

There are a number of tips you should be aware of to help ensure you end up with the best already overseas travel insurance policy to suit your needs.

  • What is the waiting period? Most insurers will apply a waiting period of about 3 days before cover will commence.
  • What excess will you pay? Some insurers will apply an increased excess for already overseas policies.
  • What activities will you be covered for? Then you can consider the activities and experiences you plan on enjoying while travelling. Will you be just relaxing beside the pool most of the time or are you planning on engaging in higher-risk activities like skydiving? Some policies will exclude certain activities, so make sure you know what is and isn’t covered.
  • Will you be covered for medical repatriation to Australia? If taking out travel insurance while overseas, it's important to find a policy that will cover the cost of medical repatriation to Australia where necessary.
  • Need cover for the family? Most insurance companies offer Family cover so that you can cover your spouse and children under the one policy. Cover for dependents under the age of 21 is generally provided free of charge.

Why you can trust Finder's travel insurance experts

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Frequently asked questions

Gary Ross Hunter's headshot
Editor, Insurance & Innovations

Gary Ross Hunter was 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). See full bio

Gary Ross's expertise
Gary Ross has written 725 Finder guides across topics including:
  • Health, home, life, car, pet and travel insurance
  • Managing the cost of living

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