Bupa travel insurance review

There are 5 policies to choose from with Bupa travel insurance, along with a heap of add-ons including adventure activities, snow sports and wide-ranging cruise cover.

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James Martin

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Key takeaways

  • Bupa provides five policy types and flexible excess options that may reduce your premium.
  • Bupa health members receive a 15% discount and access 24/7 emergency assistance while travelling.
  • Add-ons such as the Adventure Pack and Cruise Pack provide specialised cover for specific trip types.

Our Verdict

Bupa offers high-quality cover with a wide range of options to meet your travel needs. But you may also opt for lower-priced cover that will come with fewer and/or lower benefit limits.

Pros

  • Enjoy the flexibility to pick between a wide range of policies and set your own trip cancellation limit
  • If you have an emergency overseas, you can contact Bupa's 24-hour emergency assistance team for help at any time, 7 days a week.
  • Bupa health insurance members can score a 15% discount on their travel insurance.

Cons

  • Bupa's COVID-19 coverage is limited in comparison with brands such as Fast Cover and Southern Cross Travel Insurance.
  • Its cover limit of $10,000 for theft or damage to luggage and personal belongings is decent, but some competitors offer $15,000.

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What does Bupa travel insurance include?

Bupa travel insurance is underwritten by Zurich Australian Insurance Limited. Bupa offers quality travel insurance that can bring peace of mind that you can make the most of your trip, while knowing you'll receive financial support if things do go wrong.

All policies come with a basic excess. In most cases, you'll pay this when making a claim. You have the option to vary this excess – by committing to a higher sum, you could reduce the cost of your insurance. Keep in mind that an additional $500 excess applies to Bupa's Adventure Pack and Snow Pack.

With Bupa, you can choose between a single, couple and family policy. This provider offers a cooling-off period of 21 days – you can cancel your policy within 21 days for a full refund.

Bupa travel insurance features – an overview

Policy features
Optional add-ons
Exclusions

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Policy features

A Bupa travel insurance policy includes a range of benefits you can claim if an insured event happens. Bupa's comprehensive policy includes:
  • Overseas emergency assistance – unlimited
  • Overseas medical expenses – unlimited
  • Accidental death – up to $25,000 (or $50,000 with a family plan)
  • Permanent disability – up to $25,000 (or $50,000 with a family plan)
  • Trip cancellation costs – chosen by you
  • Additional expenses – up to $50,000 (or $100,000 with a family plan)
  • Travel delay expenses – up to $2,000 (or $4,000 with a family plan)
  • Personal liability – up to $5 million
  • Luggage, personal effects and valuables – up to $10,000 (or $20,000 with a family plan)
  • Alternative transport costs – up to $5,000 (or $10,000 with a family plan)
  • Travel documents, bank cards and traveller's cheques – up to $5,000 (or $10,000 with a family plan)
  • Rental Vehicle Excess – up to $6,000
  • Luggage & personal effects delay expenses – up to $500 (or $1,000 with a family plan)
  • Theft of cash – up to $250 (or $500 with a family plan)

Additionally, Bupa offers multi-trip cover, a domestic policy and an entry-level Essentials plan. Finally, you can opt for a non-medical plan – a basic policy that's good if you want some insurance but without cover for a pre-existing condition.

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Optional add-ons

Bupa offers many policy features you can add to get more protection based on the type of trip you're planning. These include:
  • Adventure Pack. Available to those under the age of 75, this optional cover includes insurance for activities including abseiling, deep sea fishing, caving, quad bike riding, outdoor rock climbing and motorcycles/mopeds.
  • Cruise Pack. Get cover while you cruise overseas and in Australian waters. In addition to features such as unlimited medical cover and unlimited evacuation cover, you can claim up to $1,000 if you need to cancel (for an unforeseen reason) any pre-booked tours.
  • Snow pack. Available to those under 75, the Snow Pack comes with a range of snow sports activities including skiing and snowboarding. Overseas emergency assistance is capped at $100,000.

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    Exclusions

    Bupa won't pay out for the following:
    • Travelling when you know you are unfit or against medical advice
    • Going to a country where a 'Do not travel' alert has been issued by the Australian government
    • Breaking the law
    • Being under the influence of alcohol or ilicit drugs
    • Death, illness or injury from an existing condition (unless it's specifically covered by your policy)
    • Any consequential loss or loss of enjoyment
    • A loss caused by or in connection with a criminal or dishonest act
    • Failure to take precautions after a public warning of strike, riot, civil commotion or natural disaster
    • Driving a rental vehicle in an illegal or dangerous manner.

    Be sure to read Bupa's PDS for a full list of exclusions. Learn more about travel exclusions here.

    More reasons to consider Bupa

    • 24/7 assistance. If the unexpected happens while you’re travelling overseas, emergency help is available 24 hours a day. If you have any difficulties while you are travelling, you can contact the Emergency Assistance Hotline and you will be able to speak with one of Bupa's trained staff. From overseas, you can call Bupa's emergency assistance line direct on +61 2 8907 5201. Toll-free numbers are available from the USA, Canada, the UK and New Zealand – see the PDS for details.
    • Discounts for existing members. Bupa health insurance members can receive up to a 15% discount on their travel insurance premiums.

    Frequently asked questions

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    Sources

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    James Martin was the insurance editor at Finder. He has written on a range of insurance and finance topics for over 7 years. James often shares his insurance expertise as a media spokesperson and has appeared on Prime 7 News, Insurance News, 7NEWS and The Guardian. An experienced journalist, James' work has featured in publications including The Irish Times, Companies100 and In Business. He holds a Tier 1 General Insurance (General Advice) certification and a Tier 1 Generic Knowledge certification, both of which meet the requirements of ASIC Regulatory Guide 146 (RG146). See full bio

    James's expertise
    James has written 167 Finder guides across topics including:
    • Car, home, life, health, travel and pet insurance
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    4 Responses

      JOHN's avatar
      JOHNMarch 6, 2018

      I have benign irregular heart beat. cardiologist letter says fit for travel.
      Which cover can I buy that covers this? John

        May's avatarFinder
        MayMarch 7, 2018Finder

        Hi John,

        Thanks for your inquiry.

        There are brands that offer travel insurance to people with heart conditions. You can compare the costs and get more details about the cover by clicking on the “Get Quote” button. It is also best to contact your chosen insurer if you want to discuss more the level of cover.

        Before applying, please ensure that you read through the relevant Product Disclosure Statements/Terms and Conditions when comparing your options before making a decision on whether it is right for you. You can also contact the provider if you have specific questions.

        Hope this helps.

        Cheers,
        May

      michelle's avatar
      michelleNovember 23, 2015

      hi,

      Do you cover missed flights due to illness?
      and providing you a medical certificate for proof?

      thanks

        Richard Laycock's headshotFinder
        RichardNovember 23, 2015Finder

        Hi Michelle,

        Thanks for your question. finder.com.au is a comparison service and not an insurer. Bupa Travel Insurance do provide cover for cancellation and yes you will need to be able to provide them with substantiating evidence that a claimable event did happen.

        I hope this was helpful,
        Richard

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