Defence Health offers extensive customisation options like pre-existing medical cover and specific activity packs.
COVID-19 cover is limited to diagnosis related events, excluding mandatory quarantine or border closures.
Unlimited overseas medical expenses and $6,000 rental car excess are standard inclusions on international plans.
Pros
Rental car excess insurance is included as standard, up to $6,000
There's a wide range of customisations available, including adding pre-existing medical conditions, adjusting benefit limits, and altering the excess.
Cons
Cover for pregnancy stops at 24 weeks, but we found 11 brands that extend cover beyond this gestation period.
There's no loss of income benefit, but we found 12 brands that do offer it.
Defence Health Travel Insurance is not currently available via Finder. You can head to the Defence Health website or compare alternative options available below.
Summary of Defence Health International Comprehensive policy
Overseas Medical and Hospital Expenses
Unlimited
Cancellation and Amendment Fees
Cover chosen
Luggage and Personal Effects
$10,000
Maximum Age Limit
No age limit (120 on quote engine)
Table updated September 2023
How does Defence Health Travel Insurance cover COVID-19?
Defence Health offers some cover for expenses related to COVID-19, but it's not the strongest in the market. Here's what you can expect:
Overseas emergency assistance, medical care and hospital expenses if you're diagnosed with COVID-19.
Cancellation or amendment costs if you or your travelling companion are diagnosed with COVID-19.
Additional expenses if you or a travelling companion are diagnosed with COVID-19.
Costs to return home if you are given medical advice that you should do so.
Costs to return home if a relative or business partner is hospitalised or dies due to COVID-19.
There are some scenarios that are not covered by Defence Health including costs incurred as a result of mandatory quarantine or isolation, border closures or government travel bans.
Also, if you were diagnosed with COVID-19 before heading on your trip but you went anyway, you won't be covered for any COVID-related overseas medical expenses.
What policies does Defence Health offer?
Defence Health offers five insurance policies to travellers. Comprehensive, Essentials, Domestic, Multi-Trip and Non-Medical.
Comprehensive
Essentials
Domestic
Multi-Trip
Non-Medical
The insurer of this product is Allianz Australia Insurance Limited. It comes with a cooling-off period of 14 days and choice of $200 standard excess for international plans.
Here's a breakdown of Defence Health Travel Insurance features
These are some of the main insured events that Defence Health will cover. These benefits apply across all international policies.
Overseas emergency assistance
Overseas medical treatment
Lost, damaged or stolen property
Trip cancellation or amendment
Additional accommodation and transport
Rental vehicle excess
Theft of money
Loss, theft, or damage of travel documents
Luggage and travel delay
Emergency dental costs
Kidnap and hijack
Personal liability
Permanent disability
Accidental death
Optional add-ons
Defence Health also offers four add-ons that provide cover for a wider range of risks.
Adventure Pack. Provides cover for a wider range of riskier activities, including deep sea fishing, outdoor rock climbing and riding a motorbike with the appropriate licence.
Cruise Pack Extends your insurance policy to cover cruises and a range of cruise-specific risks such as marine rescue and cabin confinement.
Snow Pack.Extends your cover to include snow activities and covers snow-specific risks such as piste closure and avalanches. Only available to under 75s.
Increased Item Limits Cover.Increase the claims limit of specific items if you're travelling with more expensive belongings.
Exclusions
Unfortunately, travel insurance doesn't cover everything. Generally, Defence Health will not pay your claim if it relates to:
Unlawful, wreckless or unreasonably unsafe behaviour by you
Behaviour while you were drunk or under the influence of drugs
Expenses related to a pre-existing medical condition not listed on your insurance document
Self-inflicted injury or illness, suicide or attempted suicide
Make sure you review the Defence Health PDS for a detailed breakdown of what won't be covered, found under its list of general exclusions.
How to make a Defence Health Travel Insurance claim
You can make a claim online via the Defence Health claims portal. You should have your policy number, personal details and travel itinerary ready, as well as any relevant receipts, medical records, and police reports.
You can also call the Defence Health claims team on 1800 622 499 (Weekdays 8:30am-6pm AEST).
Here's the bottom line about Defence Health Travel Insurance
Defence Health offers a broad range of options to customise your policy, including Cruise Cover, Cover for Pre-Existing Medical Conditions, Snow Cover, and Adventure Cover. You can also increase item limits and adjust your excess.
However, if you want comprehensive cover for risks related to COVID-19, you might want to look elsewhere as Defence Health offers limited protection.
In most cases, you, your travelling companion, a relative or business partner would need to be diagnosed with COVID-19 to make a claim.
You can insure up to 10 dependants on a Defence Health travel insurance policy. They must be your child or grandchild (including step-child, adopted child, foster child and child you care for under a legal guardian arrangement), aged under 25 years old, not employed full-time, and accompanying you for 100% of the journey.
Defence Health's Comprehensive, Domestic and Non-Medical plans, as well as the optional Cruise Pack, are available to travellers of all ages. The Essentials and Multi-Trip plans, as well as the Optional Snow Pack and Adventure Pack, are only available to travellers under 75.
No. As long as you meet the other requirements listed in the PDS, you can purchase a policy.
Request travel insurance quotes and compare policies
Nicola Middlemiss is a journalist with nearly a decade of experience in personal finance and insurance. She has contributed to Domain, Yahoo Finance, Money Magazine and Insurance Business Australia, offering in-depth insights into commercial insurance in the Australian market. Nicola holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Leeds and a Tier 1 General Insurance (General Advice) certification, which complies with ASIC standards.
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I insured once before with Defence…Insurance and fortunately did not need to make any claims. I am about to travel with my adult daughter on an Intrepid trip to Turkey. My extended family member was in the defence forces. (He is a nephew of my husband.) Am I still able to use Defence..Insurance for my daughter and myself even though the family link is somewhat distant?
Finder
ZubairMarch 13, 2017Finder
Hi Helen,
Thank you for your question. You have contacted finder.com.au, a comparison and information service and not Defence Health Travel Insurance.
Generally, extended families are eligible for Defence Health Travel Insurance. You will need to check with Defence Health Travel Insurance about the area in which you plans on traveling as some places in Turkey are designated as do not travel and reconsider your need to travel
Please make sure though to read the eligibility criteria, features and details of the policy, as well as the relevant Product Disclosure Statement PDS/T&C’s of the policy before making a decision and consider whether the product is right for you. If necessary, speak to the insurance brand to verify any details.
All the best,
Zubair
pinnowOctober 25, 2016
Have a house in New Zealand and often stay for extended periods.Am I still covered by defence health for illness or hospitalisation.
Finder
RichardOctober 25, 2016Finder
Hi Pinnow,
Thanks for getting in touch.
While Australia has a reciprocal health agreement with New Zealand, meaning you have access to some parts of their public healthcare system, your health insurance doesn’t cover you for medical expenses incurred overseas.
If you’re looking for added protection, you may wish to consider taking out travel insurance.
InsureandGo Travel Insurance can save you time with a comprehensive range of policies that are easy to digest and understand. Its policies include winter sports coverage plus both single and multiple trip policies.
Our verdict: AllClear Travel Insurance covers globetrotters of any age and more than 1,300 pre-existing medical conditions, including heart complications and diabetes.
Annual travel insurance not only lets you travel worry-free all year, but can also save you time and money in the process.
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I insured once before with Defence…Insurance and fortunately did not need to make any claims. I am about to travel with my adult daughter on an Intrepid trip to Turkey. My extended family member was in the defence forces. (He is a nephew of my husband.) Am I still able to use Defence..Insurance for my daughter and myself even though the family link is somewhat distant?
Hi Helen,
Thank you for your question. You have contacted finder.com.au, a comparison and information service and not Defence Health Travel Insurance.
Generally, extended families are eligible for Defence Health Travel Insurance. You will need to check with Defence Health Travel Insurance about the area in which you plans on traveling as some places in Turkey are designated as do not travel and reconsider your need to travel
Please make sure though to read the eligibility criteria, features and details of the policy, as well as the relevant Product Disclosure Statement PDS/T&C’s of the policy before making a decision and consider whether the product is right for you. If necessary, speak to the insurance brand to verify any details.
All the best,
Zubair
Have a house in New Zealand and often stay for extended periods.Am I still covered by defence health for illness or hospitalisation.
Hi Pinnow,
Thanks for getting in touch.
While Australia has a reciprocal health agreement with New Zealand, meaning you have access to some parts of their public healthcare system, your health insurance doesn’t cover you for medical expenses incurred overseas.
If you’re looking for added protection, you may wish to consider taking out travel insurance.
All the best,
Richard