A lost passport can be distressing, especially if you're overseas or days from departing. Replacing a lost or stolen passport while overseas could cost up to $744 for an adult traveller, and depending on what happened, you might be able to claim this back on travel insurance.
You may need to follow similar steps if your passport has been damaged while travelling. It's important to act quickly when your passport has been misplaced during your travels. If it's been stolen, your identity could be at risk.
Travel insurance may cover you if an unexpected event has caused the loss, damage or theft of your passport. Examples include;
You may be able to claim back the cost of getting an emergency passport, the added fees involved, and any other expenses this incident has cost you.
| Brand | Sub-limit | Here's what the insurers say |
|---|---|---|
 International Comprehensive | $1,000 | "We'll cover the cost to replace your essential bank cards, travel documents, or passport if they are lost, stolen, or destroyed because of an unexpected event during your journey. Your claim must meet the conditions of cover below. We'll pay up to $1,000 for each paying person." |
 Comprehensive | $5,000 | "Up to the limits set out in the Benefit Summary above, to reimburse you the replacement costs (including communication costs) of your travel documents, including passports, credit / debit cards or travellers cheques you lose or which are stolen from you or destroyed during your trip." "Up to the limits set out in the Benefit Summary above, for any loss resulting from the fraudulent use of any credit / debit card held by you following the loss of the card during your trip. We will only cover those amounts not covered by any guarantee given by the bank or issuing company to you as the cardholder covering such losses." |
 Top | $4,000 | "We will pay up to the amount shown in the Table of benefits for the cost of replacing the following items belonging to you if they are lost, stolen or damaged during your trip: • Passport; • Travellers cheques (if these cannot be refunded by the provider); and • Visas." |
Last updated March 2025
Generally not. If you can't find your passport before you travel then you may need to arrange priority processing for a new passport. It's unlikely that travel insurance will cover these expenses.
Once a passport has been reported lost, it will be cancelled and you'll be unable to use it even if you've found it.
As of 1 January 2025, these are the fees you can expect to pay if your passport has been lost or stolen. You might be able to claim some of these expenses on your travel insurance.
| Passports | Fee |
|---|---|
| Emergency passport overseas | $259 |
| 10 year validity (for those 16yrs and over) | $412 |
| 5 year validity (for those under 16yrs) | $208 |
| 5 year validity (optional for those 75yrs and over) | $208 |
| Replacement passport | $259 |
| Additional fees | Fee |
|---|---|
| Priority processing - get another passport within 2 business days | $300 |
| Overseas surcharge - adult | $185 |
| Overseas surcharge - child | $90 |
| Observation made after passport issue | $21 |
"When my passport was stolen overseas, I had to rush to the Australian Embassy with proof of identity, copies of my passport, and other documents. The application process itself was straightforward, but it was stressful since I had an upcoming flight with a holiday stopover in Thailand. Thankfully, I was issued a 12-month emergency passport, which allowed me to continue travelling before returning to Australia for a permanent one. However, it's important to check whether the countries you plan to visit accept emergency passports, especially if a visa is required."
To reduce the stress and expense of losing your passport overseas, there are several important steps you can take before you leave on your holiday:
| Response | WA | VIC | SA | QLD | NSW |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I have not faced any travel mishaps | 14.05% | 13.53% | 6.45% | 12.44% | 13.15% |
| Airline cancellation or significant delay | 9.09% | 11.22% | 8.6% | 8.29% | 9.79% |
| Lost luggage or delay | 7.44% | 6.93% | 5.38% | 7.37% | 9.79% |
| Other | 4.96% | 0.99% | 0.92% | 0.92% | |
| Lost or broken devices | 3.31% | 3.3% | 2.15% | 1.38% | 4.59% |
| Denied entry into a country | 1.65% | 0.66% | 0.61% | ||
| Lost or stolen travel documents | 0.83% | 2.64% | 1.08% | 2.3% | 1.22% |
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Do I need to take out cruise insurance if I am going on a European river cruise
Hi Mary,
Typically no but it depends on the size of the boat and how long you’ll be gone for. If you have these details handy then I can help you determine if you’ll need cruise insurance.