Japan travel insurance

Why do I need travel insurance in Japan?

• It can cover you for emergency medical treatment.
• It can cover medical expenses caused by injuries and accidents, unless it's from an excluded activity.
• It can pay for transport to hospital by helicopter or ambulance, as well as medical evacuations back to Australia.
• If you're renting a car in Japan, make sure you have car rental excess cover.
• Theft can occur in Japan. Travel insurance can cover you for lost or stolen valuables. This could include rings, necklaces, phones and watches.
• Terrorism is a risk in Japan. A few insurers provide cover for medical and hospital expenses caused by an act of terrorism, including the cost of bringing you back home.

Looking for the best travel insurance for Japan? Check out our award winners in 2024

Most Loved

RAC Travel Insurance came out on top among 20 brands with a score of 4.48/5. Out of all brands, RAC was one of the most trusted, with 97% of people surveyed considering the insurer trustworthy and reliable.

Top Value

Tick Travel Insurance came in first place for value for money this year. It topped the list with score of 4.49/5.

Most Trusted

RAC Travel Insurance topped the list as the most trusted brand in 2024. It gained a score of 4.76/5, with 97% of customers we surveyed found the insurer to reliable.

Legendary Service

RAC Travel Insurance is this year's winner for customer service, scoring 4.49/5 to lead all brands.

Best Travel Insurance - Domestic

Tick Travel insurance won the 2024 award for best domestic travel insurance because it scored highly for rearrangement and cancellation costs, lost and delayed luggage features and rental car excess, while remaining comparatively affordable.

Best Travel Insurance - Value

Wise and Silent Travel insurance won the 2024 value award because it's cheaper on average than the other international policies we analysed, yet it covers you for more.

Best Travel Insurance - Comprehensive

Tick Travel insurance won the 2024 comprehensive award because it goes further than the majority of insurers. It scored highly for cancellation costs and rental car excess. It's also competitive on price compared to the other 30 international policies we analysed.

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Japan travel insurance: Common exclusions

Every travel insurance policy has things you won't be covered for. Common exclusions include:

• If you purchase cover after the incident has occurred. For example, if you take cover out after you've been injured and need medical attention.
• Pre-existing medical conditions. If you have any major medical conditions, make sure you let your insurer know before taking out a policy. Otherwise you won't be covered for claims related to that condition.
• You travel despite government travel advice. For example, if you travel to areas that have a warning from Smartraveller, such as the restricted areas near the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, travel insurance may not cover you.
• Incidents that occur while you're under the influence of drugs or alcohol. For example, if you go out drinking in Tokyo, get injured and need medical attention, travel insurance won't cover you.
• Driving vehicles without a licence. Like Australia, you won't be covered for medical costs or personal liability expenses if you drive without a licence in Japan.

Did you know?

Natural disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis can occur in Japan.

Will I be covered for COVID-19?

Travel insurance can cover you for COVID-19 in Japan. A policy can cover you for the following:

• Rearrangement costs if you catch the virus and need to change your plans. Lots of comprehensive travel insurance policies let you claim up to $5,000 towards these expenses.
• Medical costs due to COVID-19. This can include hospital expenses and RATs if you catch COVID-19 while overseas (but you won't be covered for mandatory PCRs).
• Expenses if you need to isolate. For example, if you catch COVID while you're overseas and need to push back your flight and stay in your accommodation longer.

How do I get cheap travel insurance for Japan?

• Medical only or basic policies will generally be the cheaper policies on the market.
• Use exclusive deals or promo codes to get a discount.
• Opt for a higher excess. This will make your policy cheaper but more expensive if you have to claim.
• Compare across a handful of travel insurers – they're not all the same.
• Get the most value by buying your policy early. It means you're covered for longer while paying the same price.

Our expert says

"When I travel, I don't want to fork out a lot for travel insurance. I always get something above the bare minimum though which usually only covers medical-only expenses. Flight disruptions and delayed luggage are really common, so look for a cheap policy that covers me for these things."

Gary Ross Hunter

Journalist

What do I do in emergencies?

For emergencies: call 110 (police), 119 (ambulance) or 119 (fire).

In a medical emergency, call for help and then contact your insurer on their emergency assistance line.

Our expert says: Japan travel insurance

"Shop around - there are big differences in the costs of policies with similar inclusions. Wearing a mask in public if you have a cold is an expected courtesy in Japan - respect local customs if you do get ill. Take out insurance as soon as you book your trip - that maximises the value of your cover."

Angus Kidman

Editor-at-large

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You can trust us. We say it like it is. We aren't owned by an insurer and our opinions are our own.

FAQs about Japan

• Should I be worried about radiation in Japan?

  While the majority of the country including Tokyo has radiation levels within the normal range, you should avoid areas surrounding the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.

  The March 2011 earthquake and subsequent tsunami caused a nuclear disaster, which still affects the area surrounding the plant.

• Do I need vaccinations before travelling to Japan?

  Before you depart, make sure you check with your doctor to make sure you're up-to-date on your vaccinations. Before heading to Japan, you specifically want to ask your doctor about:

  • Hepatitis A
  • Hepatitis B
  • Typhoid
  • Rabies
  • Japanese Encephalitis

  While you may not need all of these shots, it never hurts to consult your doctor about your specific risks.

  Not getting all the advisable travel vaccinations is not only potentially bad for your health, but it could also end up costing you a bunch. If you're advised to get a vaccination, but don't get it and wind up sick in the hospital, your travel insurer won't cover your medical costs.

• Which travel insurance is good for Japan?

  The cheapest policy will usually only cover you for medical expenses. However, flight disruptions and petty crime are fairly common in Japan so it may be worth getting comprehensive travel insurance. This can cover you for medical expenses, trip rearrangement costs, theft, luggage delay and more.

• Do you need travel insurance to go to Japan?

  The Australian government's smartraveller site recommends that you take out cover when travelling to Japan. If you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel.

• Which travel insurance company has COVID cover for Japan?

  Lots of travel insurers cover COVID-related expenses now. You can find a full table of the policies that cover COVID expenses on our homepage.

Written by

Gary Ross Hunter

Journalist

Gary Ross Hunter has over 6 years of expertise writing about insurance, including life, health, home, and car insurance. Having reviewed hundreds of product disclosure statements and published over 800 articles, he loves simplifying complex insurance topics for everyday readers. Gary has contributed to major outlets like Yahoo Finance, The Sydney Morning Herald, and news.com.au, and holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in English Literature from the University of Glasgow, along with a Tier 2 General Advice certification, ensuring his work adheres to ASIC’s RG146 standards. See full bio

Gary Ross's expertise

Gary Ross has written 589 Finder guides across topics including:

• Health, home, life, car, pet and travel insurance
• Managing the cost of living