C
What's covered
Core travel insurance protections — what a standard policy includes
The real issue
Most travellers buy insurance for peace of mind and never read the PDS. The first time they read it is when they need to make a claim — at the worst possible moment. The two things that matter most: (1) Does the policy cover medical emergencies with evacuation? (2) Are all pre-existing conditions declared? Everything else is secondary. A policy that costs $80 but excludes a known heart condition is worthless if that condition is the reason you need to claim.
| Cover type | What it typically includes | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Overseas medical & hospital | Emergency medical treatment, hospitalisation, surgery, ambulance — this is the most important cover. Limits vary: $500k to unlimited. | Confirm the limit is genuinely unlimited or very high — US and Swiss medical costs can reach $10,000+ per day in hospital. |
| Medical evacuation | Emergency repatriation to Australia if medically required | Must be authorised by the insurer's emergency assistance team — do not arrange independently without calling them first. |
| Cancellation and curtailment | Non-refundable costs if you cancel before departure or cut a trip short due to a covered reason (illness, death in family, etc.) | "Change of mind" and "fear of travel" are almost never covered without a specific "cancel for any reason" upgrade. |
| Luggage and personal effects | Lost, stolen, or damaged belongings — usually with per-item limits (commonly $500–$1,000 per item) | High-value electronics, jewellery, and cameras often need to be individually listed. The per-item limit may be far below replacement cost. |
| Travel delay | Accommodation and meal expenses for delays beyond a threshold (typically 6 hours) | You usually need written confirmation from the airline stating the delay and reason. Get this at the airport. |
| Personal liability | Legal costs and damages if you accidentally injure someone or damage property overseas | Does not cover deliberate acts. Excludes motor vehicle liability in most policies (hire car insurance is separate). |
E
Exclusions
The exclusions that void most claims
| Exclusion | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| Undisclosed pre-existing conditions | Any condition you had before buying the policy that you did not declare — from asthma to diabetes to a previous knee surgery. If it contributed to the claim in any way, the insurer can deny it. |
| Government "do not travel" advisory | If DFAT (AU), FCO (UK), or State Department (US) has issued a "do not travel" or "reconsider your need to travel" advisory for your destination before you departed, your policy may be void for events in that region. |
| Adventure and extreme activities | Skiing, snowboarding, scuba diving, motorbike riding, bungee jumping, and similar activities are typically excluded under standard policies. Specific activity upgrades are available — buy them before you go. |
| Alcohol or drug-related incidents | If you were under the influence when the incident occurred, most policies allow the insurer to deny or reduce the claim. This includes theft of your belongings while intoxicated. |
| Unattended belongings | Luggage left unattended in a public place — even briefly — is typically excluded from theft cover. |
| Travel against medical advice | If a doctor advised you not to travel before departure and you went anyway, related medical claims will be denied. |
| Pregnancy beyond 26 weeks | Most policies exclude pregnancy-related claims after 26 weeks. Some extend to 32 weeks. Check explicitly before travelling while pregnant. |
| Mental health conditions | Historically excluded in many policies — increasingly some insurers now cover declared mental health conditions. Check specifically; do not assume. |
The pre-existing condition trap is the most common claim denial. Even conditions you consider minor — controlled hypertension, managed anxiety, a previous broken bone — can be used to deny a claim if they weren't declared and a treating doctor can link them to the incident. When in doubt, declare it. The premium increase is almost always less than the risk of a denied claim.
F
How to file
Filing your claim — the process and the documents you need
For medical emergencies overseas: call the insurer's 24-hour emergency assistance line first — before arranging treatment where possible. This number is on your policy certificate. Calling first means the insurer can pre-authorise treatment, arrange direct billing, and confirm cover — rather than you paying out of pocket and claiming later.
| Claim type | Documents required |
|---|---|
| Medical | All hospital/doctor invoices and receipts. Diagnosis and treatment records (in English or translated). Proof of payment. Emergency assistance reference number if you called them. |
| Cancellation / curtailment | Booking confirmations and proof of non-refundable costs. Medical certificate or death certificate (if applicable). Written evidence from airline/hotel of no refund. Original reason for cancellation documented. |
| Luggage theft | Police report (filed within 24 hours of discovery). Original receipts or evidence of ownership for claimed items. Written confirmation from airline if checked baggage was lost. Any correspondence with the airline or hotel. |
| Travel delay | Written confirmation from airline of delay duration and reason. Receipts for accommodation and meals incurred. Copy of original booking confirmation. |
Police reports for theft must be filed locally and promptly. Most policies require a police report filed within 24–48 hours of discovering a theft. Without it, the claim is routinely denied. File even if local police are unhelpful — get a copy of the report reference number at minimum.
A
Rejection
Claim denied — your appeal options
Travel insurance claims are rejected for two main reasons: the event is genuinely excluded, or the insurer has applied an exclusion incorrectly. The second case is worth challenging — particularly pre-existing condition denials where the condition had no causal link to the claim.
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1. Request the full reason in writing | Ask the insurer to specify the exact policy clause they are relying on to deny the claim. Vague rejections are a sign the denial may not be on solid ground. |
| 2. Read the clause they cite | Apply it literally to your situation. Many exclusions have conditions — e.g. pre-existing condition exclusions often require the condition to be directly related to the claim. If your knee condition didn't cause your food poisoning, it shouldn't be used to deny a medical claim. |
| 3. Lodge an internal dispute | Write formally to the insurer's complaints team. Address each exclusion ground specifically. Request their claims file including assessor notes. |
| 4. Escalate to AFCA (AU) / FOS (UK) | AU: AFCA — afca.org.au — free, binding on insurer. UK: Financial Ombudsman Service — financial-ombudsman.org.uk — free, binding. Both have strong track records on travel insurance disputes. |
AFCA (AU): afca.org.au · 1800 931 678 — Free external dispute resolution. Decisions binding on the insurer. Available after you have completed the internal IDR process or waited 30 days with no resolution.