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15 International Travel Insurance Options for Australians in 2024
Travel insurance can be used to help cover costs associated with the loss or damage to your luggage and belongings.
You can also use it for unexpected medical emergencies, as some insurance companies provide 24/7 support anywhere in the world and may assist with your safe arrival home.
It can be hard to compare international travel insurance policies in Australia because they come in all shapes and sizes, but with flexible options you can find the right balance between benefits and an affordable premium.
We’ve collected information about 15 travel insurance policies for Australians, looking at some of the areas to help you make your insurance policy decision that meet your needs.
Compare International Travel Insurance for 2024:
- Fast Cover Comprehensive For Coverage
- Cover-More Basic For Value Insurance
- NRMA Comprehensive For Frequent Travellers
- Qantas Travel Insurance (70+ Years) For Seniors
- Southern Cross Comprehensive (Family Cover) For Families
- nib Comprehensive For COVID-19 coverage
- Australia Post Basic For Medical Only
- Westpac Altitude Credit Card with Travel Insurance
Great Coverage
Fast Cover International Comprehensive
Features
- Unlimited Overseas 24/7 Emergency Medical Assistance & Hospital Expenses
- Unlimited Overseas Emergency Evacuation & Repatriation cover
- Unlimited Trip Cancellation cover
- Trip disruption Expenses up to $50,000
- Travel delay cover up to $2,000.
- Permanent Disability cover up to $50,000
- Accidental death cover of up to $25,000
- Luggage & Personal Effects cover up to $15,000
- Policies can be customised to suit the type of trip you’re taking. This does not include all benefits that are included under the Fast Cover Comprehensive Policy.
Fast Cover International Comprehensive Policy
- Unlimited cancellation cover for non-COVID related cancellations, and up to $5,000 if your trip is cancelled or disrupted because of COVID-19.
- Medical screening available for medical conditions.
- Option to add cover for cruising, snow sports, motorcycle riding, rental vehicle insurance excess and the more adventurous adventure sports.
- Up to $15,000 benefit for luggage and personal effects
- High benefit for permanent disability at $50,000.
Fast Cover tells us that its International Comprehensive policies provide market leading medical coverage. Its Comprehensive policy includes COVID-19 Benefits with unlimited emergency medical expenses cover (including medical evacuations) and trip cancellation and disruption cover due to certain COVID-19 related events up to $5,000.
If you require cover for your existing medical conditions, they offer a simple online or over the phone medical questionnaire to help you obtain cover for those conditions.
Eligibility criteria, terms, conditions, limits and exclusions may apply, please consult the PDS and TMD for further information before you make any decisions to buy.
Good Value for International Travel Insurance
Cover More International Basic Plan
Features
- Unlimited overseas medical cover (including COVID-19)
- 37 pre-existing medical conditions covered automatically
- $5,000 cover for luggage and personal effects
- $2000 cover for emergency dental expenses
- Variable excess
- Good value with reasonable cover for a low premium
Cover-More International Basic Plan
- Cancellation cover is additional/extra and choosing a cover to include it will impact your premium
- Claim up to $5,000 if your trip is cancelled or disrupted because of COVID-19. However, you must have cancellation cover to receive this.
- $600 benefit to replace essential personal effects if your baggage is delayed
- Choose to pay an excess of $0, $100, or $200 on all claims. This will affect the amount you pay in premiums.
The Cover-More International Basic Plan offers impressive value with a very affordable premium. It covers the essential benefits a budget traveller needs for peace of mind, such as unlimited overseas medical cover. But there are also generous benefits not usually seen in cheap travel insurance, including $2000 dental cover and $600 for delayed luggage. Many cheaper insurance policies will not cover COVID-19 but Cover-More provides unlimited coverage for COVID-19 medical expenses, along with an optional $5,000 in COVID-related trip cancellation and disruption costs.
Annual Multi Trip Travel Insurance
NRMA International Comprehensive Plan
Features
- Annual cover for journeys of up to 60 days
- Optional COVID-19 trip cancellation or disruption cover
- Unlimited overseas medical cover (including COVID-19)
- 24-hour emergency assistance
- Variable excess
- High benefit for loss of income, permanent disability and accidental death
NRMA International Comprehensive Plan
- Year-round cover to destinations over 250 km from your home
- Option to choose up to $10,000 to cover rental vehicle excess
- Claim up to $2,000 if you experience travel delays
- Claim up to $12,000 for luggage and travel documents
- $1,100 benefit to replace essential personal effects if your baggage is delayed
- Cover for loss of income ($45,000), permanent disability ($30,000), and accidental death ($30,000)
The NRMA International Comprehensive Annual Multi-Trip Plan covers an unlimited number of trips (up to 60 days each) for an entire year so you don’t have to take out a new policy for every journey. Cover limits apply to each trip, which means your policy is reset every time you go away.
Choose the policy you need based on your travel habits, including the maximum trip duration (select between 30, 45, or 60 days), excess ($0, $100, or $250), and amount of cancellation cover.
However, NRMA doesn’t provide great automatic cover for pre-existing medical conditions so check the terms and conditions if you have ongoing medical concerns.
Travel Insurance for Seniors
Qantas International Comprehensive Travel Insurance (70+ Years)
Features
- 40+ pre-existing medical conditions automatically covered
- Unlimited overseas medical cover (including for COVID-19)
- Unlimited overseas emergency dental expenses
- Unlimited trip cancellation cover
- Low standard excess of $100
- Qantas points can be earned on policy purchase
Qantas International Comprehensive Travel Insurance (70+ Years)
- 43 pre-existing medical conditions are automatically covered, including Osteoporosis and Osteopenia, Hypertension, and High Cholesterol (conditions apply).
- Claim up to $2,500 on travel expenses related to COVID-19, including trip cancellation or additional travel and accommodation costs.
- Claim up to $15,000 for luggage and personal effects, including $3,000 for replacement passport and travel documents
Qantas is one of the most common travel insurance policies for seniors in Australia, with a policy specifically designed for senior citizens aged 70 and above. You won’t need to declare if you have one of the 43 medical conditions automatically covered but conditions generally require that you have no ongoing complications.
Comfort is assured with $1,500 provided for travel delays, $500 for delayed luggage, and $2,500 for COVID-19 trip cancellation and disruption costs. For those who don’t meet the age requirements, Qantas has similar comprehensive insurance for seniors under 69 years old.
Features
- Free cover for all dependents under 21
- Unlimited overseas medical cover (including COVID-19)
- Choose trip cancellation cover to suit your travels
- Extremely high cover for luggage and personal effects
- Generous cover for travel delays
Southern Cross International Comprehensive (Family Cover)
- Option to select anywhere between $5,000 and unlimited trip cancellation cover (per journey, not per person) — but the amount you choose will impact your premium
- Claim up to $5,000 for trip disruptions or cancellations caused by COVID-19
- The combined cover for luggage and personal effects at $50,000
- $5,000 combined cover for baggage delays
Choose the Family Cover from Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI) if you’re looking for impressive value and plenty of cover for all travellers. This policy automatically covers two adults and any dependent children who are under 21 years, not married or employed full-time, and depend financially on at least one adult listed on the policy. This NZ-based company provides one of the best family travel insurance policies for luggage and comprehensive options for COVID-19 expenses. No pre-existing medical conditions are automatically covered so if anyone in your family has an ongoing medical issue, they will need to apply for cover.
International Travel Insurance with Covid Cover
nib Comprehensive Plan
Features
- 40+ pre-existing medical conditions covered automatically
- $10,000 cover for coronavirus-related travel costs
- No age limit
- Unlimited overseas medical cover (including COVID-19)
nib Comprehensive Plan International Travel Insurance
- $1000 emergency dental cover
- Choose your own cancellation cover to suit you
- $12,000 cover for luggage, with $3,000 to replace passports and travel documents
- Variable excess
nib Comprehensive is a great option if you’re looking for international travel insurance with thorough covid cover. Receive unlimited medical cover for COVID-19 and an unparalleled $10,000 in travel costs if your trip is affected by the coronavirus. That covers trip cancellation if a close relative or business partner back in Australia is hospitalised or dies due to COVID-19 while you’re away.
Other benefits are mid-range or even on the low end. Total permanent disability cover is $12,500 and personal liability is $2.5 million. Most comprehensive policies provide $25,000 and $5 million in cover respectively.
Medical Only
Australia Post International Basic Plan
Features
- Cover for COVID-19 self-isolation requirements
- 37 pre-existing medical conditions automatically covered
- Unlimited overseas medical cover (including COVID-19)
- Permanent disability and accidental death cover
- $5 million for personal liability cover
Australia Post International Basic Plan
- Unlimited cover for the cost of medical treatment and emergency repatriation or evacuation.
- Claim up to $2,000 for emergency dental treatment
- $10,000 cover for permanent disability and accidental death
- $2,500 for additional expenses if you test positive for COVID-19 and need to self-isolate (with an additional $250 excess)
Credit Card with International Travel Insurance
Westpac Altitude
Features
- Complimentary with Westpac Altitude Rewards credit cards
- Unlimited medical cover (including COVID-19)
- Unlimited trip cancellation cover
- Luggage cover up to $20,000 per person
- Earn rewards points with every purchase
Westpac Altitude Complimentary International Travel Insurance
- Up to $2000 per person for emergency dental cover
- Up to $1600 cover for luggage delay
- Some of the best cover for accidental death and loss of income
- Provided with Westpac Altitude credit cards, including Altitude Rewards Platinum, Altitude Velocity Platinum, Altitude Qantas Platinum, Altitude Rewards Black, Altitude Velocity Black, Altitude Qantas Black
- Cover for up to 6 consecutive months of travel for Black credit cards and 3 consecutive months for Platinum cards.
- To be eligible for the complimentary travel insurance, you need to be an Australian resident who has purchased a return overseas travel ticket beginning and ending in Australia. You must also charge at least $500 of prepaid travel costs to your card account before leaving Australia.
Westpac Altitude credit cards are perfect for the frequent traveller looking to capitalise on their travel expenses and get comprehensive international travel insurance at the same time. Spouses and dependents (under 25 years old) will also be covered by the insurance if they’re travelling with you.
As a bonus, you can choose from the free Altitude Rewards program or the Qantas or Velocity programs (with a $50 fee) to start earning points on your purchases.
Since Bank of Melbourne, BankSA, and St George are subsidiaries of Westpac, they offer the same benefits in their complimentary insurance policies, though different card fees, interests, and benefits may apply.
Compare other popular international travel insurance policies
While we’ve listed our top 8 international travel insurance policies, there are plenty more choices to consider. We’ve provided a comparison of travel insurance policies from brands you’ll be families with, such as Allianz, Medibank, and Bupa, along with others from less well-known companies like World2Cover.
Here’s an overview of their features, cover, and inclusions:
Features
- Extremely high benefit for permanent disability and accidental death
- Unlimited overseas medical cover (including for COVID-19)
- Unlimited trip cancellation cover
- $5,000 cover for trip cancellation because of COVID-19
- Variable excess
InsureandGo Gold Policy
- $15,000 cover for luggage and personal effects
- Cover available for travellers aged 100 years and under, although a premium surcharge applies for those over 50 years old.
- Choose to pay an excess of $0, $100, or $200 on all claims. This will affect the amount you pay in premiums.
InsureandGo Gold is a great alternative comprehensive travel insurance policy, with generous luggage, trip cancellation, and COVID-19 cover. It has the highest level of cover for permanent disability and accidental death (set at $50,000 each). But the policy has no automatic cover for any pre-existing medical condition and you will need to be assessed to receive cover for any ongoing medical issue.
Features
- 24-hour assistance with registered nurses and doctors available
- Unlimited overseas medical cover (including COVID-19)
- Unlimited hospital and emergency evacuation expenses
- Emergency dental included in medical cover
- Choose trip cancellation cover to suit your travels
Allianz Comprehensive Travel Insurance
- Claim up to $12,000 for luggage, including $5,000 for travel documents and credit cards
- Claim up to $2,000 if you experience travel delays
- Apply to have your pre-existing medical condition covered
The Allianz Comprehensive Plan has built-in flexibility so that you can choose the policy that works best for your needs and budget. You can choose the level of cover for trip cancellations and vary the base excess amount. However Allianz does not cover trip cancellations or disruptions caused by COVID-19. No pre-existing medical conditions are automatically accepted — you will need to apply for cover.
Features
- Unlimited trip cancellation cover
- $5,000 cover for trip cancellation because of COVID-19
- Unlimited overseas medical cover (including COVID-19)
- $12,000 cover for luggage and personal effects
- 15% off for Medibank or ahm health members
Medibank International Comprehensive
- Claim up to $5,000 for travel documents and credit cards
- Upgrade to the Annual Multi-Trip policy for annual cover for up to 60 days
- Up to 38 pre-existing medical conditions are automatically covered
- 21-day cooling off period
The Medibank International Comprehensive travel insurance policy is great if you’re already a Medibank or ahm health member since you’ll get 15% off the premium. Otherwise, it’s a mid-range policy for those looking for standard cover. The unlimited travel cancellation cover is its best feature, though it caps out at $5,000 for COVID-19 related cancellations (with an extra $500 excess).
- Australian-based case managers
- 15% off for Bupa Health Insurance members
- Unlimited overseas medical cover (including COVID-19)
- Unlimited hospital and emergency evacuation expenses
Bupa Comprehensive Travel Insurance
- Emergency dental included in medical cover
- 24/7 emergency hotline with access to registered doctors and nurses
- Receive a full or partial refund on your premium if your trip is cancelled before departure because of COVID-19
- Choose your own cancellation cover to suit you
- Apply for pre-existing medical insurance cover
If you have Bupa Health Insurance, it may be worth looking into Bupa international travel insurance since you’ll get 15% off the premium. The policy provides a 24/7 emergency hotline where you’ll have access to Australian-based case managers, along with registered doctors and nurses. Bupa doesn’t provide cover for trip cancellations caused by COVID-19, although if you’re affected by border closures or mandatory quarantine before departure, you may be able to cancel your policy and receive a full or partial premium refund.
Features
- $3,500 cover for coronavirus-related travel costs
- Unlimited travel cancellation cover
- Generous cover for travel delay
- 38 pre-existing medical conditions covered automatically
- Unlimited overseas medical cover (including COVID-19)
World2Cover Top Cover
- $2000 emergency dental cover
- $15,000 cover for luggage, with $3,000 to replace passports and travel documents
- Standard excess of $200 can be reduced to $100 or $0
If you’re looking for a great all-rounder with comprehensive COVID-19 benefits and generous cover for luggage and travel delays, you might want to look into World2Cover. Their Top Cover plan provides a combined $3,500 cover for cancellation costs, travel delays, and additional expenses due to COVID-19.
Features
- Unlimited overseas medical cover (including COVID-19)
- Unlimited cover for cancellation fees and lost deposits
- At least 38 pre-existing medical conditions covered automatically
- No age limit
1Cover Comprehensive International Travel Insurance
- $1,000 emergency dental cover
- Claim up to $15,000 for luggage and $5,000 for important travel documents
- Standard excess of $200 can be reduced to $100
- 2022 Experts Choice at the Mozo Awards
Awarded Mozo’s 2022 Experts Choice Award for high-quality travel insurance, 1Cover has great benefits for trip cancellation and disruption costs, with unlimited cover for cancellation fees and lost deposits, $5,000 for alternative travel expenses, and $2,000 for additional accommodation and travel expenses. However it provides no cover for trip costs (such as cancellations and disruptions) caused by COVID-19.
Features
- Unlimited medical cover (including COVID-19)
- Up to $20,000 trip cancellation cover
- Up to $2,000 cover per person for trip delay expenses
- Cover for up to 6 consecutive months of travel
- 24/7 support through Allianz Global Assistance
ANZ Complimentary International Travel Insurance
- Luggage benefit up to $12,000 per cardholder or spouse (dependants are included in the limit available to the cardholder or spouse)
- $50,000 benefit per person for permanent disability
- Complimentary international travel insurance is provided with ANZ Frequent Flyer Platinum, Frequent Flyer Black, Rewards Platinum, Rewards Travel Adventures, Rewards Black, and Platinum credit cards.
- To be eligible for the complimentary travel insurance, you will need to be an Australian resident who has purchased a return overseas travel ticket before leaving Australia. You must also charge at least $250 of prepaid travel costs to your card account before leaving Australia.
ANZ offers complimentary travel insurance on its Platinum and Black personal credit cards. Spouses and dependents (under 25 years old) will also be covered by the insurance if they’re travelling with you.
If extensive medical cover is important to you, this complimentary travel insurance might serve you well. Along with unlimited cover for medical expenses and evacuations, you can also claim up to $10,000 per person for loss of income, up to $50,000 per person for accidental death, and an unparalleled $50,000 for permanent disability — a benefit usually excluded from credit card travel insurance.
FAQs
The best international travel insurance for Australians depends on a range of factors, including the level of cover you want and your budget. For comprehensive cover, it’s Fast Cover International Comprehensive. Cover-More’s Basic Plan offers the good value with extensive cover at an affordable premium while Australia Post International Basic Plan is excellent for medical-only cover.
For frequent travellers, consider NRMA’s Comprehensive Annual Multi-Trip policy. For seniors, look at Qantas Comprehensive Insurance for 70+ years and for families, Southern Cross International Comprehensive Family Cover.
While insurance isn’t always mandatory for international travel, the Australian Department of Health says it is “as important as a valid passport”. Some countries, including those in the Schengen Zone, require proof of travel insurance as part of the visa application or a condition of entry. Since the pandemic, it is a requirement in many countries that your travel insurance covers COVID-19 medical costs.
One of the best Australian travel insurance for COVID-19 claims is nib Comprehensive, which provides unlimited medical cover for COVID-19, along with $10,000 cover for trip costs if your travels are affected by coronavirus.
Travel insurance may help cover any medical costs, trip delays or cancellations, and missing or delayed baggage, all of which can arise from international flying. While travel insurance isn’t a mandatory condition for flying, many countries require proof of travel insurance for entry.
A number of factors influence the cost of your travel insurance, including:
- Your travel itinerary (the destinations and the types of activities planned)
- The level of cover (such as Essentials or Comprehensive)
- The excess you choose
- The number of people listed on the policy
- Your age
- Pre-existing conditions you may want covered
- Extra cover you choose, such as ski cover or cruise cover.
This means with most policies, you have a degree of control over how much you want to cover and how much you pay in premium.
Before making any purchase of any Travel Insurance product you should always read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement and Target Market Determination and see whether the products considered suit your needs. Products compared do not show all features that may be relevant to you and your trip.
We don’t act for or give any advice on the service provider or product and whether they are right for you generally or personally. Please directly visit the relevant website of the above Travel Insurance provider for more information.
