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Comprehensive travel insurance means just that – a comprehensive cover of all necessary travel related insurance needs. However, this doesn’t mean there is no flexibility within this kind of policy. To the contrary, it can offer a great deal of flexibility to all travellers, and takes into account all kinds of travel needs. Travellers can pick and choose many of the inclusions to suit their budget and trip requirements. However, there are some standard elements to comprehensive travel insurance that should be looked at more specifically.
Choosing the correct type of insurance can be confusing at times, as most insurance policies can be filled with jargon and information that is hard to understand. The following is a summary of what you can expect will be included within a comprehensive travel insurance policy, and includes an estimate of how much each element should cover you for (based on a family rate for 4 weeks international travel to one other country). As each company has their own policies it is by no means an exact representation and there may be some variations in content and coverage, but it can serve here as a guide:
Standard Elements:
Medical Expenses Incurred outside Australia
Could include:
Hospital expenses, loss of income, permanent
disability, motor vehicle accident, sudden illness,
death or serious injury, |
$1,000,000 – Unlimited |
Dental Expenses
Emergency Dental expenses |
$1,000,000 – Unlimited |
Medical Evacuation and Repatriation
Could include:
Additional travel & accommodation expenses
for a family member due to death or serious
injury, hijacking, natural disaster, and return
transport home. |
Unlimited
|
Personal Luggage and Effects
Could include:
Loss, theft, or damage of luggage, laptop,
camera, golf clubs, or jewellery. |
$10,000 - $40,000 |
Cancellation & Interruption
Could include:
Agents fees, transport, accommodation,
frequent flyer points, tuition or course fees,
trip rearrangement. |
Unlimited |
The following are some other non-standard elements (by no means conclusive) that may or may not be included as standard elements; however, they can often be added or removed from existing policies. For this reason it is important that you check each policy individually to ensure that it includes the ones you specifically require. In other words; shop around!
Non Standard Elements:
| Rental vehicle expenses |
$1,000 - $5,000 |
| Travel delay |
$2,000 |
| Loss of income |
$20,000 |
| Accidental death expenses |
$20,000 - $50,000 |
| Hospital cash allowance |
$10,000 - $20,000 |
| Personal liability |
$2 - $5 million |
| Legal expenses |
$20,000 - $30,000 |
| Resumption of trip |
$5,000 - $6,000 |
| Missed connection |
$5,000 |
| Internet and telephone calls |
$250 |
| Replacement passport and travel documents |
$3,000 |
| Snow skiing and/or golf benefits |
$400 - $1,000 |
| Domestic pets |
$500 |
It is important to note that some countries incur higher health care costs and, due to certain regions of the world being considered hotspots, comprehensive travel insurance rates and inclusions can vary from region to region. So it is important that you check with your insurer that your policy adequately covers the region you will be travelling to and the things that are specific to your trip. Every insurance company is obligated to provide a Product Disclosure Statement outlining the specifics of what each policy does and doesn’t include. So always ensure that you take the time to read this document before you take out any kind of travel insurance.
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