Travel insurance for China
Expert tips for choosing the right travel insurance for China
Our Executive General Manager of General Insurance, Adrian Taylor, has some top tips to help you choose a suitable policy for your trip.
Adrian Taylor
Executive General Manager – General Insurance
Plan ahead to get appropriate cover
Consider your itinerary when choosing a travel insurance plan; you may need cover for medical expenses, cancellation fees, luggage and your rental vehicle excess, as well as any additional cover you may need for cruise or ski trips. With all this in mind, do your research and buy a policy that suits your holiday needs.
Increase your excess to lower your premium
Consider choosing a higher excess to reduce your premium. But remember that your excess is what you pay out-of-pocket if you need to claim, so always choose a manageable excess amount.
Declare your pre-existing medical conditions
Always declare any pre-existing medical conditions as part of your travel insurance application so your insurer can assess what cover they can offer you. Cover for pre-existing conditions may incur an additional premium; however, without it, you may not be covered for claims related to your condition.
Do I need travel insurance for China?
No matter your destination, you should always consider buying travel insurance. If you injure yourself climbing the Great Wall of China or your flight from Chengdu to Guangzhou gets cancelled due to bad weather, you could be hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars out of pocket in medical bills and other expenses.
Travel insurance is specifically designed to provide financial protection when things go wrong, so you can enjoy your trip when things go right. You can’t put a price on peace of mind!
What should my travel insurance policy for China include?
Firstly, you can choose between travel insurance for a single-trip or an annual cover policy that will cover multiple trips for a 12 month period, up to the maximum number of days per trip listed in the policy.
Depending on the type of policy and level of cover you choose, your inclusions may vary, which is why you should read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) for the full details. You should also check the Target Market Determination (TMD) to understand whether the policy suits your needs.
With comprehensive travel insurance for China, you may be covered for the following.
Medical expenses
If you require healthcare services while in China, a travel insurance policy may shoulder some, or all, of the cost of medical or hospital expenses. This is especially helpful if you need medical evacuation or repatriation (which can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars upfront). An international travel insurance policy may help keep you covered in the event of a medical emergency.
It’s important to keep in mind that while hospitals in major cities occasionally have departments specifically for foreigners, medical treatment may be less than adequate in rural areas.1
You may want to consider getting any relevant vaccinations before departing Australia. Consult a doctor or visit a travel health clinic several months before departure for the most up-to-date information.
Driving accidents
If you’re planning to drive yourself while overseas, keep in mind that roads in China can be in poor condition,1 which could increase your likelihood of getting into a car accident. If this happens, your rental car company will usually charge you an excess to cover repair expenses.
Travel insurance can help pay for this excess if your rental car is damaged or stolen. Depending on your level of cover, this benefit may be included automatically or offered as an optional extra.
Before driving in China, you’ll need a Chinese driving license; mainland Chinese authorities don’t accept International Driving Permits and foreign licenses.1 If you’re going to China for less than 90 days but are still interested in obtaining a licence, you might be eligible for a provisional license. Ensure you check these licensing requirements if you hire a car.
Theft and loss of belongings
There is a risk of theft, scams or pickpockets in China, particularly in crowded or popular locations. That’s where travel insurance can help; it could cover your luggage, travel documents (e.g. passport) and personal belongings from theft, damage and loss.
Keep in mind that you should always keep your passport on you in case you’re asked by authorities to present it. However, passers-by then have a chance to snatch your passport, so take precautions and keep this document out of sight whenever possible.
Cancellations and cost of delays
Travel insurance ensures you aren’t caught off-guard by potential travel delays or disruptions, especially in population-heavy countries like China. Comprehensive travel insurance may also provide financial protection for unexpected trip cancellations or delays (up to a monetary limit) before you even take-off. For example, if you missed your connecting flight from Beijing to Hong Kong due to severe weather and had to finance food and accommodation until you can catch the next available flight, you may be covered for expenses that aren’t already covered by your airline.
What’s excluded from travel insurance for China?
Similar to any other insurance product, travel insurance comes with a set of common exclusions, limits and sub-limits and doesn’t usually cover the following:
- Travelling against government advice or warning (these are listed on Smartraveller).
- Negligence leading to loss or damage of personal belongings and valuables (e.g. forgetting your luggage at the taxi rank and it gets stolen).
- Trip cancellations due to change of mind or unpreparedness (e.g. forgetting to renew your passport or get a visa on time).
- Extreme or high-risk sports and activities (these may be eligible for cover through optional adventure cover).
- Claims from incidents that occurred while you were under the incident of any intoxicants or while committing unlawful activities.
- Loss or injuries from pre-existing conditions that have not been assessed and improved by your insurer.
- Acts of war, terrorism or civil unrest.
Do I need a visa for China from Australia?
If you’re travelling to China as an Australian citizen, you should make sure your passport has at least six months’ validity from your planned return date, or you risk being refused entry into the country.
You also typically need a visa to travel to China.1 Sometimes, you may be able to get a transit visa on arrival in China for short visits, but you’ll otherwise need a full and valid visa when travelling to mainland China. There are numerous types of visas, so you’ll need to check what type you need (you can find a list on the Chinese Embassy’s website). You’ll also need to have your visa before you depart from Australia.
There are also different visa rules and requirements for areas like Hong Kong and Macau, and you require permission from the Chinese government to enter Tibet.
Meet our travel insurance expert, Adrian Taylor
As the Executive General Manager of General Insurance, Adrian Taylor believes in educating customers about the importance of travel insurance so that anyone can kick back and make the most of their time away from home. While no one wants a disrupted holiday, a suitable travel insurance policy can provide a financial safety net for yourself, your belongings and your trip in case things go wrong.
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1 Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Smartraveller. China. Updated May 2024. Accessed June 2024.