Travel insurance for Iran

While the government does not recommend it, it may be technically possible to travel to Iran. However, you will need to submit an Iran visa application with the Iranian embassy to apply for travel. If you do travel to Iran, you will typically not be covered by any international travel insurance policy. You also won’t be covered by your Australian medical insurance. If you get injured or ill, or suffer some other financial loss, you will have to pay all your expenses out-of-pocket.

While cities like Tehran or Shiraz are beautiful, unfortunately visiting Iran at present may come with serious risks to your safety and wellbeing. Some of these include:

• Terrorism
• Kidnapping, theft and scams
• Civil unrest
• Border tensions with countries such as Iraq or Afghanistan
• Natural disasters such as earthquakes and severe temperatures.¹

While it may be possible to visit Iran and have a safe trip, it’s important to remember that the Australian Government may be unable to help you if you run into trouble.

If you are injured or develop a serious illness while in Iran, you may need to be medically evacuated to get adequate medical treatment. This can be expensive and may need to be paid out-of-pocket.

Through Smartraveller, the Australian government monitors a total of 178 destinations, and offers a travel advice warning for each.¹ This helps Australians understand potential risks and make informed decisions when they are deciding where to travel. The four levels of travel advisories are:

• Level 1. Exercise normal safety precautions
• Level 2. Exercise a high degree of caution
• Level 3. Reconsider your need to travel
• Level 4. Do not travel.

Typically, travel insurance providers will only cover levels one to three. However, check the exclusions and limits of a policy before you buy it for the full details of what’s covered.

Depending on where you wish to travel, it may be possible to get a travel insurance plan for some countries in the Middle East. Check Smartraveller for the latest advice and remember you probably won’t be able to get travel insurance for countries with a ‘do not travel’ warning.

While it’s typically not possible to get travel insurance for Iran, you should still consider getting cover when travelling to other destinations that have a lower travel advisory.

Travel insurance may cover a range of insured events and offer peace of mind when you’re taking a trip. A comprehensive travel insurance policy may cover some of the following benefits:

• Cover for medical expenses relating to medical emergencies, emergency dental care, hospital stays and more
• Emergency medical evacuation and repatriation back to Australia
• Cover for trip cancellation, disruption or curtailment expenses
• Cover for legal assistance if you need to defend yourself overseas against a personal liability claim
• Cover for luggage and belongings, such as stolen valuables, loss of passport or damaged property
• 24/7 emergency assistance.

When submitting a travel insurance application, you should declare any pre-existing medical conditions to your insurer or you may not be covered. You may also be able to purchase extra cover for things such as adventure activities or rental car excess, depending on your insurer.

Check the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) for the full details of the inclusions and exclusions of your policy. The Target Market Determination (TMD) can help you decide whether a policy is suitable for your trip.

When looking to buy a policy, check the relevant safety warnings on Smartraveller to see if cover is available to you, and what you should consider when taking out a policy.