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If you’re wondering if travel insurance covers overseas medical expenses, then you’re in luck. Medical cover included in travel insurance typically covers expenses incurred due to accidents or illnesses during your overseas trip. Here are some more handy things to know:
Travel insurance with medical-only cover (sometimes referred to as “basic” cover) is a policy designed almost exclusively for medical assistance overseas. These policies are not offered by all insurers. Medical expenses can add up even without including treatment, as the cost of staying at a hospital can easily get into thousands of dollars, depending on which country you’re in.
Travel insurance with medical cover may help mitigate some of those costs; however, it’s a good idea to be mindful that there may be certain limitations and restrictions on what you can claim.
If you’re planning a trip overseas, you should always consider travel insurance. But if you’re travelling on a shoestring budget, here are some benefits even a basic policy may offer you:
When it comes to choosing the right policy, you might not think there’s much to consider with a medical-only policy. However, there are still a few things you might want to keep in mind when comparing:
Not matter what level of cover you’re looking for; you want to make sure you’re choosing the right policy for your needs. Compare the Market’s travel insurance expert, Adrian Taylor, has some tips for you to consider when taking out a policy:
While many insurance providers offer cover for COVID-19 related losses, in many cases you may need to purchase their top tier cover or their comprehensive cover for COVID-19 cover to be included. Look for the COVID-19 icon when you compare products.
If you’re going on a cruise trip, a regular travel insurance policy, even one with medical cover, won’t financially protect you against any unforeseen events related to your cruise. You’ll need to purchase cruise cover as an optional extra to be covered for any medical expenses on your trip, even if your cruise is in domestic waters.
Before purchasing a medical-only policy, consider whether you need the additional benefits a higher level of cover offers. This may include cover for cancellation fees, luggage and personal effects and also cover for any rental vehicle excess if you’re hiring a car. Also, consider adding additional cover for ski holidays or adventure activities to ensure you have medical cover for these activities, too, as they may not be covered automatically.
International travel insurance with medical-only cover usually includes:
Many basic travel insurance policies also include personal liability cover if you injure another person or damage their belongings. Along with these common features, certain insurers may also offer cover for emergency dental care up to certain limits. However, it’s crucial to understand that medical cover is not offered under domestic travel insurance policies, as you’re generally covered by the Australian Government’s Medicare system.
Keep in mind that medical-only travel insurance doesn’t offer protection for cancellations and loss of luggage, meaning these losses will have to be paid out of pocket.
Always read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) of any policy you want to purchase for an in-depth view of what’s covered, including the policy’s exclusions, limits and sub-limits. You can also read the Target Market Determination (TMD) to see if a policy will suit your circumstances.
The amount of medical cover you need will depend on your individual circumstances and your trip’s itinerary. If you have pre-existing medical conditions or are getting involved in adventure activities, you might need to purchase additional cover to be fully covered. However, the good news is that many policies offer unlimited medical cover, subject to certain limits and sub-limits listed in your policy.
There are circumstances where your insurer won’t cover you. These circumstances may come about because your policy doesn’t cover certain situations or you’ve done something that will result in your claim being denied. These exclusions may include:
Remember to always review the policy’s PDS to know what exclusions apply to your coverage.
Depending on where you travel, some countries might only provide medical treatment to you if you can pay up-front or have travel insurance, even in a medical emergency. For that reason, all travellers should consider purchasing at least a basic travel insurance policy before departing on their trip. Medical-only travel insurance can be a good option for:
If you’re a frequent traveller, annual cover or an annual multi-trip policy may have more value than buying multiple single trip medical travel insurance policies. With annual cover, you’re covered for all your trips in a 12-month period provided you meet the policy conditions. Most annual policies will allow you to select a maximum trip length, ranging from 15 to 90 days. However, annual cover typically only has one level of cover, which is comprehensive.
The RHCA partially covers medically necessary care when Australians visit eligible countries or when travellers from these countries visit Australia. Medically necessary care refers to emergency care, like illnesses and injuries that require immediate care or hospitalisation and can’t wait until you get home.
Australia has an RCHA with these 11 countries:1
This list is current as of February 2024.
Unfortunately, Italy doesn’t cover medicine costs. The rest of the countries on this list will partially cover medicine costs, or cover medicine costs up to a certain amount.
If you’re tossing up between a basic medical-only policy and comprehensive cover, it’s important to understand what’s included under each level of cover. Although policy features may vary, comprehensive cover may protect you against the financial impact of a greater variety of unforeseen events, including:
Travel insurance policies with a standard or comprehensive level of cover can give you greater peace of mind on your journey overseas and more value on your policy; however, even a basic level of cover is preferable to travelling without any at all.
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.
1 Smartraveller.gov.au, Australian Government. Reciprocal health care agreements. Accessed February 2024.