When to buy travel insurance
When should I buy travel insurance?
To get the most out of your cover, it’s worth purchasing travel insurance as early as possible, ideally when you pay your first deposit or make your first flight booking. Some insurers may allow you to buy your cover up to a year before your departure date.
Always read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) for more information on inclusions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits. The Target Market Determination (TMD) may also help you figure out if the travel insurance product suits your situation.
Here are a couple of reasons why you might consider purchasing your travel insurance early.
Access to cancellation cover
Purchasing travel insurance early will give you access to cancellation cover before your holiday begins.
If you’ve paid for flights, accommodation, tours and other holiday expenses, cancellation cover could reimburse you if your travel plans change due to unforeseen circumstances before your departure date. Some of these circumstances may include:
- You or your travel companion becomes ill or injured and can’t travel
- Your travel documents are stolen
- A natural disaster impacts your destination
- The travel alert for your destination on Smartraveller changes to ‘do not travel’.
You have a pre-existing condition
If you have a pre-existing medical condition, cover can vary depending on the insurance company. Some may offer cover for your condition, while other providers may exclude it from your cover or even deny cover altogether. Having the time to shop around for your travel insurance cover could be even more vital in this situation.
Can I purchase travel insurance at the last minute?
Yes, insurance providers may allow you to purchase travel insurance either on your departure date or the day before. Just note that your travel insurance at this point will only cover you for the duration of your trip. It won’t cover the things that go wrong in the planning stages, such as anything that has already occurred that might result in you cancelling your trip.
How to add travel insurance after booking flight
Some travel agents may offer their preferred travel insurance option when you book your flights. However, it’s worth comparing your options to ensure you’re getting the cover you need for the right price.
Whether you’re staying in Australia or embarking on international travel, our travel insurance comparison service can help you compare policies from several providers in just minutes. Why not see if you can find a great deal on a single trip policy today?
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.