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Best travel insurance in Australia (2026 Comparison)
Heading off on a trip can be exciting but don’t forget to protect yourself by getting travel insurance! Having it gives you peace of mind, especially if you’re travelling abroad, offering coverage for unexpected events that can happen along the way like medical emergencies, lost baggage and cancellations. With that, you may be wondering what is the best travel insurance in Australia, to ensure you're well protected.
In this guide, we'll take a look at what travel insurance covers before comparing some of the top travel insurance providers in Australia to see how they stack up. We'll also introduce to you Wise Travel Card that can help you save on international transactions with currency conversions at mid-market exchange rates.
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What does travel insurance cover?
What a travel insurance policy covers will vary depending on the provider, as well as the plan, options and add ons you’ve chosen. Some policies are designed to be budget friendly, offering low fees and basic protection, while others cost a bit more but offer a greater range of coverage with higher claim limits.
Common things that are covered under a comprehensive travel insurance policy include:
- Emergency medical expenses
- Emergency dental care
- Medical repatriation
- Lost luggage, passports, or travel documents
- Trip delays and cancellations
- Missed connections
- Accidental death and disablement
- Liability coverage
Many also have add ons to cover things like adventure activities, motorcycle riding, cruises and winter sports.
What does travel insurance not cover?
Travel insurance policies also come with a list of things they don’t cover called exclusions. Exactly what’s on this list varies between providers, but these are some common things that travel insurance won’t cover.
- Pre-existing medical conditions unless accepted for coverage
- Chronic illness
- Working abroad
- Self-inflicted injuries
- Illegal activities
- Natural disasters, terrorism, pandemics or war
- Extreme sports
When choosing a travel insurance, it’s important to read the terms and conditions carefully, which can be found in the policy disclosure statement (PDS). If you need to make a claim and unexpectedly find out that the situation isn’t covered, you could end up paying out of pocket which can become very expensive.
Things to look out for when choosing a travel insurance
To find the best policy for your trip, it’s a good idea to compare multiple travel insurance providers. When reviewing them, here are some things to consider.
- Are all of your planned activities covered?
- What’s the medical coverage like and what claim support is offered for emergencies?
- Does the pricing change based on the destination or trip length, and is it better value to get an annual plan?
- What happens if your trip is delayed, cancelled or changed?
- Can the policy be extended if your return home is delayed?
- How easy is the claims process and what time frame can you expect?
With all that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the best travel insurance providers in Australia.
Best travel insurance providers - Main comparison
To start, here’s a summary of how the best travel insurance in Australia compares, using their comprehensive international insurance plan to keep things fair.
| Provider | Accidental death cover | Overseas medical expenses | Travel cancellation | Add-ons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allianz² | $25,000 | $20 million | Chosen limit | Adventure Pack Cruise Pack Snow Pack |
| ahm⁴ | $25,000 | Unlimited | $3000 or as selected | Cruise Cover Motorcycle/Moped riding Skiing, Snowboarding and Snowmobiling |
| Fast Cover⁶ | $25,000 | Unlimited | Unlimited (sub-limits apply) | Snow Sports Adventure Pack Motorcycle Pack Bicycle Pack Cruise Cover |
| Bupa⁸ | $30,000 | Unlimited | Chosen limit | Cruise Cover Adventure activities Motorcycle/Moped riding Snow Sports |
| Cover-More¹⁰ | $25,000 | Unlimited | Chosen limit | Cruise Cover Adventure activities Motorcycle/Moped riding Snow Sports |
| RAC¹² | $25,000 | Unlimited | Unlimited (sub-limits apply) | Winter Sports Cruise |
| NIB¹⁴ | $25,000 | Unlimited | Chosen limit | Snow Sports |
| 1Cover¹⁶ | No cover | Unlimited | Chosen limit | Cruise Pack Winter Sports Pack Bicycle Pack Adventure & Sports Pack |
Keep in mind that many insurers offer a range of plans and have different options that might suit your needs better.
Allianz travel insurance
In Australia, Allianz offers travel insurance policies to people travelling domestically and internationally.² For international travellers there are two plans available; the Comprehensive Plan and Basic Plan. Within those plans the benefit limits vary depending on whether it's a single, duo or family policy.
- Underwritten by Allianz Australia Insurance Limited
- Offers a $20 million benefit limit for overseas medical expenses
- Coverage of up to $10,000 available for luggage and personal effects (sub-limits apply)
- Cancellation coverage is as chosen
To compare Allianz with the other insurance providers, here’s the approximate cost for a 35 year old heading off on a 1 week holiday to these popular destinations.
| Destination | Comprehensive Single Trip Cover¹ |
|---|---|
| Bali | $99.46 |
| Japan | $99.73 |
| United States | $201.79 |
ahm travel insurance
ahm has single trip and annual multi-trip policies for Australians travelling domestically and abroad.⁴ Those heading overseas can choose between the International Comprehensive Plan or the International Medical Only Plan. which only offers coverage for medical related expenses and personal liability.
- Underwritten by Zurich Australian Insurance Limited
- No limit for overseas medical expenses
- Coverage of up to $15,000 for luggage and personal effects (sub-limits apply)
- Cancellation coverage is at least $3000 with options to increase it
This is the quoted price of an ahm international travel insurance policy when selecting an excess of $250. It’s also possible to select $100 or $0 which impacts the pricing.
| Destination | Comprehensive Single Trip Cover³ |
|---|---|
| Bali | $77.00 |
| Japan | $113.00 |
| United States | $191.00 |
Fast Cover travel insurance
At Fast Cover there are six travel insurance plans available; Comprehensive, Standard Saver, Basics, Snow Sports Plus, Domestic Plus and Frequent Traveller Saver.⁶ Each policy can be purchased as a single, duo or family policy, with the benefit limits being per person for duo and doubled for families. Once a plan has been chosen the coverage can then be expanded by purchasing an optional add-on pack, but not all packs are available with all plans.
- Underwritten by Lloyd’s
- Offers unlimited coverage for overseas medical expenses
- Up to $15,000 coverage for luggage and personal effects, (sub-limits apply)
- Unlimited benefit on cancellation coverage
Here’s what Fast Cover has quoted for that week-long trip with a $200 excess.
| Destination | Comprehensive Cover⁵ |
|---|---|
| Bali | $102.89 |
| Japan | $93.09 |
| United States | $166.19 |
Bupa travel insurance
From Bupa you can buy International Plus or International Essentials travel insurance as a single trip or annual multi-trip policy. They also offer domestic travel insurance with the same trip options. Like some of the other policies on this list Bupa’s are underwritten by Zurich, who are a well-established global leader in the insurance industry.
- Underwritten by Zurich Australia Insurance Limited
- No benefit limit for overseas medical expenses
- Up to $12,000 cover for luggage and personal effects (sub-limits apply)
- Cancellation coverage limit is chosen by you
Let’s take a look at Bupa’s pricing when it comes to the week-long overseas trip if a $250 excess was selected.
| Destination | International Plus Single Trip Cover⁷ |
|---|---|
| Bali | $92.00 |
| Japan | $68.00 |
| United States | $299.00 |
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Cover-More travel insurance
At Cover-More there are three international policies offering differing levels of coverage.¹⁰ The Basic Plan has lower limits and no cover for some travel related expenses like rental vehicle excess, while the Comprehensive Plan offers more complete coverage. The highest tier is the Comprehensive+ Plan which has perks like higher benefit limits.
- Underwritten by Zurich Australia Insurance Limited
- Unlimited overseas medical expenses including emergency evacuation and repatriation on all plans
- Luggage and personal effects coverage of $5000 to $25,000 depending on the plan chosen, (sub-limits apply)
- Cancellation coverage is up to the limit chosen by you
This is what CoverMore quotes for the one week holiday to these destinations if a $250 excess is selected.⁹
| Destination | Price |
|---|---|
| Bali | $98.00 |
| Japan | $81.00 |
| United States | $155.00 |
RAC travel insurance
Known for their car insurance and roadside assistance, RAC also offers travel insurance.¹⁰ There are three international plans and three domestic plans, each offering different levels of coverage. Unlike some other providers there’s no need to purchase a motorcycle and moped add-on, instead it’s included in the policy with the applicable conditions.
- Issued by Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co. Ltd
- Unlimited overseas medical expenses
- Luggage a personal effects up to $15,000 with sub limits
- Unlimited cancellation coverage for unforeseen circumstances
This is the kind of pricing you’re looking at for the week’s trip with RAC for a non-member with a $250 excess selected.¹¹
| Destination | Price |
|---|---|
| Bali | $164.14 |
| Japan | $168.61 |
| United States | $287.58 |
NIB travel insurance
For their international travel insurance NIB offers a Comprehensive Plan and Essentials Plan, along with an Annual Multi Trip Option.¹⁴ If an overseas or domestic cruise is part of your trip there’s no need to buy a cruise add-on, instead you can gain coverage by choosing one of the plans that comes with it as standard.
- Insured by Pacific International Insurance Pty Ltd
- Unlimited overseas medical expenses
- Luggage and personal effects are insured up to $12,000 (sub-limits apply) with the Comprehensive Plan
- Choose your own cancellation coverage limit
Here’s an idea of how NIB Travel Insurance prices their policy for a one week trip abroad.
| Destination | Price¹³ |
|---|---|
| Bali | $136.00 |
| Japan | $164.00 |
| United States | $266.00 |
1Cover travel insurance
1Cover has a range of insurance policies for international travel, domestic trips, frequent travellers and people who are already overseas¹6. Unlike the rest of the providers in this guide they don’t offer an accidental death benefit with International Comprehensive insurance, but you’re still covered for many other incidents.
- Secured by HDI Global Specialty SE – Australia
- Unlimited overseas emergency medical & hospital expenses
- Coverage up to $15,000 for luggage and personal effects, (sub-limits apply)
- Chosen limit applies to pre-departure cancellations and a $2000 benefit for pre-departure amendments.
Let’s take a look at the estimated price for 1Cover insurance, which is coming out as one of the cheapest options across the three destinations.
| Destination | Price |
|---|---|
| Bali | $90.30 |
| Japan | $83.65 |
| United States | $117.53 |
Travelling somewhere? Bring Wise and save up to 7x on your overseas spend
Travelling with peace of mind starts with the right insurance. Once you’ve got your travel insurance lined up, it’s time to work out the best way to spend when you’re overseas. The Wise card is a simple way to save up to 7x when you're spending internationally. You can spend in 150+ countries at mid-market rate — basically the rate you see on Google. With no foreign transaction fees and low, transparent pricing, Wise usually gives you the best value for your money.
Simply create a Wise account for free, order a card and top-up AUD to get started. Having a physical Wise card allows you to make chip and pin payments, as well as make some free ATM withdrawals each month for when you're abroad. You can get digital cards and add to your Google or Apple Pay wallet for instant use. Spend directly with the Wise account in AUD and let auto-conversion do the trick or convert in advance to your desired currency. You can hold and exchange 40+ currencies in your Wise account and spend the currencies you hold for free.
Wherever your travel takes you, the Wise card makes spending money abroad cheaper and easier.
This general advice does not take into account your objectives, financial circumstances or needs and you should consider if it is appropriate for you. Savings claim based on our rates vs. selected Australian banks and other similar providers in Jan 2025. To learn more please visit https://payout-surge.live/au/compare%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Please see Terms of Use and product availability for your region or visit Wise Fees & Pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information.
Sources used:
- Allianz - Quote
- Allianz - PDS
- AHM - Quote
- AHM - PDS
- Fastcover - Quote
- Fastcover - PDS
- Bupa - Quote
- Bupa - PDS
- Cover-More - Quote
- Cover-More - PDS
- RAC - Quote
- RAC - PDS
- NIB Travel Insurance - Quote
- NIB Travel Insurance - PDS
- 1Cover - Quote
- 1Cover - PDS
*Please see terms of use and product availability for your region or visit Wise fees and pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information.
This publication is provided for general information purposes and does not constitute legal, tax or other professional advice from Wise Payments Limited or its subsidiaries and its affiliates, and it is not intended as a substitute for obtaining advice from a financial advisor or any other professional.
We make no representations, warranties or guarantees, whether expressed or implied, that the content in the publication is accurate, complete or up to date.
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