Qantas travel insurance. What’s on offer and how does it work?

Were you aware that most countries will not provide you with free or subsidised healthcare as a traveller? In most circumstances, you will need to pay the full price, so it's worth considering coverage from a travel insurance provider such as Qantas. ¹

Qantas is an Australian airline that doesn't just offer flights - it also provides travel insurance. In this article, we will be taking a look at Qantas’ travel insurance options, focussing on its comprehensive international travel package.

Read on to learn about what Qantas travel insurance covers, how it works, and what to consider before submitting for coverage.

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What is travel insurance with Qantas?

Travel insurance with Qantas is a range of insurance packages designed to protect you against the unexpected costs and disruptions often associated with travel.

This includes delay and cancellation costs, medical expenses, COVID-19 disruption, and more. Travellers are also able to purchase additional add-ons to augment their coverage, such as Snow Sports Optional Cover. ²

Qantas travel insurance packages

Qantas provides three core travel insurance packages - international comprehensive, Australian comprehensive, and annual multi-trip. As the names suggest, Australian comprehensive is tailored to domestic travel, whilst international comprehensive and multi-trip cover international destinations.

International comprehensive and multi-trip both provide full coverage for a range of unexpected travel expenses such as medical emergencies, travel disruption, and lost or stolen belongings.

The multi-trip package offers coverage for unlimited day trips of up to 45 days within a 12-month period, whilst the comprehensive package provides a cheaper and more short-term option, and can last for as long as your trip is booked. ²

Who Administers travel insurance on behalf of Qantas

To access travel insurance through Qantas, you will need to request a quote and submit an application through Qantas. However, all Qantas travel insurance options are issued by the AIG Australia Limited administration board, which underwrites the insurance policies. ³

What are the main benefits of travel insurance with Qantas?

The specific benefits that you can access through Qantas travel insurance depend on the package that you choose. However, the main benefits of comprehensive international and multi-trip insurance with Qantas are as follows: ²

• Emergency medical expenses
• Cancellation Costs
• Rental car excess
• Luggage and personal effects
• 24/7 emergency assistance
• COVID-19 coverage

Types of coverage offered by Qantas travel insurance

The specific types of travel insurance coverage offered by Qantas will vary depending on the plan that you choose. However, the main types of coverage excesses offered on the comprehensive international plan are shown in the following table: ²

Type of Coverage	Excess
Emergency overseas medical expenses (including COVID-19 diagnosis)	Unlimited
Unlimited trip cancellation costs (including COVID-19 diagnosis)	Unlimited
Rental car excess	Up to AUD$8,000
Luggage and personal effects	Up to AUD$15,000

Qantas travel insurance main fees

The main fees that you will need to pay when purchasing Qantas travel insurance depend entirely on the details of your trip, in addition to the personal details of individuals who will be covered. This includes your age, travel destinations, length of trip, and any preexisting medical conditions. You will need to input this information into Qantas’ online quote calculator to determine specific fees.

However, as an example, take a look at the following table. It concerns purchasing travel insurance for a 30-year-old individual with no preexisting medical conditions. ⁴

Country of Travel	International Comprehensive (1-month cost)	Annual Multi-trip (annual cost)
New Zealand	AUD$146	AUD$710
Japan	AUD$297	AUD$710
France	AUD$362	AUD$710

As seen on 13 September 2023

What’s not covered under this travel insurance

For a full breakdown of what is not covered under Qantas travel insurance, you will need to read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement for your insurance plan. However, general exclusions include: ⁵

• Events or circumstances are known prior to purchasing the insurance
• Travel to countries with "Level 4 - Do Not Travel" status
• Existing medical conditions (unless agreed upon or included under Qantas’ "automatically covered conditions" list
• Pregnancy if you are more than 26 weeks pregnant
• Sports and activities (unless add-ons have been purchased, such as Snow Sports Optional Cover)
• Putting yourself in danger (such as the use of alcohol or drugs)

Eligibility for Qantas travel insurance

In order to be eligible for Qantas travel insurance, you must be an Australian resident who is currently enrolled in Medicare, with an unrestricted right of entry into Australia. You must also be medically fit to travel at the time of purchasing insurance, and must not be aware of any circumstances which could lead to cancellation or disruption of your trip. ⁵

Children under the age of 12 can be automatically covered with Qantas travel insurance for free but must be listed when applying for a policy. ²

How to get travel insurance with Qantas

To get travel insurance with Qantas, the first step is to enter your age and trip details into Qantas’ online quote calculator. An initial quote will be provided, and if you choose to purchase the plan, you will need to register an online account. Familiarise yourself with the excess details and Product Disclosure Statement of the plan you are interested in, make payment, and wait for plan confirmation.

Once your submission has been accepted, you will receive a copy of your specific coverage policy via e-mail or mail.

Making a claim with Qantas travel insurance

Before making a claim with Qantas travel insurance, you will need to first ensure that you have the following information to hand: ⁶

• Your policy number
• Details of circumstances and associated costs
• Copies of receipts and other evidence (such as police report numbers, cancellation confirmations, etc.)
• Account details (to receive claim payment)

Once you are prepared with the following information, you can submit your claim through Qantas’ online claim portal. You will have to provide as much information regarding your claim as possible, and once submitted, you will receive a phone call and/or e-mail with Qantas' decision within 10 business days. ⁶

Alternative Ways to Make a Claim with Qantas

If you would prefer not to make a Qantas travel insurance claim online, you can also submit a claim by telephone or mail.

To make a claim via phone, you can call Qantas' claims team on 1800 954 017 (within Australia) or +61 3 9522 4839 (from overseas). Note that these phone lines are only from 8 am to 7 pm from Monday to Friday, and from 9 am to 4 pm on Saturday and Sunday.

To make a claim via email, you will have to first download a claim form, fill it in with details of your claim, and send/email it using the contact details at the bottom of the form. ⁶

A word on Qantas travel insurance and COVID-19

Both comprehensive and multi-trip travel insurance packages with Qantas offer coverage for COVID-19 disruption in the event that you are diagnosed with the virus. This means that you are covered for the following: ⁵

• Loss of prepaid travel deposits in the event that you must shorten or cancel your trip
• Additional transportation expenses (if you must return home early or adjust your itinerary)
• Additional accommodation and meal expenses (if you must stay where you are longer than you intended)

However, Qantas will not cover costs related to travelling against government advice, medical advice, or quarantine mandates. ⁵

Additional things to keep in mind

It’s worth remembering that travel insurance policies are complex, and the specifics of your coverage will depend on many factors such as your age, travel destination, length of trip, and any preexisting medical conditions. For this reason, you should carefully read the Qantas Product Disclosure Statement before purchasing.

Another thing to consider if you choose Qantas as your travel insurance provider is that you will be rewarded with Qantas Points which can be used to pay for flights, upgrades, hotels or car hire. ⁸

The quantity of points you receive depends on the insurance package you choose:

• Annual Multi-Trip: 5,000 Points
• Comprehensive International: 2,000 Points
• Australian Comprehensive: 250 Points

You will also earn an additional point for every AUD$1 you spend on your premium. ²

Contacting Qantas

To get in touch with Qantas over the telephone, you will need to use one of the following phone numbers:

• General Enquiries: 1800 954 270 or +61 3 9522 4840 (from overseas)
• Claims: 1800 954 017 or +61 3 9522 4839 (from overseas)
• Emergency Assistance: 1800 954 016 or +61 3 9522 4838 (from overseas )⁷

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Sources:

1. SmartTraveller: Travel Insurance
2. Qantas: Travel Insurance
3. Qantas: Qantas Travel Insurance Policies
4. Qantas: Get a Quote
5. Qantas: Comprehensive Travel Insurance PDS
6. Qantas: Make a Claim
7. Qantas: Contact Us
8. Qantas: Use Qantas Points

Sources checked on: 13 September, 2023