Having travel insurance is important to make sure you have the support you need if anything were to go wrong on your trip overseas. Insurance can offer peace of mind that you’ll be looked after if you were to fall ill, have an accident, or lose your baggage for example.
New Zealand inbound travel insurance is available from local providers and global insurers, with different policies, features and fees depending on your specific needs. Join us as we explore some popular options of travel insurance for visitors to New Zealand. 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.
Yes. For visitors to New Zealand, travel insurance is recommended to ensure you’re covered if you fall ill, have an accident, become the victim of crime, or simply incur additional costs as a result of travel delays or interruptions. You can buy your travel insurance in your home country before you depart, or you might prefer to get inbound travel insurance from a provider in New Zealand.
Inbound travel insurance is offered by local insurers in New Zealand, to people who are not usually New Zealand residents, and who plan to visit the country.
You may be interested in choosing inbound travel insurance for New Zealand because it allows you to work with a local insurer in New Zealand, with policies and coverage which is tailored to this market.
In most cases to buy inbound travel insurance you must not be a resident of New Zealand, but you must be visiting legally with a visa, or visa waiver depending on your nationality.
Inbound travel insurance plans will also have other eligibility criteria such as the length of your stay and in some cases may only be offered to people with specific visa types. In this guide we’ve picked out popular options like Southern Cross inbound travel insurance which is available to residents of many countries, and also some policies which are more niche, such as the Allianz inbound travel insurance which is a true domestic policy and may only be available to visitors under limited circumstances.
Inbound travel insurance plans also have age requirements, and may not cover pre-existing medical conditions. Make sure you read through the policy wording of your particular policy carefully before you travel.
Not all inbound travel insurance policies are suitable for all visitors to New Zealand. This means you’ll need to compare a few to find a policy which works for your specific trip. Some things to look out for include:
Here we’ve picked out a few different options for travel insurance for New Zealand visitors. We’ve included some local providers which have inbound travel insurance for New Zealand, as well as one domestic policy which may suit some visitors, and one which is designed for the needs of long term travelers and digital nomads more specifically.
We've got a quick comparison on key features first, followed by a more detailed look at each right after.
| Provider and plan | Eligibility | Coverage areas | Add ons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cover More inbound travel insurance¹ | Non-New Zealand residents travelling to and within New Zealand | Medical expenses, cancellations, delays, lost baggage - some cover available as an upgrade only | Adventure Activities or Adventure+ Activities Motorcycle/Moped Riding+ Cover Snow Cover or Snow+ Cover |
| Southern Cross inbound travel insurance² | Non-New Zealand residents travelling to and within New Zealand | Medical cover, accidents, lost travel documents and money | Pre existing condition cover |
| Allianz domestic travel insurance³ | Domestic insurance, available to New Zealand and Australian citizens or residents | Delays and cancellations, lost travel documents and money | Adventure pack Cruise pack Snow pack Increased item limits |
| Insurance Safe inbound travel insurance⁴ | Non-New Zealand residents travelling to and within New Zealand | Medical cover, accidents, lost travel documents and money | Increased item limits |
| World Nomads travel insurance⁵ | Intended for long term travellers and digital nomads in New Zealand | Medical cover, accidents, lost travel documents and money - exact coverage depends on your usually country of residence | None specified |
*Details correct at time of writing - 27th October 2025
This guide is for information only. Insurance policy wording can be complex, and does change from time to time - make sure you check the specific policy wording before you travel.
Cover More is a New Zealand based insurance specialist which offers inbound travel insurance for people coming to New Zealand. Your coverage may be used for travel in New Zealand only, or if you’re including New Zealand as part of a broader international trip.
Cover includes up to 1 million NZD for medical expenses, and 15,000 NZD for lost baggage. Cancellations and delays may also be covered, but in some cases you need to upgrade your policy to benefit from this feature.
Eligibility: Non-New Zealand residents travelling to and within New Zealand
Coverage highlights: Medical expenses, cancellations, delays, lost baggage - some cover available as an upgrade only
Optional add ons: Adventure activities, motorcycle/moped, ski and snow sports
Southern Cross inbound travel insurance covers you for up to 5 days while you travel to and from New Zealand, and then for the time you spend here.
Medical cover is unlimited in most circumstances, although sub limits do apply here⁵. You may also qualify for cover for cancellations, delays and interruptions to your travel, with limits depending on the reason for the problem occurring.
Eligibility: Non-New Zealand residents travelling to and within New Zealand
Coverage highlights: Medical cover, accidents, lost travel documents and money
Optional add ons: Pre existing condition cover
Allianz inbound travel insurance is different to some of the other providers featured here in that it’s a domestic policy primarily aimed at New Zealanders. We’ve included it in this round up as it does also extend benefits to Australian citizens and residents in some cases, which may make it suitable travel insurance for some visitors to New Zealand⁶.
It’s important to note that this policy doesn’t cover medical costs and so would only be suitable if you have additional medical insurance which would support a visit to New Zealand.
Eligibility: Domestic insurance, available to New Zealand and Australian citizens or residents
Coverage highlights: Delays and cancellations, lost travel documents and money
Optional add ons: Adventure pack, Cruise pack, Snow pack, Increased item limits
Insurance Safe inbound travel insurance is aimed at travelers in New Zealand as well as overseas students or workers who have finished study or work in New Zealand and will remain there for a holiday.
Coverage includes unlimited medical treatment in New Zealand and up to 25,000 NZD for lost baggage and personal effects⁸. This provider doesn’t offer additional options for adventure activities and snow sports, which may be a drawback depending on your planned itinerary.
Eligibility: Non-New Zealand residents travelling to and within New Zealand
Coverage highlights: Medical cover, accidents, lost travel documents and money
Optional add ons: Increased item limits
World Nomads travel insurance might be a good pick if you’re planning a long term trip in New Zealand, with policies you can arrange from more or less any country. Your cover levels - and costs - depend in part on your normal country of residence, but cover is comprehensive and supports some adventure activities as standard.
Eligibility: Intended for long term travellers and digital nomads in New Zealand
Coverage highlights: Medical cover, accidents, lost travel documents and money - exact coverage depends on your usually country of residence
Optional add ons: None specified
The Wise card is a simple way to save up to 8x 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 NZD 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 NZD 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 New Zealand banks and other similar providers in Jan 2025. To learn more please visit https://payout-surge.live/nz/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.
*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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