Passport – check. Clothes – check. Medications – check. Smartphone – check.
You’ve got all of the above, but what about travel insurance?
Travelling overseas can be a fantastic adventure – but you shouldn’t do it without first having a travel insurance policy in place. Not all travel policies are the same with many policy limitations that sometimes aren’t as obvious until it’s too late.
It’s vitally important to ensure that you’re purchasing a policy that is adequate for where you are going together with coverage for activities that will be undertaken.
Many activities are not included in the “standard” policies for example heli-skiing or caving or certain underwater activities may be excluded or have policy limitations imposed. Be careful to ensure that any activities you intend to undertake are covered prior to your departure.
Further, you should also make a point of looking up the Government’s smart traveller website to check the “safety status” of the country you intend visiting. This official site classifies countries according to travel safety and, of course, in many parts of the world this is volatile and subject to constant change.
The highest warning the Government issues is its “Do not travel”, which advises against travel to certain destinations. Some current “Do not travel” warnings include Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, South Sudan and Yemen. Be aware that if you travel to countries against advice, your travel insurance will most likely be of no value. A number of countries are on a “reconsider your need to travel” list.
Travel policies vary enormously and in the case of violence, political unrest and terrorist activities, these can escalate quickly, and may force the Australian Government to upgrade its warning to “Do not travel”.
Given the current ‘Corona Virus’ situation ensuring you have a full understanding of your policy terms and conditions is critical. To ensure that you have the appropriate travel insurance its prudent to discuss your requirements with your insurance advisor, who can tailor a policy accordingly and arrange well prior to your departure date.