Group travel insurance
A guide to group travel insurance
Last updated April 2, 2024
Why take out group travel insurance?
Up to 25 travellers can enjoy the same benefits that they’d receive from a singles policy, with a few extra advantages:
- It can be cheaper. If everyone in your party looks out for one another, there’s less risk of having to make an insurance claim. As such, insurers may offer competitive rates to insure entire parties.
- Less paperwork. The paperwork required to get everyone insured is cut down considerably with group policies. One person (the organiser) can make all the arrangements for the whole group.
- Identical levels of cover. Everyone gets the same level of protection, which means everyone knows what activities they can and can’t take part in.
- Easy access to each other’s policy details. Should someone be unable to communicate with you (perhaps they’re in hospital), you can access their policy details quickly.
Choosing group travel insurance
When it comes to choosing travel insurance cover for your group, there are a few key considerations you need to take into account:
- Is anyone planning to drive? To drive overseas you’ll typically need an International Driver’s License; it’s also a good idea to have travel insurance that covers your car rental excess in case the car is stolen or damaged.
- Are there plans for adventure activities? If you’re planning on getting adventurous, from skiing in Europe, to scuba diving in Fiji – you may only be covered for these activities if you’ve purchased suitable adventure or winter sports cover.
- Are you going to take a cruise? Cruising isn’t typically covered under a regular travel insurance policy, but you may be able to purchase cruise cover to be covered for unforeseen events, such as needing to be medically evacuated back to the mainland.
Expert tips for choosing the right group travel insurance
Adrian Taylor, our Executive General Manager of General Insurance, has some tips for helping you choose a suitable policy for your group trip.
Adrian Taylor
Executive General Manager – General Insurance
Purchase cover as soon as you book
The organiser should purchase comprehensive travel insurance as soon as you pay any deposit for accommodation, activities or travel arrangements. By doing so, any cancellation fees may be covered if you need to cancel your trip due to unforeseen circumstances before you even get going.
Consider your itinerary to choose the right cover
As a group, you should decide what level of cover you need for medical treatment or hospital fees, cancellation fees, luggage and rental vehicle excess.
Lower your premium with a higher excess
If you want to lessen your premium, consider selecting a higher excess. The excess is the amount of money you pay upfront when making a claim, so it’s important to choose a policy excess that’s manageable for all of the members in your group.
The basics of group travel insurance
Do we need group travel insurance?
Whether it’s an individual policy or one for the whole group, we believe that every traveller should consider travel insurance, no matter where or why they’re going. Travelling can be unpredictable, and travel insurance for groups ensures all members of your party are covered.
With a group travel insurance policy, your whole squad will have equal coverage for various scenarios. Depending on the policy you choose, these may include cancellations or delays, illness and injury, stolen luggage or even if someone loses their passport overseas.
What should a group travel insurance policy include?
Travel insurance can vary between insurers, so it’s important to track down suitable travel insurance for groups that works for all of the travellers in your party. Luckily, many types of policies typically cover what’s most important, like:
| Group cover benefits | Details |
|---|---|
| Cancellations and delays |
Trip cancellations and travel delays can happen at any time, anywhere. So, it makes sense for the whole group to protect themselves against this risk. This is especially important if you’re all travelling from different locations on a strict itinerary. Cancellations and delays can cover costs incurred if part, or all, of your trip is cancelled, such as lost deposits. |
| Medical assistance |
While the Australian Government does have a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement with New Zealand and several European countries, that doesn’t mean your medical expenses are fully covered overseas. If you have travel insurance and you have a medical emergency, you should be able to claim back on your medical treatment and hospital bills. |
| Emergency assistance |
Most group travel policies provide emergency phone-based assistance for when things go wrong. Finding a suitable doctor, nearest hospital or dentist can be difficult when you are travelling without this assistance. If you need urgent care, most group travel policies cover emergency transportation such as an ambulance, airlift via helicopter and repatriation costs. |
| Stolen or lost luggage | The theft or loss of your belongings can ruin a trip. With suitable insurance, though, you can claim for this type of incident and continue enjoying your holiday again with the rest of the group. |
| Personal liability |
When you injure someone or damage their property, you may face legal expenses as a result. Luckily, group travel insurance policies may cover personal liability costs for everyone in your group. |
Remember to always read the PDS and the TMD before purchasing travel insurance for groups to understand how your cover works, if it’s suitable and what you are and aren’t covered for.
What is excluded from group travel insurance?
While your insurance may protect you financially in many situations, be mindful that it won’t cover everything (or everyone). For example, policies may not cover adventure sports like mountain biking or rock climbing (unless you opt to have this added to your cover). Of course, exclusions like these vary between policies and insurance providers.
Here are some other standard exclusions to be mindful of:
- Intoxication. If you were under the influence of drugs or alcohol when you were injured, you might find your claim rejected.
- Unattended luggage. Your insurer might not cover the loss of your baggage or belongings if they were stolen while left unattended.
- Third-party compensation. If a third party has already compensated you (perhaps your airline has refunded you for your cancelled or delayed flight), your insurer may not compensate you again.
- Pregnancy. Your insurance provider may only cover you up to a certain week limit (usually 23-30 weeks). You also may not receive cover if you’re having more than one child, you’ve been advised against travelling by your doctor or you’ve experienced complications with your pregnancy.
- Pre-existing medical conditions. Even though many insurers now cover some medical conditions, not all will be covered; always declare your conditions when taking out a policy.
Before purchasing a policy, you should always read the PDS for inclusions, exclusions, terms and conditions.
More information on group travel insurance
Who should consider group travel insurance?
Here are some types of travellers who might consider this type of cover:
- Students travelling for a class trip
- Professionals embarking on a business trip
- Members of a wedding party travelling overseas
- Groups of friends holidaying together.
Basically, if you’re travelling in a group of three or more adults and plan to follow the same itinerary, it’s worth taking a closer look at this product.
Families with children may not need a group travel insurance policy, as most family travel insurance policies cover two adults and any number of dependent children who are travelling together.
Can groups still get annual cover?
When it comes to travel insurance for groups, you can choose between a single trip or an annual multi-trip policy, depending on what suits the needs of the group.
If your group is only planning on taking one trip during the year (e.g. a school group taking an excursion to Thailand), then a single trip policy is usually the best option.
However, if you and your companions are planning to take multiple trips in a single year, an annual multi-trip policy may save you money and hassle as well as giving you peace of mind. For example, if you and your work colleagues need to take frequent business trips to New Zealand, an annual group travel insurance plan may come in handy so you don’t have to organise insurance each time you go (but be sure to check the maximum travel days that are covered, per trip).
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.