Travel insurance for students
A guide to travel insurance for students
Last updated March 26, 2024
Travel insurance tips for students
Catriona Rowntree’s top travel insurance tips for students.
Catriona Rowntree
Travel
Video Transcript
Hi there. I’m Catriona Rowntree, host of Australia’s longest-running travel and lifestyle show, Getaway.
And today, I would love to talk to you about travel insurance when you’re a student.
You know it’s not as expensive as you think. There’s no specific student travel insurance, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have travel
insurance for your next trip. I know insurance might sound scary, but it can cost less than a dinner at a restaurant and a whole lot less
compared to medical bills in the thousands. Think about it like this. What happens if you need emergency medical attention while overseas and require repatriation
unless you have tens of thousands of dollars at your disposal, do you? Well, you are in a sticky situation if you don’t. Travel insurance can cover you
for exactly these situations. To start, looking at travel insurance with cancellation cover is a good idea. Consider purchasing this as soon as you book your trip.
That way, if your flights or accomm are canceled due to unforeseen circumstances, you can lodge a claim and be covered for some or all of the costs.
Are you traveling with friends? Well, consider a good group travel insurance policy. If the whole group has the same itinerary,
it can be cheaper and simpler than individual policies and it makes sure everybody is covered, or want to reduce your premium?
Well, consider a higher excess, that’s the out of pocket cost. When you make a claim, just make sure that you choose a manageable amount.
Oh, and finally, do not be afraid of the cost of insurance. Policies vary based on how much cover you want and the various options.
The key is to compare to find a policy that matches your trip and understand the benefits, limits the conditions and exclusions of each
before you make a purchase. You know, navigating what travel insurance is right for you does not have to be difficult, and by comparing,
you could save time and money for shopping or clubbing or whatever you want to do. Compare the Market can help you compare travel insurance
policies online in minutes. So you can travel with confidence.
What is travel insurance for students?
There’s no specific product called ‘student travel insurance’, but that doesn’t mean students shouldn’t consider taking out a policy for their trip. Travel insurance for students can protect you against financial losses such as medical bills, theft, cancellations and more.
If you’re a student, chances are you’re travelling on a budget. At a minimum, you should consider purchasing a basic level of cover (known as a medical-only policy) that will cover your medical expenses and typically offers personal liability cover as well.
The decision to purchase travel insurance is entirely up to you and your circumstances, but we believe most travellers could benefit from travel insurance cover.
Expert tips on choosing the right travel insurance policy for students
When it comes to choosing a suitable policy for a trip, our Executive General Manager of General Insurance, Adrian Taylor, has some top tips for deciding on, and managing travel insurance policies for students.
Adrian Taylor
Executive General Manager – General Insurance
Consider policies that match your budget
Even on a budget, if you can’t afford travel insurance, you probably can’t afford the losses that may come with your trip. You might want to consider purchasing medical-only cover as the minimum protection for your overseas holiday.
Decide which travel insurance type has the best value
If you’re travelling in a group with other students, you’ll typically all need the same level of cover. Taking out a group travel insurance policy may offer better value than a singles policy for everyone.
Save on your premium with a higher excess
Your excess is the amount you pay towards a claim after suffering a loss. While it’s important to choose a manageable amount, choosing a higher excess can decrease the cost of your premium – and vice versa.
What does travel insurance for students include?
Emergency medical and hospital expenses
Overseas medical expenses and emergency assistance overseas can potentially cost thousands of dollars. However, travel insurance could help you pay for your hospital bills, medical treatment and repatriation or medical evacuation, so you can focus on recovering.
If the country you’re travelling to doesn’t have a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA) which helps Australians access subsidised treatment overseas in a similar way to Medicare, international travel insurance with overseas medical cover could be worth looking into. Even if you travel to an RHCA country, travel insurance might still be a good idea as RHCAs often have minimal cover.
It’s worth noting that domestic travel insurance doesn’t cover medical expenses. If you’re travelling around Australia, your medical bills will be covered by Medicare or your private health insurance.
Cancellations, delays and amendments
Travel insurance may cover the costs and fees associated with cancellations and delays, and reimburse you for accommodation expenses should you need to extend your stay because of unforeseen events.
You can also receive reimbursement for additional accommodation and travel expenses. For example, if your passport is stolen and you miss your flight to Bali or bad weather forces you to stay another night, cancellation cover can help cover the cost of alternative transport or unforeseen accommodation expenses to ensure you don’t miss out on your big plans.
Lost, stolen or damaged luggage and belongings
Travel insurance for students can help ease the financial pain of lost or stolen personal effects like cameras, laptops, luggage and even cash and credit cards by covering part of, or the whole, value of replacing these items. Your travel documents should always be kept safe, but should you lose your passport, travel insurance for students may help you recoup the additional expenses for this loss.
Please note that the extent of your coverage and eligibility for claims will vary from policy to policy. Comprehensive travel insurance is usually recommended as your highest level of cover. Always read the full details for your policy’s PDS for any policy wording you may be unclear on and to find out exactly what you’re covered for and any sub-limits that may apply.
Activities on your itinerary
One of the best things about travelling is participating in activities you wouldn’t normally try at home. While standard travel insurance doesn’t cover every activity, you can get cover for things like skiing, bungee jumping, hiking and more as add-ons or optional extras through adventure sports cover, which may cost an additional premium to cover. Other activities, such as skiing, may be covered under snow sports cover.
What is excluded from travel insurance for students?
Travel insurance can’t cover everything, so it’s important to read your policy’s PDS to understand its exclusions. Specific exclusions may vary between policies and insurers, but here are a few common ones to look out for:
- Intoxication. If you were under the influence of drugs or alcohol when you were injured or suffered a loss, your insurer might not accept your claim, even if the incident wasn’t your fault.
- Unattended luggage. Your travel insurance policy might not cover your luggage if it was left unsupervised in a public place when it was stolen.
- Travelling against advice and warnings. The Australian Government issues travel warnings for countries through Smartraveller. Some insurers may not cover travel to countries with certain warnings, so it’s a good idea to regularly check your destination on Smartraveller for any change in warning level.
- Failure to wear headgear. If you weren’t wearing the proper headgear (e.g. a helmet when riding a scooter or motorcycling) at the time of your injury, your insurer may not accept your claim.
- Pre-existing medical conditions. Some pre-existing conditions may be excluded from cover in many policies, but some insurers offer insurance for various medical issues. Just make sure you inform your insurer of any pre-existing conditions when you take out cover so they can assess what coverage they can offer you.
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.