Whether you need to claim now or you just want to be prepared, our guide on making a travel insurance claim will explain the process in three simple steps.
Buying a travel insurance policy that covers all the planned activities on your itinerary will help allow you to claim later. But make sure to hold onto your Certificate of Insurance, as it will list your policy number, insurer contact details and other important information.
Before you even embark on your trip, it’s crucial you understand exactly what your policy covers and the limits, sub-limits and exclusions of that policy.
If an incident or unforeseen event affects your travel, you might need help figuring out what to do next.
To start, file a report with the relevant authorities (e.g. police for stolen belongings) and get a copy of this report. These will help your insurer validate your claim. Depending on your travel insurance policy, you may only be able to claim if you report the incident to the relevant authorities within 24 hours.
Possible documentation that might support your claim includes:
For most travel claims, it’s best to alert your insurer early on. Not only can they let you know what they’ll need from you to complete your claim, but they will also be able to direct you to medical facilities, embassies or consulates that can help get you back on your feet faster. However, in an emergency, contact the relevant authorities first before your insurer.
Explain to your insurer what happened and ask what they’ll require from you. If you don’t have supporting documentation for your claim yet, you can start the claim process now and forward any documents to the insurer later on.
Many travel insurers can be contacted 24 hours a day from anywhere in the world. However, their helpline’s hours of operation are still worth checking out prior to leaving, especially if you’re heading across time zones.
If you’ve contacted your insurer and obtained any necessary documentation, you should be able to submit an online claim to your travel insurance provider. Alternatively, you can download a claim form and send it to your insurer via fax or post.
Your insurer may periodically contact you to let you know how your claim is progressing, or you might be able to check this out yourself online through your insurer’s customer portal.
Your policy’s exclusions will vary depending on your insurer and level of cover, but it’s important you understand them so you aren’t surprised when making a claim. Some standard exclusions include:
Make sure you read your PDS to understand what your policy doesn’t cover you for.
Your excess is the amount of money you pay towards an incident that you’re claiming for. You may be able to choose your excess amount, but keep in mind that lowering your excess will likely increase your premium.
Depending on your policy and level of cover, you may be covered for lost, stolen or damaged belongings up to specific limits listed in your PDS. However, you may need to provide proof of ownership for your claim to be accepted.
Consider taking photos of your belongings before departing on your travels if you don’t have the relevant documentation (e.g. receipts or bank statements) that prove ownership. If you’re taking valuables, consider choosing a policy with higher limits and sub-limits for lost or stolen items.
According to the ATO, travel insurance is not a deductible expense.1 Travel insurance is considered a private expense, even when travelling on business, so you cannot claim any money spent on travel insurance on your taxes.
Beyond following the steps above, you can make your claim as smooth as possible by:
Insurance claims usually go smoothly, but if you feel your claim has been wrongfully denied or not paid in full, you can contact your insurer’s complaints department to try settling the dispute. If that doesn’t work, get in touch with the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) to lodge a complaint.
If you’re wondering when to claim on travel insurance, it’s best to claim as soon as possible. However, some insurers may allow you up to 30 or 60 days from the completion of your trip to claim. Check your PDS to find out when you need to lodge your claim.
It may vary from insurer to insurer, but you can generally expect your travel insurance claim to be processed in 10-14 business days. However, it may take longer if your insurer doesn’t have enough information to complete your claim. In this case, they’ll typically contact you for the missing details.
Any payment on your travel insurance claim is likely to be paid in Australian dollars and may not come through to your account immediately. Check with your insurer to see if they can give you an estimate of when your claim will be paid.
Your coverage will differ depending on your insurer and level of cover, but travel insurance policies usually cover things like:
Your insurer may also offer optional extras like cruise, ski or adventure sports cover, since these things aren’t typically included in travel insurance. These extras will cover those activities that aren’t included in your standard travel insurance policy.
As we mentioned above, it’s essential you thoroughly read your PDS so you understand what you’re covered for and what claims processes you need to follow.
While you hope that everything will go smoothly on your trip, sometimes things go wrong when we least expect it. Not only that, but medical bills can be expensive in some parts of the world, as is replacing phones, cameras and other pricey items if they’re stolen or lost. But with a suitable travel insurance policy, you may be covered for all this and more.
If you’re heading off on a trip across the globe, travel insurance should be an important part of your preparations.
We can help you get that part done and dusted right now with our travel insurance comparison service. Simply enter in some details about your trip, and we’ll show you a range of policies and quotes to compare. If you see one you like, you can apply for it through us.
1 Australian Taxation Office, Australian Government. Common expense T-W. Last updated May 2022. Accessed February 2023.
