China is truly a land of extremes. You have the breathtaking space-age style of Shanghai, the constant bustle of Hong Kong and then the natural beauty of the Li River and Yellow Mountains. This country has the largest population of any in the world, and each region is truly like a country of its own.
Because of this, you need to account for every situation on your travels, so let’s take a closer look at how travel insurance can protect you against the unexpected.
The question you should ask yourself is whether you can afford to travel anywhere without travel insurance, because trouble has a habit of striking when you least expect it! What if you break your ankle climbing the Great Wall of China, lose your passport in transit or your flight home gets cancelled due to bad weather? You could be hundreds of dollars out of pocket in medical bills and other expenses.
Travel insurance is specifically designed to provide financial protection against things going wrong, so you can enjoy your trip when things go right. You can’t put a price on peace of mind!
Here are a few key reasons why you should get cover for your trip to China.
If you require healthcare services while in China, you’ll be grateful to have a travel insurance policy to shoulder the cost, especially if you need medical evacuation (which can cost thousands of dollars upfront).
While hospitals in major cities sometimes have departments specifically for foreigners, you may struggle to find English-speaking doctors and nurses in rural areas, and medical care in those areas may be less than adequate.1
You should be aware of the health risks in China, which can include:
You may want to consider getting vaccinations before you travel. Consult a doctor or visit a travel health clinic a month before departure for the most up-to-date information.
Roads in China are notoriously busy and can be in poor condition,1 which could increase your likelihood of getting into a car accident. If this happens, your rental car company would typically charge you an excess to cover the cost of repairs.
Travel insurance can help pay for this excess if your rental car is damaged or stolen, although this will depend on your level of cover.
Before you drive in China, you’ll need a Chinese driving license; mainland Chinese authorities don’t accept international Driving Permits and foreign licenses.1 If you’re only going to China for less than 90 days but still want to drive, you might be eligible for a provisional license. Make sure you also check licensing requirements if you hire a car.
The risk of theft in China is the same as in any other bustling country. This means that getting your mobile phone nicked on the train by an opportunistic pickpocket isn’t improbable, and neither is the likelihood of losing your suitcase in transit. That’s where travel insurance comes in; it could cover your luggage and personal belongings from theft, damage and loss.
Keep in mind that you should always keep your passport on you in case you’re asked by authorities to present it. However, passers-by then have a chance to snatch your passport, so be on your guard and keep this document out of sight whenever possible.
Despite the increased capacity at Chinese airports, flight delays are getting worse, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China, with data revealing that the average length of domestic flight delays increased to 24 minutes in 2017.2
This means that you could miss your connecting flight from Beijing to Hong Kong and have to fork out to stay in a hotel near the airport overnight to catch the next available flight. Travel insurance can provide financial protection for trip cancellations or delays (up to a monetary limit).
Typically, you’ll have the choice between single-trip and annual cover travel insurance. Single-trip policies cover one trip (and potentially layovers as well) from the day you purchase the policy until you return to your home in Australia.
An annual or multi-trip policy, on the other hand, generally covers any number of overseas trips taken within a year; however, the policy will stipulate what the maximum trip length is for each journey. The maximum trip length will vary – some policies could be as low as 15 days, some as high as 90 days. It’s important to ensure that your longest trip doesn’t exceed the policy’s stipulated maximum trip length.
Generally, travel insurance can provide cover for:
Your travel insurance cover is subject to the limits, terms, conditions and exclusions outlined in your Product Disclosure Statement (PDS). Not every policy covers all the above.
Just like any other insurance product, travel insurance comes with a set of general exclusions and doesn’t typically cover:
If you’re travelling to China as an Australian citizen, you should make sure your passport has at least six months’ validity from your planned return date, or you risk being refused entry into the country.
You also typically need a visa to travel to China.1 Sometimes, you may be able to get a transit visa on arrival in China for short visits, but you’ll otherwise need a full and valid visa if your trip is longer than three days. You’ll also need to have your visa before you leave Australia. There are many types of visas, so you’ll need to check what type you need (you can find a list on the Chinese Embassy’s website).
There are also different visa rules requirements for areas like Hong Kong and Macau, and you need permission from the Chinese government to enter Tibet.
The Australian government offers advice, alerts and the latest updates for more than 170 countries to help Aussies avoid difficulties abroad. Regularly check the advice for China in the time before you leave on your trip, so you’re not caught out if the situation suddenly changes. You can even subscribe to Smartraveller to receive updates via text or email.
While major credit cards are widely accepted in China, you should know that some smaller cities may not.1 As such, it might be a good idea to keep some cash handy just in case or be prepared to take regular trips to the ATM to withdraw Chinese yuan (renminbi).
Also, be sure to consider a credit or debit card with low or 0% international transaction fees, so you don’t get charged for making transactions overseas.
Tourists have been targeted by scammers in China as well.1 Common scams include credit card skimming, tourists being invited for a massage, teahouse service or to a café before being given an inflated bill they must pay before they can leave and travellers being drugged and robbed. It’s important to remain vigilant and look out for suspicious activity.
You’ll be bound by China’s local laws and penalties the moment your plane lands in the country. Some may appear harsh by Australian standards, but some of their legal traditions have been in place for centuries, and you’ll need to obey them all. A person aged 14 years and over is considered an adult under the law in China.1
So, do your research around what acts are forbidden and punishable by law. Sanctions for serious drug offences are especially severe in China.
The following activities are also illegal in China:
The internet in China is also censored, so you may not be able to access common websites like Google, Facebook or YouTube.
Looking for travel insurance to protect you on your Chinese adventure? Use Compare the Market’s free comparison tool to compare levels of cover, benefits, excesses and more from a range of policies. Just enter in some details about your trip to get started!
If you’re thinking of travelling somewhere else in Asia, you can browse our Asia destinations hub. Alternatively, check out our travel insurance guides for different countries.
