Travel insurance for Japan

It’s important to consider travel insurance for Japan, no matter your travel plans. It’s impossible to predict what may happen when on holiday; whether it’s lost or stolen property, sustaining an injury or needing urgent medical care, travel insurance is there to help ease your worries.

Unfortunately, the Australian Government can’t help you in every situation you may find yourself in overseas, so it’s essential to have more than one option for help should something happen.

Any travel insurance policy for a trip to Japan from Australia should cover – at a minimum – emergency medical expenses in case you get injured or become ill overseas. In addition to medical cover, it’s a good idea to be covered for:

• Travel delays
• Cancellations
• Loss or theft of luggage and travel documents
• Personal liability
• Emergency repatriation and evacuation.

Additionally, if you’d prefer to drive around Kyoto or the Osaka region rather than fly or take the train, consider an international travel insurance policy that either covers your rental vehicle excess, or offers this coverage as an optional extra.

Your exact coverage will depend on your insurer and your policy. There are multiple levels of cover available, from basic to comprehensive travel insurance, to suit different travellers’ needs. Before journeying to Japan, be sure to read the PDS before you buy travel insurance cover to ensure you understand the limits, sub-limits and exclusions of your policy.

It’s important to read and understand what your travel insurance policy includes and excludes before purchasing. Exclusions may differ from insurer to insurer, but here’s a few common ones you might find in your PDS:

• Illegal activities. If your claim results from an incident where you knowingly did something reckless, high-risk or unlawful, you may not be covered and your insurer will likely reject your claim.
• Intoxication. If you were drunk or under the influence of drugs at the time of the incident you’re claiming for, your policy will likely not cover you and any claims will likely be rejected.
• Travelling against government warnings. Your travel insurance for Japan may not cover you if you enter a region with an active ‘Do Not Travel’ warning from Smartraveller.

Skiing, snowboarding and other winter sports are some of Japan’s most popular activities for locals and tourists. Although extreme and snow sports are usually excluded from travel insurance policies, most insurers do offer winter sports cover as an optional extra. The extra you pay in travel insurance premiums could be offset by the peace of mind of knowing your hospital bills and other medical costs are covered if you have an accident on-piste, as well as things like lost passes and cancellations of tours.

Japan is home to a number of gorgeous hiking trails which are a great way to view shrines, temples and the Japanese countryside. For example, Mount Takao is a highly recommended hike if you like cherry blossoms, as they bloom across the entire area in spring. However, be sure to check whether your travel insurance policy automatically covers hiking or if you need to purchase an adventure add-on for coverage.

Although street karting has been made as safe as possible with new road rules, you’re still driving through congested Tokyo streets in an open, low-riding vehicle. Be sure to check with your insurer and street karting company whether you’d be covered by your travel insurance if there’s an accident.

Earthquakes, typhoons, tsunamis, landslides and volcanic eruptions are all possible in Japan. While you can’t do anything about natural disasters, you can control how you respond to them. For one, make sure you’re aware of the extent that natural disasters are covered by your travel insurance policy.

If you purchase travel insurance for Japan before any natural disaster becomes a known event, depending on your policy, your insurer could cover certain expenses, such as any cancellation fees incurred prior to departure. Keep in mind that avalanches and volcanic eruptions may not be included under regular natural disaster cover; they may cost an additional premium and there may be other exceptions too.

As a general rule, don’t venture into any regions with active travel warnings. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) will issue such warnings on the Smartraveller website.

The Australian Government advises Australians to reconsider their need to travel to the restricted areas near the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant that leaked lethal radiation in the 2011 earthquake.² Unless otherwise stated by the Japanese Government, all other parts of Japan are within acceptable radiation levels.

Japan has an exceptionally low crime rate, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take precautions. Keep a close eye on your valuables and personal effects in public places as any claims for their loss or theft may not be covered.

Hospital treatment and healthcare in Japan can be quite expensive, and they may also refuse care if you cannot provide proof that you can pay your treatment costs. This makes for a compelling argument for taking out travel insurance for Japan, so your insurance provider may pay the cost of your treatment on your behalf.

Furthermore, Japan has reported a few endemic diseases, including Japanese encephalitis, measles and rubella, so it’s a good idea to consult your GP well in advanced of your planned departure to discuss any vaccinations you may require.

Emergency services in Japan are available by calling 119 for ambulance and fire and 110 for police.