Travel insurance for New Zealand

Australians have access to subsidised healthcare in NZ if they incur medical costs for essential treatment, thanks to the Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA). You will need to show your Australian passport and Medicare card when getting medical treatment.

However, the RHCA doesn’t cover you for all medical expenses; just essential ones like hospital care and maternity services. A travel insurance policy can help cover additional expenses such as ambulance costs, GP services and evacuation and repatriation that you would otherwise have to pay yourself.

While Tasmania and Queensland residents enjoy free ambulance cover – even when travelling in other Australian states – this doesn’t extend to NZ. Without travel insurance, all Australian visitors to New Zealand would need to cover any ambulance expenses out of their own pocket. This firms as a consideration if you’re venturing to more remote sites such as Milford Sound (Piopiotahi), Abel Tasman National Park, or Kaikoura for the sperm whale watching.

Travel insurance may not cover certain pre-existing medical conditions, and medical cover varies from policy to policy. You can find out more about coverage for pre-existing medical conditions here, and always read the PDS of your policy before purchasing.

It’s also worth checking any repatriation cover in your travel insurance plan, as despite our neighbours across the Tasman seeming close, Sydney to Auckland is more than 2,100 km away. That’s roughly the equivalent of flying from Barcelona to Minsk!

While in NZ, you’ll need to ensure your travel insurance policy covers any activities on your itinerary. Most standard travel insurance policies don’t cover adventure activities or winter sports like skiing and snowboarding. Instead, most insurers allow you to add on an adventure sports or snow sports pack to your policy for an additional premium.

New Zealand is well known for being a skiing and snowboarding paradise. Tourism New Zealand revealed that 55% of Aussie travellers take part in some sort of adventure tourism while visiting our closest neighbour. However, these sports can be considered risky, so insurers may exclude them from their policies unless you purchase winter sports cover as an optional extra. This cover helps protect you against financial losses that occur on-piste that a standard policy won’t cover, including medical expenses, damaged equipment or cancelled ski passes due to trail closures.

New Zealand’s South Island is considered an adventure hub and it is where you will find activities like bungee jumping, skydiving, jet boating, as well as things such as hiking and water sports. According to a report into Aussie tourist travel plans, more than half of all Australian travellers (58%) fly directly into the South Island.

If you’re unsure whether your policy will cover your activities, check your PDS or call your insurer and ask.

Losing your belongings can quickly ruin a perfect holiday, but if you take out travel insurance before you leave, you may be reimbursed for your loss (usually up to specific limits listed in your policy). Keep in mind there are circumstances where you may not be covered; for example, if you left your luggage unattended when it was stolen.

However, if you take due care, you can be covered for the loss of your luggage, valuables, cash and lost travel documents (e.g. visa or passport).

If your passport is lost or stolen, you’ll need to contact your insurer and the Australian consulate in New Zealand, as the consulate may be able to issue you with a replacement passport. The Australian Government maintains two diplomatic headquarters across New Zealand’s North Island, the Australian High Commission in Wellington and the Consulate-General in Auckland. There are no services on the South Island, so if you require help from the Australian Government, it may be best to contact the after-hours Consular Emergency Service on +61 2 6261 3305.

Many Aussie visitors hire a rental car and hit the road for tourist highlights such as the Coromandel Peninsula, Wanaka, Queenstown and the South Island’s national parks. A hire car is a great chance to get out of the cities and see beautiful vistas, meet charming locals and explore off the beaten track.

If you’re in an accident and have to pay an excess to your rental vehicle company, your travel insurer may cover the excess payment. Most comprehensive travel insurance policies will either include rental vehicle excess cover automatically or offer it as an add-on to your policy.

If your airline cancels your flight and you miss tours, you’d usually be out of pocket unless you have a travel insurance policy with cancellation cover. In that case, your insurer may be able to cover those costs up to a certain value and only if your airline hasn’t already reimbursed you. If your flight is delayed, you may be covered for any additional expenses you incur as a result, such as unexpected accommodation costs.

If you have to cut your trip short due to a family emergency or cancel it before it even begins, you may be covered for any related losses, such as cancellation fees or lost deposits. Always read your PDS before purchasing to understand what coverage is available to you and check your insurer’s Target Market Determination (TMD) to see whether the policy suits your itinerary and budget.

New Zealand experiences its fair share of natural disasters, including volcanic eruptions, cyclones and flooding. The country also experiences earthquakes often, and the entire coastline is at risk of tsunami events. In addition to volcanic activity, you may also experience severe weather like snow, heavy rainfall, fog and high winds at certain times throughout the year. The official advice is that weather can change quickly and to always be alert to any warnings.

If you run into issues abroad because of the weather or natural disasters, your policy may pay for medical expenses and lost luggage, as well as cancellations if the Australian Government issues a travel warning for your destination.

Check the Smartraveller website before you leave for updated advice and travel alerts, making sure there aren’t any current travel warnings for the parts of NZ you plan on visiting.

If you’re planning on going on a cruise while you’re across the Tasman, it can be a good idea to add on cruise insurance. Thousands of Australians go on cruises to, or depart from, New Zealand around the Pacific, and things can sometimes go wrong on the high seas. Standard travel insurance does not cover on-board medical issues or ship-to-shore emergencies, meaning it may be important for you to consider this type of cover. Cruise insurance can cover emergencies such as medical issues, cabin confinement due to sickness, missed ports or trip delays.

Read our guide to see if there is a cruise insurance package that suits your itinerary.

¹ Compare the market. Comparison service for travel insurance. The quote is based on an 18-year-old adult traveling to New Zealand for one week with no dependents. The insurance policy has a $200 excess, $10,000 limit for trip cancellation and $5,000 for luggage. There are no rental car excess, pre-existing conditions or extra cover like cruise cover or snow sports. Accessed July 2026. Pricing is indicative only and subject to change based on individual circumstances and the Insurer’s underwriting criteria.

² Compare the Market. Comparison service for travel insurance. The quote is based on two adults, aged 30, travelling to New Zealand for three weeks with no dependents. The insurance policy has a $200 excess, $10,000 limit for trip cancellation and a $5,000 cover for luggage, with a $0 cover for rental car excess and no pre-existing conditions. No extra cover was included for activities like cruise cover or snow sports. Accessed July 2026. Pricing is indicative only and subject to change based on individual circumstances and the Insurer’s underwriting criteria.