South Africa is a land of many wonders, both man-made and natural.. Venture anywhere near Kruger National Park to see the native wildlife in all its glory, then head to Boland, the wine-producing capital of Africa, for a touch of class. Or venture south into Cape Town and experience a coastal city bursting with activity.
There’s plenty to see, eat and experience in a nation like South Africa. However, if you’re going to journey across such a country, you should first consider taking out a travel insurance policy.
We recommend that every traveller consider travel insurance, regardless of their destination. South Africa can be a wonderous place where you can experience relaxing in style in Sun City or take a hair-raising guided tour through a safari. If all goes to plan, your trip could be the adventure of a lifetime; but what if it doesn’t?
Without travel insurance, you may find yourself potentially paying thousands of dollars out of pocket should something go wrong. If you’d like cover for any accidents, illnesses, cancellations, delays, or any losses and damages you might encounter on your trip, travel insurance may be something you need.
This is why getting travel insurance for Africa is a crucial step of planning a holiday there. With the right policy, you could be covered for all those things and more, meaning you can fully focus on your trip knowing you’re financially protected against the unexpected.
When on holiday, you want to live each day to the fullest. Whether you plan to kick-back by the pool or strap on your hiking boots, you might want to include a few key things in your cover when journeying to South Africa, for your peace of mind.
It’s a good idea to check whether the travel insurance you take out includes cover for medical expenses. Australia does not have a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement with South Africa, which means you will have to pay for any healthcare you require while travelling.
However, one good thing about getting travel insurance is that you may be financially covered for things like the common flu, malaria or even something more serious like a broken arm. Hospital fees, medical evacuations and more can be covered by a travel insurance policy, all of which can be expensive to pay yourself.
South African public hospitals may treat overseas visitors for free; however, the standard of medical care may not be equivalent to what you’d expect in an Australian hospital. Private hospitals generally have better-quality medical care but will often want up-front payment, which can be expensive without travel insurance to cover you.1
To ensure you’re adequately covered for a high level of medical care without potentially paying thousands out of pocket, you should consider a comprehensive travel insurance policy. This top-level cover includes emergency assistance, medical emergencies, medication, hospital fees and repatriation.
When you’re heading overseas, you’ll probably want to see of much as the country as possible – which means a lot of travelling. However, South Africa is known to have rolling blackouts that can affect traffic lights and cause travel delays or cancellations.
You may plan to fly to Johannesburg from Cape Town, only to find road closures cause delays and you miss your flight, disrupting your travel plans. Your comprehensive travel insurance cover may be able to provide assistance, such as paying for an extra night’s accommodation until you can catch the next flight. Or, if unforeseen circumstances cause you to need to cancel some or all of your trip, your international travel insurance may be able to reimburse you for flights and accommodation.
If you like adventure, South Africa can be a great holiday destination; it has incredible wildlife that you can experience up close by embarking on safari tours.
And the adventures don’t stop there. Maybe you’re planning to:
Some policies will have a list of covered adventure activities, while others may specifically exclude losses from a range of such activities. You should check that your travel policy covers the sports and experiences you’re planning to participate in by reviewing the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) before purchasing your cover.
If you’re participating in activities that aren’t covered by general travel insurance, consider purchasing an adventure cover add-on. This add-on may cover you for these more dangerous activities that aren’t included in standard insurance. As policy inclusions differ from insurer to insurer, remember to check out the PDS to know precisely what you are and aren’t covered for.
Of course, travel insurance won’t cover every possible thing that can happen on your trip, which is why it’s important that you read and fully understand all the inclusions and exclusions of your policy outlined in the PDS.
Here are a few standard exclusions that you might find on your policy:
South Africa doesn’t require travellers to have an international driver’s license to rent a vehicle; just an Australian license. However, there are some things to remember before you jump in the driver’s seat:
If you’re involved in a car accident, your rental car excess may be covered by your travel insurance, depending on your policy.
According to Smartraveller, you may need to show a yellow fever vaccination certificate before you enter South Africa if you’re arriving from a yellow fever-endemic country.1 Malaria and cholera are common in some areas of South Africa, as are tuberculosis, hepatitis, measles, rabies, Rift Valley fever, bilharzia (schistosomiasis) and typhoid.
This is general advice, so be sure to ask your GP well in advance of your departure for up-to-date advice on which vaccinations and medications you may require. Failing to get inoculated may mean you cannot claim on your insurance.
Finally, be mindful that the rate of HIV/AIDS in South Africa is extremely high.
There are a number of ways that criminals target tourists in South Africa,¹ but so long as you remain vigilant and exercise caution wherever you go, you should be fine. However, keep in mind that:
If you’re worried about the cost of replacing your belongings, travel insurance is a smart idea. Provided you took as much care as possible to keep your things safe, you may be able to claim back their value if they’re stolen, lost or destroyed.
Visitors to South Africa who come for tourism and stay less than 90 days may enter the country without a visa; all other types of visitors will need one.¹ However, if you overstay your visa, you may be declared ‘undesirable’, and you won’t be allowed to re-enter South Africa for anywhere between one and five years.
Wild at heart and ready to travel? Our guide to getting covered in other countries is for you. Otherwise, you can search and compare travel insurance policies for your trip to South Africa right here and now, simply by using our free travel insurance comparison service.
1 Smartraveller (2022). South Africa. Accessed May 2022.
