Travel insurance for a working holiday

What’s typically excluded from travel insurance for working holidays?

While travel insurance for working holidays can cover various occupations and scenarios, there will often be exclusions to look out for. These can vary between providers, but standard exclusions we have seen include:

• underground or offshore work: Say you see an exciting job to work in a mine or an offshore oil platform. Travel insurance usually won’t cover you while you work, but an employer’s insurance may cover you.
• working from heights: If your overseas occupation requires you to work from great heights, your policy may not cover it.
• personal liability: While many travel insurance policies include personal liability cover (if you’re responsible for damaging property, causing injury or death), it may not always apply while you’re working.
• illegal or dangerous behaviour: If you purposely cause trouble or commit crimes while intoxicated or under the influence of drugs, your insurer will likely deny your claim.
• pre-existing medical conditions: Some pre-existing medical conditions, such as chronic lung disease, terminal illnesses or heart failure, may not be covered by your travel insurance. Insurers will typically list pre-existing conditions that can be covered or prompt you to complete a medical assessment so you know if you can be covered or not. The process can vary between providers, so always check before you purchase cover. Remember that you can still take out travel insurance, but claims connected to a pre-existing condition that isn’t covered may be rejected.
• Theft resulting from negligent behaviour: Travel insurance for working holidays can cover lost luggage and belongings. However, if you were careless with the supervision of your items or you failed to properly secure them, your claim may be denied. For example, you may leave your bags unattended to take a photograph of a landmark or fail to lock a locker with your belongings in it.

Who should consider travel insurance for a working holiday?

If you’re heading overseas, travel insurance is something to consider, no matter who you are. It can provide you with peace of mind that you’re covered in case something happens while you’re working or travelling abroad. Here are some scenarios where it could come in handy:

• you plan on volunteering overseas;
• you’re a backpacker who’s considering working along the way;
• you want to intern overseas or take up a work placement opportunity;
• you work at a summer camp in the United States; or
• you’re employed as a ski resort worker in Canada.

Travel insurance for a working holiday checklist

Finding the right type of insurance for your working holiday may seem challenging, especially because you can take many different kinds of holidays. Perhaps you’re thinking of working on the ski slopes in Canada or becoming an Au Pair in France. Whatever your plans, here are some things to consider.

1. Understand what assistance may be available through the Consular Services Charter. A great starting point in understanding how the Australian Government can assist if you run into trouble overseas. While they may be able to provide some assistance, they recommend all travellers take out comprehensive medical and travel insurance that covers the places you visit, the activities you participate in and any medical conditions you have.³
2. Does your overseas employer offer cover? Some overseas employers may have insurance cover for their employees, but always check what is and isn’t included. If this cover is limited, taking out your own policy may ensure you’re still covered for things not necessarily covered by an employer like emergency evacuation to your home country (Australia), cancelled travel plans and lost items.
3. What will I do for fun overseas? Working is just one piece of the puzzle and a big part of your holiday is the activities you’ll participate in. While your insurance policy can cover many activities, you may need to take out additional cover such as travel insurance for dangerous activities such as base jumping, hang gliding or ski acrobatics.
4. How long do I need cover for? Are you planning to work overseas for a few weeks or a couple of years? Ensure that your insurance policy covers you for your entire time overseas. Please note that some providers, such as those on our panel, only offer policies for a maximum of 12 months. In these cases, you may need to consider a different type of policy, such as long-term travel insurance.

Won’t another country’s health system cover me?

Living and working in another country doesn’t automatically mean that country’s healthcare system will cover you. Without the right travel insurance policy in place, illness or an accident abroad could set you back thousands of dollars if you require care or treatment.

Australia only has a reciprocal health care agreement with 11 countries around the world.² This means you’ll only receive free or reduced-price essential care or services in:

• Belgium
• Finland
• Italy
• Malta
• The Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Norway
• The Republic of Ireland
• Slovenia
• Sweden
• The United Kingdom.

In every other country or location, including Africa, Asia, South America and North America, you’ll only be covered for overseas accidents or illnesses with certain levels of travel insurance. Of course, other things can go wrong on your trip, so travel insurance is encouraged for any country you visit.