What to look for when traveling?
„The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” – said Augustine of Hippo. If you share his opinion, I am sure you enjoy travelling.
Whether you are an adventurous, curious tourist who likes to visit each little corner of the Planet or a comfortable – bit lazier type of traveller who prefers staying at cosy hotels, please stay here and be informed about the benefits and drawbacks of the Australian travel insurance system.
Is travel insurance necessary for Australian citizens ?
As a matter of fact, if you leave the continent, health insurance is just as important as your passport.
What happens if you get injured or ill overseas?
In this case the Australian government/law won’t cover your medical expenses only if it is a case of emergency. So, if your holiday outcomes differently as you planned and you wind up at a hospital, all the occurrent costs are on you. At the very worst, we can even talk about thousands of dollars!
Unexpected incidents at the airport
Even though the most urgent reason to get travel insurance mentioned earlier, you might face inconveniences at the airport. What can you do if your luggage gets lost or your flight is cancelled? By having travel insurance, you do not need to worry; but in default of it, you can easily find yourself out of pocket.
Health insurance – as an admission ticket
Would you like to visit Cuba, Turkey, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania or the United Arab Emirates? Well, be prepared that these countries will not let you in without valid health insurance. Furthermore if you would like to visit countries in the Schengen Area, then a basic health insurance is obligatory when before you are applying for visa. Also, some cruise ships make boarding unworkable for non-insured passengers.
What about the Reciprocal Healthcare Agreement?
As you know, Australia has reciprocal healthcare agreements with several countries: Belgium, Finland, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Republic of Ireland, Slovenia, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. If you have Medicare you are entitled for basic healthcare in these countries.
So, why do you still need travel insurance?
First of all, if you’re very ill, travel insurance covers a medical escort so you will be brought back home to Australia; secondly, travel insurance secures you in case of cancellations, delays, stolen items and so on.
Where to turn to?
You can easily take out travel insurance by walking into a travel agency or by consulting with an insurance broker who is happy to help you to insure your home or car as well.
Financial concomitants
There are four main factors when calculating:
- Age of the travellers
- Number of travellers
- Length of travel
- Type of coverage
The total costs you must pay depends on the insurance company you choose.
In general, you should expect this amount anywhere from 4%-10% of your total pre-paid, nonrefundable trip-cost. To tell an example, if you have purchased a trip with a total cost of $5,000, available travel insurance policies will likely range in price from $250-$500, depending on the given insurance group.
After all, do not give up exploring the planet you were born into; but do not be neglectful of your safety when planning your route. The idea of „this will never happen to me” has already failed several times in history and undoubtedly it will.