The top 3 travel insurance myths
Over 60% of Aussie jetsetters are still at a loss for what their travel insurance is actually good for.
According to the stats from travel insurance provider SureSave, Aussies heading abroad are, for the most part, unsure of exactly what they are covered for when purchasing travel insurance.
“While it’s reassuring to see that over the past two years the number of travellers purchasing insurance in Australia is up by almost 10%, many travellers are still unclear about certain elements of travel insurance,” SureSave’s general manager Michael Callaghan said.
“It’s true that not all travel insurance policies are created equal, but there are some common factors across most reputable policies that travellers should be aware of.”
So they’ve debunked the top three common travel insurance myths, clearing up a few things for agents and travellers alike.
Myth #1 – “If I buy my travel insurance at the same time as I book my holiday, I need to purchase an extra-long policy and pay more…”
It is a little known fact that, in many cases, if travellers purchase a travel insurance policy at the time of payment for their holiday, they’re covered for a range of events prior to travel.
“We’re still seeing that close to 40% of Australian travellers choose not to purchase their insurance at the same time as booking their holiday plans, leaving them at risk of unnecessary disappointment and financial loss before travel.”
There’s always a chance something could go wrong between the time of booking a holiday and actually departing, so taking out a policy sooner rather than later just makes sense.”
“Many travellers fear that they’ll pay higher premiums if they organise their insurance when they start booking their holiday plans, when in fact, that’s not the case, because the premium is based on trip duration. The earlier they book their travel insurance, the better, and it’s not necessarily more expensive,” Callaghan said.
Myth #2 – “I don’t need travel insurance – I’m just going on a short trip and the country I’m visiting isn’t risky.”
Regardless of the duration of a holiday, or the destination, travel insurance is a non-negotiable part of preparing for travel.
“Travelling uninsured should never be an option. It doesn’t matter where you’re heading to, or how long you’ll be away for, you never know what can happen,” Callaghan said.
“The perceived ‘risk’ of a country is irrelevant – travel insurance claims come from a range of events or situations that are out of our control, so it’s always important to be covered.”
“When you consider that without travel insurance, getting home from overseas can cost tens of thousands of dollars – it’s a risk you don’t want to take. Being offloaded from a cruise in Europe with pneumonia can exceed $50,000, and we’ve seen costs just shy of $1 million when a traveller on a motorcycle was hit by a drunk driver.
“For those who travel regularly, it might be a good idea to opt for an annual policy. It might cost a bit more upfront, but then you can ‘travel easy’ with peace of mind, knowing that your insurance is designed with travel safety and assistance in mind, and you’ll be in safe hands if you do need help.”
Myth #3 – “I booked my trip using my credit card, so I don’t need to buy travel insurance.”
Travel insurance is often included as part of a credit card package, however, this can be risky if there are any grey areas regarding cover.
“Over 12% of Australian travellers rely on insurance from a credit or debit card or bank, however, the likelihood is that they’re often not aware of what is actually covered,” Callaghan added.
“Many ‘free’ or ‘complimentary’ policies can be risky as they may not provide medical cover, only cover the holiday components that were paid for using the credit card or cover the cardholder but not the whole family.
“My advice is to check the PDS of your policy properly, and check it again, to ensure that it covers everything you need. You can’t put a price on your health and safety, so if you aren’t satisfied, purchase a policy that provides a full range of coverage to meet your needs.”
Latest News
Collette goes off the beaten track with Canyon Country tour
To be clear TW is not advocating actually walking off the beaten track. Avoid the coyotes. Stay on the beaten track.
Intrepid & Korean Tourism Organisation team up to give agents a cooking masterclass
These guys learnt that Korean cooking is more than just putting kimchi on 2-minute noodles (as we once thought).
Winner, winner! Intrepid reveals the 9 lucky agents that won $2k
Who won the incentive? Which Intrepid trip will they spend it on? What day of the week is it again? Where am I? Huh?
Corporate Traveller reports 42% increase in Easter traffic this year
Business travellers just love Easter! Expect plenty of chocolate stained documents returning to the office on Tuesday.
Turbulent year wiped $384m off Qantas brand value: Report
Meanwhile, eating tuna at your desk can damage your own personal office brand value by several thousand dollars.
FAMIL: Room-Res & Singapore Tourism Board shows agents the Lion City’s roar
Click this article to see a man very impressed by a 20-layer chocolate cake. We're not kidding, he loved it!
Oceania Cruises offers sailors free pre-cruise hotel stay
Looking for ways to make your holidays as long as possible? Look no further.
Bonza launches new website to compliment app, agent portal
Does news about an airline's website fill you with ecstasy, glee and joy? Get your hit of the good stuff here.
MTA agents attends ‘Lunch ‘n’ Learn’ with AMA Waterways
When organising the event, Lunch 'n' Learn beat out Dinner 'n' Divulge and Breakfast 'n' Banter. Understandably so.
Travelmarvel reveals 2025 South America tours
If you spot any typos in the newsletter today it is because TW became distracted Googling images of Machu Picchu.
Tourists from 5 countries could be BANNED from visiting Australia
Anthony Albanese's immigration laws could impact tourism from certain countries.
Just how many passengers will Qantas & Jetstar hop around this Easter?
Airline workers are ready for gleeful Easter travellers! Also prepared for sticky children with chocolate on their face.
Air New Zealand gets ready for bumper Easter weekend
Air NZ gears up for travelling passengers this Easter, while TW looks to beat our egg eating record. 117 here we come!
Four Seasons Yachts reveals first itineraries to the Caribbean & Mediterranean
These trips look so good we wish there were five seasons! Alright, we'll see ourselves out...
FAMIL: Travellers Choice treats top agents to the wonders of Rotorua
This one's got plenty of famil pics and no one looks shockingly hungover in them! Clearly no TW staffers were there.
European Waterways celebrates 50th anniversary with week-long founders cruise
Plan on celebrating your 50th anniversary with a bottle of Moët and fairy bread? European Waterways has better ideas.
100th route! Jetstar celebrates the launch of Brisbane-Avalon with 12 hour sale
Jetstar knocks a ton and celebrates with a sale while TW once scored a ton and celebrated with about 17 beers.
Record-breaking year for NSW as visitor expenditure soars past $50 billion
Enjoy running round the Opera House? Be prepared to elbow even more tourists out the way.
Norwegian Cruise Line makes play for solo travellers
NCL ensuring you don't have to go trawling Tinder to find a cruise partner. Thank goodness, we were sick of catfishing.
Entire Travel Group’s Canada and Europe 2024/25 brochures are out now
Entire's new brochure is bittersweet; it both informs your clients and makes you envious of the holiday they'll take.
Malaysia Airlines adds 3 new destinations & A330neo seats
More seats means cheaper airfares and more money to spend on overpriced airport sandwiches. Woohoo!
Two divine days onboard Crystal Serenity
It's only pure serenity onboard this ship. Anxiety, agitation and anguish have been rejected by the bouncer.
How the Globus Family of Brands elevates coach touring: Travel Weekly TV with Chris Fundell
Chris' here so you don't think coaches mean peeling your thighs off a sticky leather seat every time you stand up!
The Flight Centre Foundation gears up for massive 2024 with 3 new board members
The foundation looks to invest $200k this year, spurring the TW journos to figure out how to qualify as a charity.
Barking Owl Communications to head up Anantara & Avani in ANZ
Fellow PR competitors had been barking up the wrong tree even thinking of bidding for this job!
Amex GBT to purchase CWT for $871m
It's big deals like this that get a firm handshake - hence the sore hands over at the CWT and Amex GBT offices.
1000MTG’s second global conference reminds agents to ‘strive and thrive’
Alongside messages to 'strive' and 'thrive' were those to 'survive', 'drive', 'arrive' and 'jive' (when appropriate).
Qantas A330 makes “loud bang”, pilots forced to shut down one engine
Qantas refusing to let Boeing have all the headlines in aviation world today!
GX Community Tourism Summit 2024 location revealed!
The new location has arrived and it'll blow your socks off! Time for another trip to Target for more socks then.
Visiting the destination my Mum didn’t want me to
Yet again, this journo has been a stress to his mother. Discover how this trip spurred his mother's anxiety here.
Agents come out of their shells at P&O’s turtle hatchery event
For some, it's a few glasses of bubbles to lure them out of their shell. For these agents, it was a bit more literal.
Boeing cleanout: CEO, chair to go as safety crisis plagues the manufacturer
CEOs are falling thick and fast these days. We should have started up a bingo game with their headshots in the office.
Virgin looks to swap MAX 10 order for MAX 8s amid Boeing delays: Reports
Virgin has changed its order for something smaller. Much like we have to at Maccas following a worrying doctor's visit.
Club Med unveils newest luxury yacht for 2024/25 early bird sale
This yacht is preserved for the early birds! Night Owls may also get onboard depending how late they stay up.
Abercrombie & Kent 2024 Asia Portfolio is here
Round up the family and get planning an Asia jaunt. Or, if they're hard to handle, brush them all and go it alone!
Elevate your earnings: Final days to secure double commission with Inspiring Vacations’ March offer
What could inspire you to sell more Inspiring Vacations? Double commission of course! That's all the inspiration needed.