Please read below.
There are more domestic insurance policies than you can poke a stick at. Please ask the questions that are important to you with the insurance cover.
- Does my cover include my current medical condition?
- If there is a cyclone and they have to cancel the charter am I covered?
- If we are stuck somewhere due to a cyclonic event is our extra accommodation and expenses covered?
- If the operator cancels the charter with at giving a reason am I covered?
- If bad weather interrupts the charter can I claimed for the portion that we were not able to complete?
- If we are more than 10 nautical miles from the nearest land point/landmass is the policy still active?
I can not emphasise enough that you need to do your duty diligence and make sure the cover is the cover that you expected to be.
What is domestic travel insurance?
For Australian residents, domestic travel insurance is a type of travel insurance that provides cover for trips taken within Australia.
Depending on the type of policy you buy, most domestic travel insurance plans for Australia offer coverage for expenses such as lost or damaged luggage and travel documents, rental vehicle insurance excess, additional expenses, amendment or cancellation costs, sporting activities, and winter snow sports.
Do I need domestic travel insurance in Australia?
There are always risks when you travel even on domestic trips. Incidents can happen as easily in Sydney as they can in Singapore, your luggage can become delayed or lost on a flight to Darwin just as they can on a flight to Dublin, and if your child becomes unwell and you need to cancel your trip, it doesn’t matter if you were travelling to Brisbane or to Barcelona.
Domestic travel insurance for Australian trips can help protect you from unexpected mishaps and events outside of your control ruining your trip – and your finances.
While domestic travel insurance does not cover medical expenses in Australia, it provides cover for several other important benefits. For details on what domestic travel insurance plans cover, view an example of benefits table below.
Think you can risk travelling in Australia without travel insurance? Here are three claim stories fromwho needed the protection of their domestic policy:
- A customer was diagnosed with skin cancer and had to cancel their entire family trip. Amendment and Cancellation claim value: $20,000
- A customer’s rental car was written off after a third-party collision. Rental Car Insurance Excess claim value: $4,000
- An airline lost a customer’s suitcase, and the items were not recoverable. Luggage claim value: $2,500
An idea of domestic travel insurance plans?
Three types of domestic plans to allow you to choose the best domestic travel insurance for your trip in Australia:
- Domestic Comprehensive+
- Domestic Comprehensive
- Domestic Basic
Below, you can compare a Domestic Plan benefits and benefit limits:
| Domestic Basic (Single Trip) |
Domestic Comprehensive (Single Trip or Annual Multi-Trip) |
Domestic Comprehensive+ (Single Trip or Annual Multi-Trip) |
|---|---|---|
| COVID-19 | ||
| Limited cover applies. Compare plans domestic COVID-19 cover | ||
| Additional Expenses* | ||
| $10,000 | $10,000 | $25,000 |
| Return of mortal remains | ||
| Included in limit above | Included in limit above | Included in limit above |
| Pet cat or dog boarding* | ||
| $Nil | $300 | $300 |
| Travel Services Provider Insolvency | ||
| $Nil | $5,000 | $10,000 |
| Amendment or Cancellation Costs* | ||
| $Cover chosen^ | $Cover chosen^ | $Cover chosen^ |
| Cancellation Extensions | ||
| Upgrade: If your non-travelling relative or business partner becomes ill, injured, or dies | ||
| X | ✓ | ✓ |
| Upgrade: If there are complications of pregnancy from the start of the 24th week up until the start of the 32nd week (or up to the start of the 28th week for a multiple pregnancy)^^ | ||
| X | ✓ | ✓ |
| An act of terrorism | ||
| X | ✓ | ✓ |
| If your pet cat or dog becomes ill or injured or dies | ||
| X | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wedding-related cancellation | ||
| X | ✓ | ✓ |
| Dissolution of your relationship with your spouse or de facto | ||
| X | ✓ | ✓ |
| Luggage and Travel Documents* | ||
| $Nil | $5,000 | $15,000 |
| Phone or smart watch – limit per item• | ||
| $Nil | $1,500 | $2,500 |
| Camera or video camera – limit per item• | ||
| $Nil | $4,000 | $6,000 |
| Laptop computer – limit per item• | ||
| $Nil | $4,000 | $5,000 |
| Tablet computer – limit per item• | ||
| $Nil | $3,000 | $3,000 |
| Drone (with or without camera) – limit per item• | ||
| $Nil | $1,200 | $2,000 |
| Artificial limb, removable dental appliance, dentures or medical device e.g., hearing aids, CPAP machine – limit per item• | ||
| $Nil | $1,200 | $1,500 |
| Jewellery or watch or any other item – limit per item• | ||
| $Nil | $1,200 | $1,500 |
| Delayed Luggage Allowance* | ||
| $Nil | $1,100 | $1,500 |
| Money | ||
| $Nil | $250 | $500 |
| Driving Holidays | ||
| Cover for the insurance excess on your personal vehicle | ||
| X | $2,500 | $2,500 |
| Rental vehicle insurance excess | ||
| X | $5,000 | $5,000 |
| Rental vehicle comprehensive cover | ||
| X | X | ✓ |
| Travel Delay* | ||
| $Nil | $1,000 | $1,000 |
| Resumption of Journey | ||
| $Nil | $Nil | $2,000 |
| Missed Connections | ||
| $Nil | $Nil | $2,000 |
| Special Events | ||
| $Nil | $2,000 | $2,000 |
| Loss of Income* | ||
| $Nil | $30,000† | $45,000† |
| Disability | ||
| $Nil | $25,000† | $30,000† |
| Accidental Death | ||
| $Nil | $25,000† | $30,000† |
| Personal Liability | ||
| $1,000,000 | $2,500,000 | $5,000,000 |
| Business Pack | ||
| Business equipment | ||
| X | X | $7,500 |
| Business equipment hire | ||
| X | X | $1,500 |
| Alternative staff | ||
| X | X | $15,000 |
| Business money | ||
| X | X | $2,000 |
| Kidnap and ransom | ||
| X | X | $250,000 |
|
This is part of a conversation that a client was having with an insurance company. Trying to get the definition out of them of what yachting and sailing means was difficult. In relation to Yachting/Sailing we can cover cancellation fees and lost deposits for claimable events such as unforeseen sickness, injuries, strikes, collisions, redundancies, family emergencies, and even natural disasters, provided the event is not linked to a general exclusion. This means, that if you have pre-paid travel arrangements in relation to Yachting/Sailing and you need to cancel your trip for a claimable event, there are provisions to claim. If you are seeking cover for medical costs incurred within Australia due to Yachting/Sailing, unfortunately, this is something that we are not able to cover. The Australian Government has actually legislated that travel insurance companies are not permitted to provide coverage for medical expenses incurred within Australia for Australian residents and citizens who are eligible for Australian Medicare. The intention is for any medical costs to be covered by Medicare or private health insurance. If medical expenses are not covered by Medicare or private health insurance it may need to be paid for out of your own pocket sorry. Note, although travel insurance does not cover domestic medical expenses it does cover cancellation due to claimable medical emergencies. From the moment you purchase a Domestic policy it covers cancellation fees, and lost deposits for claimable events such as unforeseen sickness, injuries, strikes, collisions, redundancies, family emergencies, and even natural disasters, provided the event is not linked to a general exclusion. |
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