INS · 1 · medical costs overseas
What a hospital bill overseas can mean
Smartraveller explains that most countries will not give Australians free or subsidised care, so you or your insurer usually pay the full price. Some hospitals refuse to treat a patient who cannot pay upfront or hand over insurance details.
It also sets out what can happen to someone who has no insurance and cannot pay: being arrested or jailed, being stopped from leaving the country until the bill is paid, or being sued by the hospital, even after leaving. The Australian Government cannot pay your bills.
INS · 2 · healthcare agreements
Eleven countries with a healthcare agreement, and why it is not insurance
Australia has reciprocal health care agreements with 11 countries, which give Australians some emergency care.
- Belgium
- Finland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Malta
- the Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Slovenia
- Sweden
- United Kingdom
Smartraveller is clear that these agreements do not replace travel insurance. Most cover only urgent, medically necessary care and usually expect the patient to pay part of the cost. They do not pay for private care, non-urgent care or medical evacuation, which can cost thousands of dollars. In a country without an agreement you are not covered at all. Services Australia publishes what each agreement covers, linked from Smartraveller’s page.
INS · 3 · three kinds of cover
Comprehensive, basic and credit card policies
Smartraveller describes three broad kinds of travel insurance. The names are general descriptions; what any one policy includes is in its PDS.
| Kind | What it usually covers | What to look out for |
|---|---|---|
| Comprehensive | Most things for most people in most situations, though never everything. | Optional extras or higher item limits may be needed for expensive items or some activities. |
| Basic (medical only) | Health and medical emergencies. | Usually no cover for belongings or cancellation costs, or tighter conditions and lower limits if there is, and a much higher excess. |
| Credit card | Often fewer situations and lower item limits than comprehensive policies. | It usually has to be activated. Moneysmart adds that you may need to pay for part of the trip on the card, and that it may cover only the cardholder. |
Smartraveller reported on 1 October 2026 that several major Australian banks are reducing or removing the complimentary travel insurance on their credit cards, for domestic and international travel, and that existing cards are affected as well as new ones. It suggests not assuming a card still carries cover, even if you have used it before, and checking the card’s PDS for activation rules, trip length limits, what is covered, the excess, exclusions and whether family members are included.
INS · 4 · advice levels
How Smartraveller’s advice level affects a policy
Smartraveller’s advice levels run from 1 to 4, and the Smartraveller guide explains each one. For insurance, Smartraveller says:
- most travel insurance policies will not cover you in a level 4 (“Do not travel”) country, and some also exclude level 3 countries, depending on the reasons for the level;
- some policies only let you cancel for safety reasons if the level is raised after you bought the policy, and most will not cover a safety cancellation if the level has not changed;
- if the level is raised to 3 or 4 and you want to cancel, contact your insurer to find out whether you can claim.
The federal transport department’s air passenger guide suggests buying travel insurance as soon as you pay for a trip.
INS · 5 · when cover stops
Health, age, activities and behaviour
Smartraveller says you must tell your insurer about all pre-existing health conditions, that most policies have an age limit, and that a condition you did not declare upfront will rarely be covered. Moneysmart adds that an insurer may cover a declared condition, cover it for an extra cost, or exclude it.
Insurers exclude many activities from standard policies, Smartraveller notes, even common ones such as a cruise or skiing, so check the policy’s list and its definitions. And you usually will not be covered if something goes wrong while you are breaking the law, under the influence of alcohol or drugs, doing an excluded activity, or in a “Do not travel” destination. Moneysmart keeps a longer list of exclusions that often apply on its travel insurance page.
INS · 6 · making a claim
The claim kit to put together before you leave
Moneysmart suggests finding out how to lodge a claim before you travel, and registering a claim as soon as you can; with some insurers, you have to tell them about an incident within 24 hours. The evidence it says you may be asked for:
- Proof of travelFlight details, itineraries and hotel confirmations.
- A report from a doctorWritten confirmation from a qualified medical or dental professional that you became sick or injured while travelling.
- A police reportIf something is stolen, or you are injured or the victim of a crime.
- Valuations and proof of purchaseFor items lost or stolen, including things bought on the trip. Moneysmart suggests photographing expensive items and noting serial numbers before you go.
If you and your insurer disagree, Moneysmart says the General Insurance Code of Practice sets out how insurers should handle claims, and that you can complain to the insurer and then, if you cannot reach agreement, to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) for “free, independent dispute resolution”. The complaints guide covers the other kinds of travel dispute, and your rights when travel is cancelled covers what the business itself owes you.