Travel Insurance FAQs

Any medical diagnosis of COVID-19, whether this be in Australia or overseas, must be provided by your treating doctor or the insurer's consulting medical officer. The insurer, at their discretion, may also accept other evidence of your diagnosis.

We have outlined the most common scenarios that could be raised by our customers below. Please contact us if you have any questions or require any further information or clarification on cover. Customers always have a right to lodge a claim for consideration under their policy, which will be considered in line with policy terms and conditions and their individual circumstances.

Am I covered for medical expenses if I am diagnosed with COVID-19 during my trip?

• Domestic - No medical expenses are covered in Australia as we are prevented from paying by reason of statutory legislation/government regulation.
• International - Yes, Your reasonable overseas medical and hospital expenses are covered, *$unlimited and subject to full policy terms and conditions.

Am I covered for funeral and emergency expenses if I die from COVID-19 during my trip?

• Domestic – No, your medical expenses cannot be covered in Australia due to statutory rules.
• International – Yes, if you die unexpectedly (including from COVID-19) while on your trip, the policy provides cover for the reasonable cost for your funeral/cremation overseas or the return of your remains to Australia. Depending on the plan you purchase, cover is up to $20,000, subject to full policy terms and conditions.

What if I am diagnosed with COVID-19 on my trip and I need to quarantine or self-isolate are my emergency expenses covered?
Yes, you are covered up to the policy limit depending on the plan you have selected, subject to full policy terms and conditions.

Am I covered for COVID-19 if I am travelling on a multi-night international or Australian Cruise?

• International – Yes, only if you select Yes to ‘Going on a cruise’. Please note that this is an optional extra that will be subject to an additional fee.
• For Australian cruises, you will need to select Australian Cruises as a Destination, select Yes to 'Going on a cruise?', and this will fall under an International Policy. Please note that this is an optional extra that will be subject to an additional fee.

Am I covered for Cancellation Fees and Lost Deposits if I am diagnosed with COVID-19 and I need to cancel my trip?
Generally, you are covered up to the cancellation limit you have chosen. However, there are specific COVID-19 limits that apply to Cancellation Fees and Lost Deposits.

Am I covered for loss of enjoyment of my cruise or holiday, if I am required to isolate or quarantine due to COVID-19 whilst on my holiday?
No, all policies have a General Exclusion for any Consequential loss which includes loss of enjoyment and as such there is no cover for loss of enjoyment.

Am I covered if I need to quarantine or self-isolate once I enter a region/country based on the government or state regulations?
All policies have a General Exclusion relating to claims directly or indirectly arising from any government or public health authority mandatory quarantine or isolation order imposed on you related to border, region or territory travel in response to COVID-19. Please check with local government and public health authorities prior to your departure.^<

Cover is provided for river cruising and ocean cruising regardless of whether you are cruising overseas or within Australia. A number of options are available subject to the terms, conditions and exclusions in the policy.

The definition of Cruise means an ocean voyage on a commercially operated vessel for more than one night. If you are on a cruise for only one night or you are on a river cruise, you will automatically be covered under the policy without selecting the Cruise Option.
The policy cannot cover any medical expenses within Australia, so if your cruise might be in Australian waters, please check carefully if there are medical facilities onboard, and if so, whether Medicare applies. An extra premium is payable for the Cruise cover option.

All policies have a General Exclusion relating to claims directly or indirectly arising from any government or public health authority mandatory quarantine or isolation order imposed on you related to border, region or territory travel in response to COVID-19. Please check with local government and public health authorities prior to your departure.

• 1. River Cruising – International or Domestic

Cover for river cruising is automatically included in your cover and there is no need to select the Cruise Option.
For international river cruising, medical evacuation and medical costs will be covered subject to the policy terms and conditions.

• 2. Open water sailing – International or Domestic

Please note there is an exclusion on any Open Water Sailing which means sailing more than 12 nautical miles from any landmass. This applies to a sailing vessel using either a motor and/or wind as its means of propulsion. There is no cover under the policy for these types of vessels unless the vessel stays within 12 nautical miles of any landmass. For example, if you are on a commercially operated sailing vessel cruising along the coast of Croatia or The Whitsundays and that vessel always staying within 12 nautical miles of any landmass, cover is automatically included in your policy and you do not need to select the Cruise option.

• 3. Going on an Ocean Cruise – International

The definition of Cruise means an ocean voyage on a commercially operated vessel for more than one night. If you are cruising for only one night or you are on a river cruise, you will automatically be covered under the policy without selecting the Cruise Option.
Medical evacuation and medical costs will be covered with all ocean cruising subject to the policy terms and conditions.
If you are going on an international ocean cruise, you will be covered for this travel by selecting the Cruise Option and adding all countries and regions being visited to the destination list when quoting for a policy. For international ocean cruises, there are currently no restrictions on the size of the vessel or on the medical facilities required onboard.
Going on an Australian Cruise

• 4. Cruising to Australia plus international ports

Many cruises depart Australian ports to visit other Australian ports and then international ports of destination. For example, Sydney, Brisbane plus countries in the South Pacific. For these types of cruises, please select Australian Cruise and add all countries and/or regions being visited in the destination list when quoting for a policy - this will ensure you have cover for any medical evacuation and medical costs while overseas or onboard but please note, any medical treatment received in Australia is not covered given this is excluded and provided by Medicare.

• 5. Cruising to Australian ports or offshore islands with medical facilities and medical providers onboard and commercially operated

Many cruises depart from Australian ports to visit major city or regional ports, for example cruising from Sydney to Brisbane or cruising in the Kimberly region.
If your cruise has medical facilities and doctors onboard, and meets the definition of Cruise, please select Australian Cruise while quoting for a policy. This will ensure you have cover for any medical evacuation and medical costs while onboard, as some medical providers are not registered with Medicare.

• 6. Cruising to Australian ports or offshore islands with NO medical facilities and medical providers onboard or chartered for self-operation

Many cruises depart from Australian ports to visit major city or regional ports, for example cruising from Sydney to Brisbane or cruising in the Kimberly region. You may also charter a cruise, boat or yacht yourself for self-operation including a fishing trip.
If these cruises have no medical facilities and staff or are chartered for self-operation, please select Australia – Domestic cover, while quoting for a policy.

Yes, to confirm that cover is available, you should list all countries and/or regions you are travelling to, aside from countries and/or regions with less than a 24-hour stopover. Also check www.smarttraveller.gov.au as the insurer does not provide cover for any country or region which is the subject of a “Do Not Travel“ advisory issued by DFAT prior to you purchasing your policy or before you travel.

When you select a region of travel, the insurer covers all the countries included within that region, but will not cover countries and areas of travel which are the subject of a “Do Not Travel“ advisory issued by DFAT (check www.smarttraveller.gov.au) prior to you purchasing your policy or before you travel.

For simplicity, your Certificate of Insurance lists the region name rather than each country individually.

To help you understand exactly where you're covered, we've provided a detailed list of countries grouped by region.

Countries by Region

Travel Insurance can provide some protection when unforeseen events occur whilst you are travelling and can help cover unexpected expenses. Travel Insurance can provide some cover for things like theft, accidents, or medical problems. To find out more about the benefits of travel insurance, visit the Smart Traveller website.

Without travel insurance, you could be personally responsible for thousands of dollars in overseas medical expenses, unexpected cancellations, or replacing lost or stolen belongings. Every year, the Australian Government assists with over 20,000 cases of Australians facing difficulties abroad. That’s why travel insurance should be considered as part of your pre-departure checklist.

Before you buy, make sure to read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) to understand what’s covered and check if your policy includes coverage for specific activities like skiing, cruising, or adventure sports. Visit www.smartraveller.gov.au for an informative guide to travel insurance. 

All RAC International Travel Insurance policies provide 24-hour emergency assistance and unlimited cover for reasonable overseas medical expenses.

There are a number of policy types with varying benefits and limits for both international travel and domestic travel, as well as a domestic rental car excess only policy. The policy can also include your dependants under your cover at no extra cost.^††

Please refer to the table of benefits in the PDS/FSG for further details.

RAC Travel Insurance is issued by Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd. (Tokio Marine & Nichido) ABN 80 000 438 291, AFSL 246548. Its managing agent and authorised representative (AR 1313066), Tokio Marine Management (Australasia) Pty. Ltd. ABN 69 004 488 455 (TMMA) is authorised under a binder to act on behalf of Tokio Marine & Nichido to issue its policies and handle and settle claims in relation to those policies, subject to the terms of the authority.

As well as travel insurance, Tokio Marine & Nichido also work with the general insurance market through insurance brokers and provide insurance for commercial and corporate businesses in Australia. Tokio Marine & Nichido was founded in 1879 in Japan, operates in multiple countries and employs thousands of people worldwide.

For all customer service enquiries including medical assessments please call us on 13 17 03, visit RAC or any RAC travel centre.

Cover is available for persons up to 110 years of age for Single Trip policies and up to 75 years of age for the Annual Multi-Trip policy provided that:

• You either:
• are an Australian citizen or permanent resident of Australia; or
• hold a current Australian visa - but not a tourist, study or working holiday visa - that will remain valid beyond the period of your return from your trip, and you also hold a return ticket back to Australia (for International plans), a valid Australian Medicare card and have a primary place of residence in Australia;

• you purchase your policy before your trip; and
• for international cover, your trip begins and ends in Australia, and for domestic cover, your trip is wholly within Australia.

The ‘Ski and Winter Sports option’ is only available to you if you are 85 years or under at the time you purchase your policy.

A medical assessment is an online set of medical questions (assessment) which you will need to complete if you wish to apply for travel insurance but have medical conditions which are not automatically covered under the policy, and you want cover for these medical conditions. You can complete this as part of your travel insurance quote at rac.tmaainsurance.com. Upon completion of this assessment, you will be informed if the medical condition(s) is covered and any additional premium payable.

A medical condition means any medical or physical condition, disorder, disease, disability or illness, including any mental illness, which at the relevant time, you were aware of, or a reasonable person in your circumstances would have or ought to have been aware of, and at the relevant time:

1. is chronic and ongoing, or terminal, or
2. has affected or involved one or more of the following:

a. heart, circulatory system, lungs or respiratory system, brain, kidneys, liver, or cancer;
b. surgery involving the back, neck, joints, or abdomen;
c. or

3. in the last 24 months has:

a. presented symptoms which would have caused an ordinarily prudent person to seek medical opinion or treatment;
b. become exacerbated or complicated; or
c. been diagnosed, treated or treatment was recommended by a treating doctor.

This section outlines those medical conditions automatically included, where you at the relevant time:

• have not required hospitalisation or treatment (where treatment does not include an annual or routine medical check-up, blood testing or a visit to a medical practitioner to obtain a regular prescription) by any treating doctor within the last 24 months (unless a different time-period is specifically listed in the list below) for the medical condition; and
• are not awaiting the outcome of any investigation, tests, surgery or other treatment for the medical condition; and
• meet any additional criteria set out in the medical conditions listed below that are automatically covered.

If the criteria above are satisfied, cover is automatically included for the following medical conditions:

• Acne
• Allergies limited to Rhinitis, Chronic Sinusitis, Eczema, Food Intolerance, Hay Fever, however this excludes any Anaphylaxis as part of any such condition
• Asthma providing you:
  1. have no other lung disease; and
  2. are less than 60 years of age at the time you purchase the policy
• Bell's Palsy
• Benign Positional Vertigo
• Bunions
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Cataracts
• Coeliac Disease
• Congenital Blindness
• Congenital Deafness
• Diabetes Mellitus (Type 1) providing you:
  1. were diagnosed over 24 months ago; and
  2. have no eye, kidney, nerve or vascular complications; and
  3. do not suffer from a known cardiovascular disease, hypertension, or hypercholesterolemia; and
  4. are under 50 years of age at the date of policy purchase
• Diabetes Mellitus (Type 2) providing you:
  1. were diagnosed over 24 months ago; and
  2. have no eye, kidney, nerve or vascular complications; and
  3. do not suffer from a known cardiovascular disease, hypertension, or hypercholesterolemia; and
  4. are under 50 years of age at the date of policy purchase
• Dry Eye Syndrome
• Epilepsy providing:
  1. there has been no change to your medication regime in the past 24 months; and
  2. you are on no more than one anticonvulsant medication
• Gastric reflux
• Gastric/Peptic ulcer
• Glaucoma
• Gout
• Graves' Disease
• Hiatus Hernia
• Hip/Knee replacement if performed more than 24 months ago but less than 10 years ago
• Hypercholesterolemia (High Cholesterol) providing you do not also suffer from a known cardiovascular disease and/or Diabetes
• Hyperlipidaemia (High Blood Lipids) providing you do not also suffer from a known cardiovascular disease and/or Diabetes
• Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) providing you do not also suffer from a known cardiovascular disease and/or Diabetes
• Hypothyroidism, including Hashimoto’s Disease
• Incontinence
• Insulin Resistance
• Macular Degeneration
• Meniere's Disease
• Migraine
• Nocturnal cramps
• Plantar Fasciitis
• Raynaud's Disease
• Sleep Apnoea
• Solar Keratosis
• Trigeminal Neuralgia
• Trigger Finger

If you require cover for a Medical Conditions that is not automatically covered above, you may apply for additional cover for that condition.

If your condition meets the automatically covered conditions criteria, there is nothing further you need to do in order to be covered for that condition.

If your condition does not meet the automatically covered conditions criteria, and you want cover for this, you must complete a medical assessment to assess whether the condition can be accepted and if any additional premium is payable by you to have that condition specified on your policy.

Please also read the “General Exclusions” section of the PDS/FSG.

If you have a medical condition that is not automatically covered and you want cover for this medical condition, you will need to complete the online medical assessment so that an assessment can be made on whether:

1. the medical condition can be covered – in which case an additional premium may be payable and the medical condition will be listed on your Certificate of Insurance; or
2. the medical condition cannot be covered – in which case, the medical condition that has not been accepted will be listed on your Certificate of Insurance.

Please also read the General Exclusions which apply in addition to any specific criteria and limitations related to medical conditions.

You can complete the online medical assessment as part of your travel insurance quote at rac.tmaainsurance.com. 

This is an online set of medical questions (assessment) which you will need to complete if you wish to apply for travel insurance but have medical conditions which are not automatically covered under the policy, and you want cover for these medical conditions. Upon completion of this assessment, you will be informed if the medical condition(s) is covered and any additional premium payable.

Our policies provide cover for pregnancy in limited circumstances.

What is covered

Cover is included automatically up to the end of the 25^th week of pregnancy for:

1. single non-complicated pregnancies;
2. unexpected pregnancy complications; and
3. childbirth which was accelerated by accidental injury in limited circumstances.

Please see further information below.

You will need to apply for cover if at the relevant time you know you are pregnant and are aware of, or a reasonable person in your circumstances would have or ought to have been aware of, any of the following:

i. there have been complications with this or a previous pregnancy;
ii. you are expecting a multiple pregnancy (such as triplets or twins); or
iii. you have a medical condition which could have an adverse impact on your health.

Pregnancy Complications

Pregnancy complications are considered medical conditions and need to be disclosed and assessed if you want cover for these conditions whilst on your trip. Pregnancy complications include those that occur during pregnancy or may be caused by medical conditions that already existed prior to the pregnancy, such as previous high risk of miscarriage, gestational diabetes, hyperemesis (severe morning sickness) or pre-eclampsia. Please refer to the definition of medical conditions in the PDS/FSG.

What is not covered

There is no cover for:

1. pregnancy complications occurring from the 26th week of gestation or as described in the section above (Pregnancy Complications) unless such complications are specifically accepted and noted on your Certificate of Insurance;
2. pregnancy complications within the first 48 hours of the policy purchase, unless the trip is booked at the same time of the policy purchase;
3. childbirth at any stage of the pregnancy, other than as a result of an accident occurring prior to the end of the 25th week of your pregnancy which causes you to give birth prematurely;
4. the health or care of a newborn child, irrespective of the stage of pregnancy when the child is born; or
5. regular antenatal care.

We recommend that you contact your treating doctor and obtain written confirmation that you are fit to travel before commencing your planned trip. Please see the section about changes to your health, which outlines conditions to cover.

If you are unsure whether you need to complete a medical assessment for your pregnancy, please call 1300 655 179.

If you become aware of a change in your health before you start your trip, or a reasonable person in your circumstances would have or ought to have been aware of, a change in your health, you will need to disclose this prior to starting your trip or you may not be covered for that new or changed condition.

The change in your health will be assessed to determine if cover can be offered for this condition and on what terms.

If the change in your health no longer meets the risk criteria, you will be advised of this decision to decline or withdraw your cover and you will be issued with an updated Certificate of Insurance.

If your cover is withdrawn or declined, and you decide to cancel your trip as a result, you may be able to claim under the ‘Cancellation Fees and Lost Deposits’ benefit. If you do not claim and want to alternatively cancel your policy prior to starting your trip as a result of this decision, you will receive a refund of your premium in full, even if this is outside the cooling off period.

It is important that you advise of any change in your health so it can be assessed whether cover can continue for these changes.

If you do not advise of a change in your health, you may not be covered if you suffer a loss because of that condition.

Advise of changes to existing conditions - cover may still be available to you

John purchased a policy for his trip to Bali 3 months prior to his departure date and was automatically covered for his epilepsy condition because there had been no change to his medication for over 2 years and he was currently only prescribed one anticonvulsant medication.

Over the next 2 months, John unfortunately experienced seizures. His neurologist advised John to change his medication and add a second anticonvulsant to his daily medication.

As John’s medical condition had changed, he needed to advise the insurer and complete a medical assessment to determine if cover was still available to him for this condition during his trip and, if so, to calculate any additional premium payable.

John advised of the change, completed the medical assessment and it was determined that cover for his epilepsy was still possible under the policy with payment of an additional premium.

Not all changes to existing conditions can be covered - you may still be covered for cancellation costs or eligible for a full refund

Jane purchased a policy for her trip to the USA 6 months prior to her departure date and declared she was receiving counselling for anxiety. After completing the online medical assessment, it was determined that Jane's anxiety could be covered for an additional premium.

Three months before her trip, Jane experienced an anxiety episode that required her to be hospitalised for an extended period and placed on medication. Jane advised her insurer of this change in her medical condition and completed the medical assessment again.

Unfortunately, based on the information provided in the new medical assessment, it was determined that cover was no longer available to Jane for her anxiety condition during her trip. Jane decided to cancel her trip. She could have made a claim for cancellation costs but she was able to get a full refund for cancellations from her travel agent.

Jane then asked to cancel her travel policy, and because she hadn't made any claims and was not intending to, she was able to get a full refund of the premium.

Please also read the “General Exclusions” section of the PDS/FSG.

You can add an unlimited number of dependants to your policy. Your dependants are included under your cover at no extra cost.^††

Dependant means any one or more of your children, stepchildren, foster children or grandchildren who are:

• aged 25 years or under at the time you buy your policy; and
• financially dependent on their parents or grandparents and not working full time; and
• travelling with you for your entire trip; and
• listed on the Certificate of Insurance as your Dependant.

Your dependants are included under your cover at no extra cost as long as they do not have any medical conditions that require assessment for cover consideration, as additional medical conditions cover may require an additional premium to be paid. If you choose the Ski and Winter Sports or Cruise option, your dependants will be covered under those options as well.

Any dependants covered under your policy will be named on your Certificate of Insurance.

If you have forgotten to list your dependants, please contact us as soon as possible.

As your dependants are included under your cover, the same limits for benefits payable that apply to you will also apply to your dependants.^††

For example, if you have Comprehensive/Premium cover on a single policy, and a claim is made under Section 13 Travel Delay, the maximum amount that may be paid for 1 adult and dependants combined is $3,000.

Please note there are other sections of the policy where the limits are per person which includes dependants⁺ and adults individually, such as funeral expenses in section 2D. Please refer to the PDS/FSG for further details.

RAC travel insurance can cover a variety of sports and activities. Most amateur sporting and adventure activities are covered at no extra cost. There are some sports that have conditions of cover and some that are not covered at all.

Whatever sport or activity you choose to do, it is a condition of cover that you act in a responsible way to protect yourself. Check which activities are covered in the Product Disclosure Statement or click the link below.

Cover for cancellation, lost deposits and financial default commences from the date of purchase. All other benefits commence on the trip start date you have stated when purchasing your policy.

Please contact us on 1300 655 179 as soon as you realise the error so that we can review and arrange for amendments where possible. You can also advise us by email travelinsurance@rac.com.au with full details of the error and the correct details.

Please refer to the Refunds Notice for the available cancellation options.

You can extend your policy under certain conditions.

Your cover may be extended for no additional cost if any delay is due to circumstances which are covered under your policy, with specific details outlined in the PDS/FSG.

If you make a claim you may be required to pay an excess. An excess is an agreed dollar amount that is subtracted from each and every Insured Event — see the definitions of 'Excess' and 'Insured Event' in the Product Disclosure Statement for more information.

The default International Single Trip policy excess is $250 but this can be reduced to $100 or $0 for an increased premium or increased to $500 or $1,000 for a reduced premium at the time of purchase.

The default for our Domestic Single Trip policy is $100 but can be reduced to $0 for an increased premium  at the time of purchase.

The default Annual Multi-Trip policy is $250 but this can be reduced to $100 or $0 for an increased premium at the time of purchase. Your excess will be shown on your certificate of insurance. Please note If you choose a higher excess it can reduce your premiums but it will affect the benefit you receive when you make a claim.

Some cover benefit limits or sublimits may be less than your total excess and therefore the insurer may not contribute anything to your claim.

The maximum days allowed per trip is either 30, 45 or 60 days, depending on the policy you choose. You must select the appropriate number of days that will cover any single trip you may take during the 12 month period at the time of purchase. The days allowed per trip may be able to be increased to a longer duration during the period of the policy and an additional premium will apply. Please contact us for assistance.

Most of your policy benefits are per insured adult, but some are per policy or per person. Whether it is per policy or per adult or per person is stated in each section. You should read the PDS/FSG for specific information about benefits payable.

Insured adults on the policy can travel alone on a trip. Dependants who are covered under the policy must travel with an insured adult for the whole trip.^††

If you have an overseas emergency, the emergency assistance team is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to take your call.

+61 2 8055 1697 (reverse charges from the overseas operator).

If you have an international RAC Travel Insurance policy and something unexpected happens while you are overseas, we want to help make it as stress free as possible. If you have an overseas medical emergency, contact the emergency assistance team immediately, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on: +61 2 8055 1697 (reverse charges from the overseas operator).

If you:

• are hospitalised; or
• you are being treated as an outpatient and the total cost of any consultation or treatment will exceed $2,000;

then you, a member of your travelling party, or another person acting on your behalf, should contact the insurer as soon as reasonably practicable. If you do not make contact, and incur costs without the insurer's consent, they may limit the amount payable under a claim, to the amount they would have paid towards any expenses (including medical) or for any evacuation/repatriation or airfares that have not been approved or arranged by the insurer.

You will need to keep all your medical reports and receipts from the doctors and/or hospital. These documents will be needed to support your claim when it is lodged.

Claims can be lodged either online, by phone, or by email. If lodging by phone or email the applicable claim form will be provided for completion together with details of the documentation that needs to be provided.

Providing the information needed helps the insurer to make a timely and accurate decision about your claim. You can make contact either during your trip or once you have returned and you will be guided through the process. The insurer will not be able to process your claim unless you provide all of the necessary information. Full details should be submitted within 30 days of your return.

For all claims, evidence of the medical condition treated, incident or loss must be supported by the relevant documentation, e.g. police report, medical report, receipts, proof of ownership etc. If you cannot provide it, then the insurer may reduce or refuse to pay your claim.

Phone:
1300 209 352

Web:
Claim online

Email:
racclaims@tmnfatravelinsurance.com.au

Mail:
RAC Travel Insurance Claims
C/- TMNFA
GPO Box 4616
Sydney 2001