Travel Insurance FAQs

Any diagnosis of COVID-19 whether this be in Australia or overseas, must be made by a medical professional or government testing program. This would include diagnosis by Your local health authority or the relevant overseas health authority for the country You are travelling in.

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 medical expenses are covered in Australia as we are prevented from paying by reason of statutory legislation/government regulation.
• International - Yes, If You, Your Children or Grandchildren die while overseas, we will pay the reasonable cost incurred, up to $20,000, for either the funeral, cremation or the return of Your remains, 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?
You are covered up to the COVID-19 benefit limit depending on the plan and cancellation limit you have chosen, subject to full policy terms and conditions.

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.

We provide cover 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.

Our definition of Cruise means an ocean voyage on a commercially operated vessel for more than one night. If you are travelling for only one night you will automatically be covered under the policy without selecting the Cruise Option.

For domestic travel it is important to understand that medical evacuation and medical costs are not covered as medical costs are covered by Medicare, whilst any additional costs relating medical evacuations will need to be covered by you.

An extra premium is payable for the Cruise cover option.

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 and for these types of vessels no cover can be provided unless the vessel stays within 12 nautical miles of any landmass. For example, a customer wishing to sail in a commercially operated sailing vessel along the coast of Croatia or The Whitsundays and always staying within 12 nautical miles of any landmass is automatically included in your cover and there is no need to select the Cruise option.

3. Going on an Ocean Cruise – International

Our definition of Cruise means an ocean voyage on a commercially operated vessel for more than one night. If you are travelling for only one night 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.
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 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 or after you purchasing your policy.

When you select a region of travel, the insurer covers all the countries included within that region, aside for 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 or after you purchasing your policy.

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 Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade 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 of our RAC International policies provide 24-hour medical emergency assistance and unlimited reasonable overseas medical treatment (conditions, sub-limits and exclusions apply).

We offer a number of policy options with varying benefits and limits for both International travel and Domestic travel, as well as a domestic rental car excess only policy. The policy also covers your Dependants such as children, grandchildren, step-children and foster children at no extra cost provided they are travelling with you, are up to the age of 25, are financially dependent on their parents or grandparents, are not working full time, and do not require medical assessment.

Please refer to the table of benefits in the Product Disclosure Statement 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 up to 110 years of age for Single Trip policies and up to 75 years of age for the Annual Multi-Trip policy provided:

• You are an Australian citizen or permanent resident of Australia; or
• You 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, as well as hold a return ticket, a valid Australian Medicare card and have a primary place of residence in Australia; and
• You purchase your policy before you begin your trip;
• For international cover your trip begins and ends in Australia, and for domestic cover your trip must be wholly within Australia.

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. You can complete this as part of your travel insurance quote at www.rac.com/travelinsurance, call 1300 655 179 or visit an RAC travel centre for additional assistance. Upon completion of this assessment we will inform you if the Medical Condition 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 the circumstances could be expected to have been aware of, and at the Relevant Time:

1. is chronic, and ongoing, or terminal, or
2. has affected or involved on or more of the following:
1. heart, circulatory system, lungs or respiratory system, brain, kidneys, liver, or cancer;
2. surgery involving the back, neck, joints, or abdomen; or
3. In the past 24 months had:
1. presented symptoms which would have caused an ordinarily prudent person to seek medical opinion or treatment;
2. become exacerbated or complicated; or
3. 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;
• 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 we automatically cover list below.

If the criteria above are satisfied, cover is automatically included for the following Medical Conditions: 

1. Acne
2. Allergies limited to Rhinitis, Chronic Sinusitis, Eczema, Food Intolerance, Hay Fever, however this excludes any Anaphylaxis as part of any such condition
3. 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
4. Bell's Palsy
5. Benign Positional Vertigo
6. Bunions
7. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
8. Cataracts
9. Coeliac Disease
10. Congenital Blindness
11. Congenital Deafness
12. Diabetes Mellitus (Type I) 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
13. Diabetes Mellitus (Type II) 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
14. Dry Eye Syndrome
15. 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
16. Gastric reflux
17. Gastric/Peptic ulcer
18. Glaucoma
19. Gout
20. Graves' Disease
21. Hiatus Hernia
22. Hip/Knee replacement if performed more than 24 months ago but less than 10 years ago
23. Hypercholesterolemia (High Cholesterol) providing You do not also suffer from a known cardiovascular disease and/or Diabetes
24. Hyperlipidaemia (High Blood Lipids) providing You do not also suffer from a known cardiovascular disease and/or Diabetes
25. Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) providing You do not also suffer from a known cardiovascular disease and/or Diabetes
26. Hypothyroidism, including Hashimoto’s Disease
27. Incontinence
28. Insulin Resistance
29. Macular Degeneration
30. Meniere's Disease
31. Migraine
32. Nocturnal cramps
33. Plantar Fasciitis
34. Raynaud's Disease
35. Sleep Apnoea
36. Solar Keratosis
37. Trigeminal Neuralgia
38. Trigger Finger

If You require cover for Medical Conditions that are 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 we can accept this risk and what, 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 Product Disclosure Statement.

If You have a Medical Condition that is not automatically covered above and You want cover for this Medical Condition, You will need to complete Our online medical assessment so that We can assess whether:

1. We can cover the Medical Condition – in which case additional Premium may be payable and the Medical Condition will be listed on Your Certificate of Insurance; or
2. We can’t cover the Medical Condition – 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 limitations set out above.

You can complete the online medical assessment as part of your travel insurance quote at www.rac.com/travelinsurance, call 1300 655 179 or visit an RAC travel centre for additional assistance.

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. Upon completion of this assessment we will inform you if the Medical Condition can be covered and any additional premium that would be applicable.

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 the circumstances could be expected to have been aware of, any of the following:

1. there have been complications with this or a previous pregnancy,
2. You are expecting a multiple pregnancy (such as triplets or twins), or
3. 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 Medical Conditions We need to assess section above.

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 by Us 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 Changes in Your health section above, which outlines conditions to Our cover.

If You are unsure whether You need to complete a medical assessment for Your pregnancy, please call 1300 655 179 for additional assistance.

Please refer to 'General Exclusions' in the PDS which apply to all sections of cover.

If You become aware of a change in Your health before You start Your Trip, You will need to advise Us prior to starting Your Trip or You may not be covered for that new or changed condition.

We will assess the change in Your health to determine if We can offer You cover for this condition and on what terms.

If  We consider the change in Your health no longer meets Our risk criteria, We will advise You of this decision to decline or withdraw cover and issue  You with an updated Certificate of Insurance.

If We withdraw or decline cover and You decide to cancel Your Trip as a result, cover is available under ‘Section 1 Cancellation Fees and Lost Deposits’. If You do not claim and want to alternatively cancel Your policy prior to starting Your Trip as a result of this decision, We will refund Your premium in full, even if this is outside the cooling off period.

It is important that You advise Us of any change in Your health so We can assess if We can continue to cover You for these changes.

If You do not tell Us about a change in Your health, You may not be covered if You suffer a loss because of that condition.

Tell us about changes to existing conditions - we may still be able to cover 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 us and complete a medical assessment so we could determine if we could continue to cover him for this condition during his trip and, if so, to calculate any additional premium payable.

John contacted us, completed our assessment and was provided cover for his epilepsy under the policy with payment of an additional premium.

We can't cover all changes to existing conditions - 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 our online medical assessment, we agreed to cover Jane for her anxiety 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 us of this change in her medical condition and completed our medical assessment.

Unfortunately, based on our assessment, we were no longer able to offer to provide cover 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 from her travel agent, so she asked us to cancel her policy and, because she hadn't made any claims, we gave her a full refund.

Please also read the “General Exclusions” section of the Product Disclosure Statement.

Your Dependants such as children, grandchildren, step-children and foster children are covered at no extra cost if they have not disclosed a medical condition and they meet the following criteria:

• aged 25 years or younger at the time Your buy Your policy;
• financially dependent on their parents or grandparents and not working full time;
• travelling with You for Your entire Trip;
• listed on the Certificate of Insurance as Your Dependant; and
• whilst on Your Trip, is dependent on an Adult listed on Your Certificate of Insurance.

If they meet the above criteria and you choose our Ski and Winter Sports or Cruise option, they’ll be covered for this as well. If you have omitted to list them, please contact us as soon as possible.

Your Dependants such as children, grandchildren, step-children and foster children will be covered at no extra cost if they have not disclosed a medical condition and they meet the following criteria:

• aged 25 years or younger at the time You buy Your policy;
• financially dependent on their parents or grandparents and not working full time;
• travelling with You for Your entire Trip;
• listed on the Certificate of Insurance as Your Dependant; and
• whilst on Your Trip, is dependent on an Adult listed on Your Certificate of Insurance.

The limit for any benefit payable for Dependants is included in the insured adult's sum insured. For example, if an adult has Comprehensive 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 their children combined is $3,000. Please note there are other sections of the policy whereby the limits are itemised per person which includes Dependants individually eg. Funeral expenses in section 2D. Please refer to the Product Disclosure Statement for further details.

We will cover a variety of sports and activities in your travel insurance policy. Most amateur sporting and adventure activities are covered at no extra cost. There are some sports that have conditions of cover and some that we do not cover 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 check 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.

We will extend the term of Your cover for no additional cost if any delay is due to a reason which is covered under Your policy with specific details outlined in the Product Disclosure Statement.

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, however you should read the Product Disclosure Statement for specific information about benefits payable.

Insured adults on the policy can travel alone on a trip. Dependants such as children, grandchildren, step-children or foster children who are covered under the policy must travel with an insured adult for the whole trip.

If you have an overseas medical emergency, our Emergency Medical 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 something unexpected happens while You are overseas, We want to ensure We can help make it as stress free as possible. If You have an overseas medical emergency, contact Our 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

You, or a member of Your travelling party, should contact Us as soon as reasonably practicable. If You do not contact Us, and incur costs without Our consent, We may limit the amount payable under a claim, to the amount We would have paid towards any expenses (including medical) or for any evacuation/repatriation or airfares that have not been approved or arranged by Us.

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 contact us either during your trip or once you have returned and we will guide you through the process. The insurer will not be able to process your claim unless you provide us with 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