NZ Travel Insurance

NZ travel insurance is comparable to any other form of insurance coverage. Basically a policy covers any losses or damages incurred while traveling and/or medical expenses. You can buy insurance for journeys within New Zealand or for worldwide.
You can purchase insurance cover when you book your trip, or soon after. Often if you book through a travel agent, they will offer you insurance at the time if booking. It is tempting to buy from them for convenience. Although I think it’s prudent to get a separate quote or two from an alternative company, to compare to ensure you get the best price and coverage.
Insurance coverage is available for almost any length of time.

You need the following information before you sign up. Regardless of whether you’re going around the world, or just within New Zealand.

NZ travel insurance companies
usually need the following information:

• What country (or countries) are you visiting? Some countries are considered higher risks. So this will affect your premiums, or if you will be eligible for insurance coverage at all.

• Whether you are traveling with a group, with your family, or by yourself.

• The precise location and dates of departure and return.

• The ages of all the travelers being insured.

That’s usually all the information you’ll need, to get a quote.
To be accepted for the quote you may need to supply additional information. Some companies have special policies for different classifications of travelers. Such as: business travel , adventure travel , leisure travel ,student travel ,international travel , and cruise travel.

The common risks that a typical inexpensive worldwide policy covers are:

• Delayed departure

• Delayed, lost, or stolen baggage

• Cancellations

• Loss, theft, or damage to personal items

• Medical costs & Emergency evacuation

Do you really need NZ travel insurance?

There is no law that states, “you have to have travel insurance”, but there are some potentially big risks if you are going overseas.
If you’re a New Zealand citizen or resident, and traveling within NZ, then most of us don’t have NZ travel insurance, other than vehicle, house and contents and Accident Compensation Corporation for injury cover.
My personal opinion is  that’s enough cover for me and my family within NZ. But if I am going overseas, whether it be, for work or a holiday. I always buy travel insurance cover.
I think if you “can’t afford the insurance, then you can’t afford to go.”

The main reasons for buying travel insurance are:

Medical emergencies.

There are many countries, where overseas visitors are not covered for medical treatment, so if you get sick or injured, not only are you dealing with that, but you can have the problem of even getting proper treatment.
If you get the best treatment, you can then get a huge bill to pay, when you recover.
Some hospitals even check you’re eligibility for insurance cover, before they will treat you! If you are visiting the USA for example, the cost of being in an intensive care ward, can be more than US$40,000 per day!
Some third world countries have inferior hospitals, in which case most travel insurance policies have a medevac clause that allows you be flown home for treatment, which may save your life, and also provides peace of mind to you and you’re loved ones, who may just want you home where we know what we can expect.
Also medical evacuation can involve medical personnel, equipment, and specialist flights, so can cost up to US$100,000.

Lost or stolen luggage or other property.

Is less serious, but more likely to happen, so is well worth being covered. Especially if you’re carrying valuable items.

Cancellations or delays.

Having a flight canceled or delayed resulting in missing connecting flight, can create expenses which may be covered. Injury or illness cannot be predicted, but can stop you from leaving, 25% of all travel insurance claims are due to cancellation of travel. Also many airfares are 100% non refundable (particularly to the Pacific Islands and Australia ), cancellation fees may also be charged by tour operators and/or accommodation providers .
So if you’ve bought NZ travel insurance, you’ll be saved from paying for travel you haven’t even done!

Go to Buy Travel Insurance For NZ page, from NZ Travel Insurance.

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