Travel Insurance FAQs

Travel insurance helps protect you from the financial burden of unforeseen circumstances that occur from the moment you purchase your policy up to the point you come back home and of course while travelling overseas or domestically. Travel insurance can cover unexpected expenses of a wide range of unforeseen, unintended, and unexpected incidents or injury caused by an identifiable external event on your trip.

For instance, travel insurance may cover you for cancellation fees and lost deposits^# related to illness and accidents, as well as unforeseen circumstances beyond your control such as cancelled flights due to cyclones. You can also be reimbursed for travel agent’s cancellation charges or your lost frequent flyer points.

At World2Cover, we want to ensure we can help during these events and make your holiday as stress-free as possible, particularly when you are overseas.

For example, our team will help you in an overseas emergency medical situations by keeping you in touch with your family and colleagues and will provide you with the best service. We can also help you locate embassies and consulates around the world for other overseas emergency situations.

To find out more about the benefits of travel insurance, visit the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website.

For full details, including the terms, conditions, limits and exclusion that apply please read the World2Cover product disclosure statement.

Travel insurance provides you with the added peace of mind you should have when you are travelling. Among the most important benefits provided by World2Cover travel insurance are:

• Overseas medical and hospital expenses – ^$unlimited** cover for medical and hospital costs due to an injury which occurred during your trip
• Cancellation fees and lost deposits^# – the cost of pre-paid travel and accommodation arrangements when your travel is cancelled or cut short due to events beyond your control and covered by your policy.
• Luggage^# and personal money – repair costs of damaged items, as well as replacing or reimbursing your belongings (including cash) if they are lost, stolen or damaged (sub-limits and conditions apply).
• Travel delay^# – additional accommodation, meal, and travel expenses if your scheduled transport is delayed for at least 6 hours outside your control (policy conditions limit and sub limits applied).

Please refer to the table of benefits in the Product Disclosure Statement for further details, including the terms, conditions, limits and exclusions that apply.

All World2Cover overseas policy options provide worldwide emergency medical assistance 24-hour/7 days a week, and ^$unlimited^** overseas medical expenses (conditions, sub-limits and exclusions apply). We offer several policy options with varying benefits and limits for international travel and a policy for domestic travel including rental car excess# cover.

When travelling with your children and grandchildren, we cover them free of charge, provided they are travelling with you 100% of the time, are up to the age of 25, are financially dependent on their parents, are not working full time, and do not require a medical assessment.

World2Cover travel insurance does not cover every event and circumstance. To make your life easier we have listed exclusions that apply to all our travel insurance options in either the specific section and/or the General Exclusion section of our Product Disclosure Statement.

In each specific section, for example section 3 “Luggage and Personal Money”, there is exclusions. One of them as an example is unattended luggage. Unattended means but is not limited to, when an item is not on your person at the time of loss or damage, left in a position where it can be taken or damaged without your knowledge including on the beach or beside the pool while You swim, leaving it a distance where you are unable to prevent it from being unlawfully taken or damaged. Unattended also means leaving an item behind, forgetting the item, walking away from it, or leaving it in a public place.

For the full list of exclusions, please read the Product Disclosure Statement.

For all customer service enquiries including pre-existing medical assessments you can easily go on our website world2cover.com.au or call us on 02 9225 7599 - Our hours are 8am to 9pm Monday to Friday & 9am to 6pm Saturday and Sunday.

Cover is available to:

Australian residents between the ages of 18 and 75, provided:

• You purchase Your policy before You begin your trip; and
• for International cover Your trip begins and ends in Australia; or
• for Domestic cover Your trip must be wholly within Australia.

Temporary Residents between the age of 18 and 75, provided:

• you hold a current Australian Visa (not a tourist, study or working holiday visa) that will remain valid beyond the period of Your return from Your trip; and
• you hold a return ticket; and
• you have a primary place of residence in Australia that You intend to return to; and
• You purchase Your policy before You begin Your Trip; and
• for International cover Your trip begins and ends in Australia; or
• 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 Pre-Existing Medical Conditions which are not automatically covered under the policy. You can complete this as part of your travel insurance quote at www.world2cover.com.au or call 02 9225 7599 Monday to Friday 8am-9pm and Saturday & Sunday 9am-6pm for additional assistance. Upon completion of this assessment we will inform you if the Pre-Existing Medical Condition is covered and any additional premium payable.

Under the policies, “Pre-Existing Medical Condition” means:

• any physical condition, illness, Mental illness, disease, or complication, reasonably known to you, for which treatment, medication, surgery or advice (including investigation) has been received or prescribed by a medical practitioner, dental or health professional in the 12 months prior to Your purchase of this policy; and/or
• any chronic or ongoing (whether chronic or otherwise) medical or dental condition, illness or disease medically documented prior to Your purchase of this policy; and/or
• any new physical defect, condition, illness, Mental Illness, disease or assessment that becomes reasonably known to You after Your purchase of this policy and prior to Your Trip departure as shown as the Period of Insurance on Your Certificate of Insurance; and/or
• any change to a current physical, condition, illness, Mental Illness, disease or assessment that becomes reasonably known to You after Your purchase of this policy and prior to Your Trip departure as shown as the Period of Insurance on Your Certificate of Insurance; and/or

This definition applies to You, Your travelling companion, a relative or any other person. If you are unsure whether you have a Pre-Existing Medical Condition, please call 02 9225 7599 for assistance.

Capitalised terms used above are defined in the PDS which can be viewed here.

These are covered automatically with no additional Premium provided the below criteria are met:

• they are not associated with any Pre-Existing Medical Conditions You list as part of the pre-existing medical assessment process; and
• You have not been hospitalised (including day surgery or emergency department attendance) for any of the 38 automatically covered conditions in the last 12 months; and
• specific requirements below are met as outlined in the automatically covered list.

Please also read the “General Exclusions” section of the PDS with can be viewed here.

1. Acne
2. Allergies limited to Rhinitis, Chronic Sinusitis, Eczema, Food Intolerance, Hay Fever
3. Asthma providing You:
   • have no other lung disease; and
   • are less than 60 years of age at the time You purchased 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 1) providing You:
    • were diagnosed over 12 months ago; and
    • have no eye, kidney, nerve or vascular complications; and
    • do not also suffer from a known cardiovascular disease, Hypertension or Hypercholesterolaemia; and
    • are under 50 years of age at the date of policy purchase
13. Diabetes Mellitus (Type 2) providing You:
    • were diagnosed over 12 months ago; and
    • have no eye, kidney, nerve or vascular complications; and
    • do not also suffer from a known cardiovascular disease, Hypertension or Hypercholesterolaemia; and
    • are under 50 years of age at the date of policy purchase
14. Dry Eye Syndrome
15. Epilepsy providing:
    • there has been no change to Your medication regime in the past 12 months and
    • 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 12 months ago but less than 10 years ago
23. Hypercholesterolaemia (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

Please note if Your condition does not meet the automatically covered conditions criteria, You must complete a pre-existing medical assessment to have cover.

There are some Pre-Existing Medical conditions that will not be covered in any circumstances. For all other Pre-Existing Medical conditions, which are not automatically covered, You will need to complete an online medical assessment. You can complete this as part of Your travel insurance quote at www.world2cover.com.au or call (02) 9225 7599 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 Pre-Existing Medical Conditions which are not automatically covered under the policy. Upon completion of this assessment we will inform you if the Pre-Existing Medical Condition can be covered and any additional premium that would be applicable.

Our policies provide limited cover for pregnancy. The following restrictions will apply for any person where a claim may arise in any way and is related to pregnancy regardless of whether it has been assessed or not. Cover is only provided for:

• Unexpected complications before the 26th week; or
• childbirth before the 26th week which was accelerated by accidental injury

The policies cover single non-complicated pregnancies automatically. For all other pregnancies a medical assessment must be completed. As with all travel insurance it is important that expectant mothers consider if they should travel, seek their doctor's advice and ensure the policy they choose provides the coverage they need.

If you were not aware of any symptoms of the Medical Condition before you bought your policy, we may cover you for cancellation costs if you have to cancel the trip prior to your departure due to this Medical Condition.

If you want to proceed with your trip you should contact us as soon as possible for a medical assessment before your trip starts to check if your medical condition can be covered or if any additional premium will apply. If you do not advise us before your trip starts, there might be no cover for any claim resulting from or related to this Medical Condition.

Please contact us on 02 9225 7599 to complete a medical assessment.

Yes, your children and your grandchildren are covered for free if they meet the following criteria:

• they are 25 years old or younger;
• they are financially dependent on their parents;
• they are not working full time;
• they do not require a medical assessment;
• they are travelling with you the whole time; and
• they are listed on the certificate of insurance.

If they meet the above criteria and you choose our Ski and Winter Sports option or our Cruise option, they’ll be covered for this as well. If you have omitted to list them, please contact us as soon as possible on 02 9225 7599, Mon-Fri 8am to 9pm, Saturday to Sunday 9am to 6pm or email us at travelservice@world2cover.com.au.

Children and grandchildren will be covered for free if they meet the following criteria:

• they are up to 25 years old or younger;
• they are financially dependent on their parents;
• they are not working full time;
• they do not require a Pre-Existing Medical assessment;
• they are travelling with you the whole time; and
• they must be listed on your certificate of insurance.

A child can be a child of any Adult listed on Your certificate of Insurance.

The limit for any benefit payable for children or grandchildren is included in the insured adult's sum insured. For example, if an adult has Top 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 children and grandchildren individually e.g. Funeral expenses in section 2G. Please refer to the Product Disclosure Statement for further details.

Yes, you should list all countries to confirm that cover is available for the countries you are travelling to. You should also check www.smarttraveller.gov.au as we do 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.

If you are going on cruise which stops at other countries, you will need to select International Cover and select each country where the cruise stops.

If you are going on a cruise which is only in Australian waters or calling into ports in Australia and you still require a policy which includes medical cover whilst you are on board the ship as many on-board medical providers on cruises are not registered with Medicare (check with your cruise provider), you will need to select Australian Cruise as your destination. This will then allow the insurer to give you medical and evacuation cover whilst at sea but not if you go to a medical provider whilst in port in Australia. Please refer to the Product Disclosure Statement for further details.

Please note the Domestic policy does not include any medical cover as the insurer is a general insurer and cannot cover medical costs in Australia. Therefore the Domestic policy is not suitable for cruises if you require cover for on board medical treatment and evacuation.

If you are going on a cruise, you will need to select ‘Going on a cruise’ when you apply for your policy. An extra premium is payable for cruise cover.

When you buy your policy, we will email your policy documents to you. Your documents include your Certificate of Insurance and your World2Cover Travel Insurance Combined Financial Services Guide and Product Disclosure Statement. It’s a good idea to carry a copy of your policy documents with you when you travel. It is also a good idea to keep them in your email inbox so you can access them if you need to.

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 02 9225 7599, Mon-Fri 8m to 9pm, Saturday to Sunday 9am to 6pm as soon as you realise the error so that we can review and arrange the amendments where possible. You can also advise us by email at travelservice@world2cover.com.au with full details of the error and the correct details as per your policy number.

You have 21 days (the Cooling-Off Period) from the date of issue of Your policy (as shown on your certificate of insurance) to make sure this is the right policy for you, provided you have not started your trip and that you do not want to make a claim or exercise any other right under Your policy.

Simply advise us either by phone or by email if you wish to cancel your policy and we will arrange to give you a full refund.

You can extend your policy under certain conditions.

We will extend your cover free of charge if:

• your original return to Australia is delayed due to a bus line, airline, cruise line, or rail authority you are travelling on, or that has accepted your fare or luggage or personal effects, is delayed; and
• the delay is due to a reason that you can claim under your policy, subject to our written approval or
• any delay is due to a reason that you can claim under your policy (subject to our approval)

For other reasons you can apply to extend your Single Trip Policy by phoning us on 02 9225 7599 or sending an email to travelservice@world2cover.com.au at least 5 days before your original policy was due to end. Extension of cover needs our written approval and you will need to pay any applicable extra premium, if we agree to extend cover, we will issue a new Certificate of Insurance. The period of insurance on your new Certificate of Insurance combined with your previous period of insurance, cannot be longer than a combined maximum period of 12 months. Application to extend cover are subject to additional conditions – please refer the Product Disclosure Statement for further details.

You cannot extend your cover:

• For any Pre-existing medical conditions, unless they are listed in the PDS and you haven’t been hospitalised (including Day Surgery or Emergency attendance) in the past 12 months; or unless declared, accepted and You have paid the appropriate Premium; or
• For any condition you suffered during the term of your original policy; and
• Where you have not advised us of any circumstances that has given (or may give) rise to a claim under your original Policy; or
• Under our Annual Multi-Trip plan

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 PDS for more information. Our standard excess is $100. If you purchase the International Single Trip Top or Essential cover, the Annual Multi-Trip or Domestic Cover policy you can reduced the excess to $0 for an increased premium at the time of purchase.

Your excess will be shown on your certificate of insurance.

Please see the applicable Product Disclosure Statement for more information.

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 at 02 9225 7599 - Our hours are 8am to 9pm Monday to Friday & 9am to 6pm Saturday and Sunday.

You are covered for an unlimited number of trips over a 12-month period, provided that each trip is at least 250km from your home.

Your Annual Multi-Trip policy covers you for international trips as well as trips within Australia where the trip is more than 250km from your home. If your trip is in Australia, you are not covered for medical, hospital or dental expenses. Other exclusions may also apply. Please read the PDS for further information which can be viewed here.

Most of your policy benefits are per insured adult, however you should read the Product Disclosure Statement for further information. The limits are reinstated after each trip.

Insured adults on the policy can travel alone on a trip. Children or grandchildren who are covered under the policy must travel with an insured adult for the whole trip.

In respect of any Annual Multi-Trip plans means the travel You are undertaking and commences from the time You leave Your Home or place of departure to start Your Trip until You return Home or until the end of the Period of Insurance shown on the Certificate of Insurance, whichever is sooner. The length of any one Trip cannot exceed 30,45 or 60 days (depending on the plan chosen) and must be at least 250km from Your Home.

If You have an overseas emergency, our Emergency Assistance team is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to take your call:

While travelling in Japan:

Call 0800-800-9117 (toll free) or if mobile access is restricted call 03 6228 5881 (local number in Japan)

For other overseas destinations:

Call +61 2 8055 1683 (reverse charges accepted from the overseas operator) while travelling in all other countries.

It is always a good idea to register your details with Smart Traveller before you depart, at www.smartraveller.gov.au.

No, our policies cover reasonable overseas medical costs only, which can be very high if you do not have travel insurance. There is no medical, hospital or dental cover on a Domestic policy. As a general insurer the insurer is unable to pay medical costs in Australia and this includes any gap payments on any Medicare or private health insurer items.

Claims can be lodged either online at world2cover.com.au/how-to-claim under the “how to claim“ tab, 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 Us 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. We 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 We may reduce or refuse to pay your claim. Any costs or expenses associated with obtaining these items documents will be at Your own cost.

Web: world2cover.com.au/how-to-claim

Phone: 02 9225 7599

Email: travelclaims@world2cover.com.au

Mail:
World2Cover Claims
GPO Box 4616
Sydney 2001