Australians are well-known for their love of travel, with many of us eager to make up for years spent in lockdown with epic European vacations, winter breaks in Bali, or luxury cruises.
In fact, data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ (ABS) revealed that travel activity in December 2022 was at the same level as February 2019, before lockdowns and Covid restrictions, and this trend has continued at this pace for much of 2023 and the beginning of 2024. Most recently, the ABS recorded some 1.3 million departures in January, an increase of 294,990 compared with January of 2023.
The ABS also noted that the number of trips for January 2024 was at the pre-Covid level in January 2019, and that travel across the ditch remains popular, with New Zealand still the leading destination for Australians returning from a short-term trip overseas (13%).
Key to peace of mind when travelling is adequate insurance, and it’s also paramount to find an insurance provider who will cover not only Covid-19 related claims, such as being diagnosed with Covid-19 while travelling or cancellations and delays due to Covid-19, but all of the other potential mishaps that could go wrong while overseas—whether it be missing a connecting flight, falling ill, event cancellation, theft or luggage going missing. Alarmingly, a recent study by Smartraveller and Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) found that one in six Australians are still travelling overseas without travel insurance, with younger travellers, those from lower-income households, and culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds all more likely to travel without insurance.
To help Australians find the best option suitable for their needs, Forbes Advisor combed through the leading players to determine our pick of the best comprehensive travel insurance providers for those looking to travel overseas in 2024 and beyond. All insurers’ pds details have been fact-checked and are current as of April 2024.
Note: the below list represents a selection of our top category picks, as chosen by Forbes Advisor Australia’s editors and journalists. The information provided is purely factual and is not intended to imply any recommendation, opinion, or advice about a financial product. Not every product or provider in the marketplace has been reviewed, and the list below is not intended to be exhaustive nor replace your own research or independent financial advice. For more information on how Forbes Advisor ranks and reviews products, including how we identified our top category picks, read the methodology selection below.
