Travel Insurance for Students
What is travel insurance and do you need it?
Travelling as a student can be an eye-opening, life-altering experience that should be lived to its fullest.
While the idea of travelling probably elicits nothing but feelings of freedom and excitement, it is still important to take care of the not-so-exciting stuff—like your travel insurance.
Things can go wrong while you’re travelling. If you’re not financially prepared to cover any additional costs if things don’t go exactly to plan, you could very quickly find yourself in a tight spot.
Even if you’re on a budget, it’s essential that you at least have basic travel insurance to provide cover in a medical emergency. While in Australia we’re used to being able to access Medicare-funded medical care when we need it, that’s rarely the case when you travel overseas.
Travel insurance is like having a good mate by your side every day while you’re away, always looking out for you if things get rough.
What can our student travel insurance cover?
When choosing travel insurance, it’s important to carefully read the relevant PDS prior to purchase to understand whether the product suits your specific needs.
All benefits and covers are subject to the terms, conditions, limitations and exclusions listed in the Combined Financial Services Guide and Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and on other policy documentation, including the schedule.
Be prepared for a medical emergency while overseas
Did you know it usually costs around A$300 just to see a doctor in an urgent care centre in New York? Then if you require further medical treatment, costs can quickly spiral out of control.
The reality is, most people simply can’t afford to cover the costs of a medical emergency while overseas. Travel insurance provides valuable reassurance that you won’t get stuck with an enormous medical bill that you could be left paying off for many years to come.
When you choose Passport Card, you’ll be able to rest easy knowing that you’ll be covered in a medical emergency—that way you can focus on getting better, rather than worrying about the cost.
Instant payouts on approved claims with PassportCard
When you choose PassportCard, you’ll enjoy the extra peace of mind of knowing you’ll be able to cover most expenses there and then if something goes wrong.
When you purchase one of our travel insurance policies, we’ll ask you if you’d like a PassportCard to take with you on your trip. If something happens while you’re away (like your luggage is delayed, your cash is stolen or you experience a medical issue), our team can handle your claim quickly over the phone and transfer funds to your PassportCard on-the-spot**.
If approved, you’ll be able to withdraw cash to cover expenses that can arise from things like delayed luggage or stolen cash, or if it’s a medical issue, we can instantly add funds to your PassportCard so you can immediately pay for expenses when you need to.
You won’t need to fill out any paperwork and instant access to funds means you won’t be left out of pocket.
Find out more about how instant claims work or get a quote for your upcoming trip.
Live the adventure to its fullest
When you’re young, free and venturing abroad, it’s only natural to want to give things you might not normally do a go—but just make sure you’ll be covered if you do. While our travel insurance includes cover for a wide range of events, it won’t cover you for some activities unless you add the relevant optional extra cover.
Fill in your personal details and we’ll take it from there!
When you take out a policy, we’ll ask if you would like a PassportCard to take on your trips. This allow you to pay expenses for approved claims so you can get back to enjoying your holiday without being out of pocket. Most claims can be managed in minutes.
Get cover for your next trip with PassportCard
Student travel insurance FAQs
While you should have the same level of access to medical care as you would normally, travel insurance can still come in handy when travelling domestically for things like if your trip is cancelled or cut short or if your luggage or belongings are lost, stolen or damaged.
If you will be under 25 years of age and a full-time student at an accredited institution of higher learning at the time you travel, your parent or guardian can choose to include you as a dependent on their travel insurance policy
International students with valid Overseas Student Travel Insurance in Australia can purchase our travel insurance provided they intend to depart and return to Australia during the period of insurance.
Tips when travelling as a student
Whether you’re travelling overseas for the first time or you just want to make sure you haven’t forgotten anything important, here are some tips to help your trip to run as smoothly as possible:
- Check your passport is valid with at least 6 months of validity left before the expiry date
- Ensure you meet the visitor entry requirements for the countries you are visiting
- Research your destination and find out if there are any cultural sensitivities you need to be aware of, as some things that might be acceptable in Australia, could be frowned upon in other countries
- Arrange a travel currency card or other method of payment to cover expenses while you’re away
- Notify your financial institution of your plans to travel
- Contact your phone provider to ensure your phone plan will cover you while you’re away or purchase a pre-paid international sim card
- Arrange your accommodation in each location you plan to stay in
- Consider booking any tours or activities you want to do in advance, as some tour operators will offer student discounts
- Provide details of your travel plans to a family member or close friend not travelling with you so you can be contacted in case of an emergency
- Save the details of how to access emergency consular assistance in case you need it
- Organise your travel insurance with PassportCard.
When choosing travel insurance, it’s important to carefully read the relevant PDS prior to purchase to understand whether the product suits your specific needs.
All benefits and covers are subject to the terms, conditions, limitations and exclusions listed in the Combined Financial Services Guide and Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and on other policy documentation, including the schedule.