who takes out travel insurance for trans Tasman or domestic travel

[kiwitripper64]

Reading Karens story about a couple dropped in WLG instead of CHC leads me to ask, who takes out travel insurance for a domestic or trans-Tasman flight. I know some people have a year long multi use policy. But we have never bothered with this insurance. We think that the cost of any unexpected accommodation due to flight delays or lost luggage will either be met by the airline or covered by the savings in not paying for this minor travel insurance. Health care is covered. I know something very strange may happen. You could fly MEL-PER, get hit by a falling wombat and need to be airlifted home with medical assistance. Luckily this seems rare.
So how many dont bother, how many are covered by multi-trip insurance and how many would buy a policy for a weekend away?

 

[Princess Fiona]

I never travel without TI.
I have annual trip cover through multiple sources.

If you don’t have valid TI or a hefty bank balance for contingencies then you shouldn’t be booking anything at all IMHO

 

[blackcat20]

Always, I'd never go anywhere without it.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Just plain old 'Common Sense' to have good annual TI coverage

 

[VPS]

I have a domestic TI that I got through Australia post for $107 - maximum length of trip 30 days. No brainer really. I never go anywhere without TI

 

[billmurray]

I've never even considered taking out TI for domestic trips. All my expenses are through various credits cards which in turn offer their own form of insurance anyway.

 

[mel-world]

Somewhat strangely, you cannot take an Australian domestic cruise (around the coast) without international TI.

I never leave via the International terminal without coverage.

 

[Cynicor]

I've never even considered taking out TI for domestic trips. All my expenses are through various credits cards which in turn offer their own form of insurance anyway.

In that case you have insurance. So why buy twice.
The question is who has insurance or not…

 

[Cynicor]

Absolutely. I’ve seen many people as patients who have used, or needed, domestic travel insurance.
Medical costs in hospitals are covered but who pays for your business class flights home or medivac to home state when you are unfit to travel and looking at weeks in hospital, far from friends and family?
That’s just one scenario.
Considering I’m insured for overseas anyway there is, as far as I have found, 0 extra cost to ensure that the pds covers domestic trips too.

 

[Lynda2475]

I thought CC Insurance was international only?

I always have cc insurance and also a paid TI for international trips (including NZ) but never bother to buy a policy for domestic.

I have paid private health insurance so if injured or ill on a domestic trip am fully covered for medical anyway (plus Medicare safety net below that).

Apart from airfare don't really have any prepaid expenses for domestic, so not much to lose if I can't travel as planned.

I'd always have enough savings or points to get another domestic flight home, or an extra hotel night. Any work travel is insured.

In hundreds of domestic trips I've never had any unexpected out of pockets (no extra nights, injury) so think I'm well ahead, the savings of not buying a domestic policy over the years will fund another hotel night if ever needed.

FYI if they call westpac helicopter to extract you (say you fall off a cliff in the blue mountains or get swept out to sea in a rip) that is charitable not billed. I would not expect family to stay on if I was in a regional hospital, it's very unlikely they would have been travelling with me anyway.

Only reason for domestic insurance would be if you are hiring a car and don't take out the rental insurance, but irrelevant to me.

 

[Gremlin]

Absolutely. I’ve seen many people as patients who have used, or needed, domestic travel insurance.
Medical costs in hospitals are covered but who pays for your business class flights home or medivac to home state when you are unfit to travel and looking at weeks in hospital, far from friends and family?
That’s just one scenario.
Considering I’m insured for overseas anyway there is, as far as I have found, 0 extra cost to ensure that the pds covers domestic trips too.

This.

Years ago, my in laws needed this and didn't have it, because 'who needs travel insurance in Australia'? Ended up substantially out of pocket since RFDS took them to the nearest hospital that could treat FIL (Rockhampton), not back home. Whilst medical costs were covered, there were lots that weren't. The Rockhampton Cattle Sales were going on at the time, so accommodation for MIL was virtually non-existent, and expensive at short notice (and for a couple of days could only get one night at a time at the particular establishment). He was ultimately medevac'd back home which was very, very expensive.

 

[blackcat20]

I thought CC Insurance was international only?

We used CC insurance for a domestic trip last year when one of the kids ended up in hospital and wasn't allowed to fly home as scheduled.

 

[Lynda2475]

We used CC insurance for a domestic trip last year when one of the kids ended up in hospital and wasn't allowed to fly home as scheduled.

Oh well then I guess I'm covered, 100% of my domestic spend is always on credit card which has insurance because I don't spend domestically unless I'm earning points.

 

[equus]

Gave careful thought to this when deciding to not renew annual multi-trip TI, and just go on a per trip basis, and decided that the Credit Card (well Amex Platinum Charge) was adequate coverage for domestic. No medical expenses, but that is Ok for domestic. 150km from home to qualify, and the conditions seem reasonable - just pay for tickets on the card, or spend $500 or more on accommodation.

 

[Mwenenzi]

As an AU NZ dual citizen with properties, cars, bank accounts, credit cards, drivers license, ambulance cover, passports, phone in/for each country do not take out trans Tasman or AU NZ domestic travel insurance.
For other travel will take out an annual policy. Annual does not cost that much more than a 60 day policy.

Have a (older) NZ friend who was transported around remote/ north QLD in air ambulance - Royal Flying Doctor service (2 medi flights). He had insurance.

 

[Lynda2475]

I don't do annual TI because it has always come in more expensive than insuring individual trips for my travel patterns.

I shop around for each trip. The best price/cover for a long weekend to NZ is from a different insurer to the one with best price/coverage for my OWA which included the USA.

I understand if you are older or have pre-existing conditions you have fewer choices so annual may make sense.

But as someone of working age with no pre existings, no need for cruise or snow sports i prefer to research insurance for each trip (which includes checking annual option) and get a deal each time.

 

[muppet]

Absolutely. I’ve seen many people as patients who have used, or needed, domestic travel insurance. Medical costs in hospitals are covered but who pays for your business class flights home or medivac to home state when you are unfit to travel and looking at weeks in hospital, far from friends and family? That’s just one scenario. Considering I’m insured for overseas anyway there is, as far as I have found, 0 extra cost to ensure that the pds covers domestic trips too.

Out of interest, which underwriters cover domestic medivac?

The AMEX Plat doesn’t appear to.

 

[Cynicor]

Out of interest, which underwriters cover domestic medivac?

The AMEX Plat doesn’t appear to.

Medivac is probably the wrong terminology (I used it more in the colloquial than charter ICU planes) - medical escorts on normal flights. Usually there is little point transferring someone between ICUs and only risk. But once you want to be home and can’t, it’s a different story.

 

[CaptJCool]

For those of us who travelled for work, these fell under the workers compensation arrangements. I don’t recall anyone ever needing to claim it except for this infamous case Infamous Comcare sex case ends: High Court rules against compensation for worker sex injury

Internationally, TI is a no brainer and was part of why CC insurance made sense to claim if ever needed

Domestically, im of two minds
We are all covered by Medicare, many have private health insurance which covers Ambulances anywhere in Australia and likelihood of medical issues on the lower end of the risk scale. Bungee jumping anyone ?

 

[Gremlin]

Medivac is probably the wrong terminology (I used it more in the colloquial than charter ICU planes) - medical escorts on normal flights. Usually there is little point transferring someone between ICUs and only risk. But once you want to be home and can’t, it’s a different story.

My FIL was refused carriage by both Qantas and Virgin, even with a medical escort. IMO, it was a fair enough decision given the complexity of his condition at the time. So he was repatriated on a medical charter. The cost of the medical repatriation flight alone was somewhere in the ballpark of $45k.

This was late in their working career. MIL obviously wanted to stay with her husband. They were looking at a four to six month stay in Rockhampton with no family or support network nearby. FIL would continue to be paid as he had plenty of accrued sick leave. MIL had to burn through leave and was then faced with taking LWOP. They worked out that between accommodation costs for MIL for that period plus lost wages, they were financially better off taking the repatriation flight (let alone the emotional support of being back home with family nearby and with your own specialists providing your care).