Travel Insurance Australian Circle tour with Bali and Komodo

[harbourside]

I am going on Vikings 32day Australian cruise which includes Bali 6 hours and Komodo 30 hours.

I Cover has told me I have to include these to stops, don't count as stopover as is it is a cruise.  The policy goes from $916.07 to $1804.52 nearly doubling the policy.  This is NZ dollars .  Any one have better luck with other Insurance companies

 

[MicCanberra]

Try covermore, there are plenty of others as well.

[Muffinz]

also try https://www.worldcare.co.nz/ 

[Sparky74]

Sometimes it’s cheaper to get an annual multi-trip policy. It’s worth investigating. 

[Bubbeh]

We use the free travel insurance offered with our credit card.  Spent years buying insurance because I didn't trust the one with the CC - it's free how good can it be?  Then a friend broke her ankle in France and had only the CC insurance and everything was covered including immediate treatment in Paris, upgraded BC flights to Perth (with her husband), transfers from the airport and follow up treatment once home including physio.  Their only out of pocket expenses were the payable Excess and certain drugs.   

[mr walker]

For a number of years we relied on our CBA CC complimentary travel insurance. It's worth was never tested as we never made a claim. Later my employer's insurance included 'personal' travel for me & my family for travel on the same trip, so I changed my CC to a cheaper one without the included TI.

 

As I retired in 2022, I no longer have the business travel insurance as part of my job, and have been paying for travel insurance, which seems to be getting more & more expensive. I am about to start application for a new CC with included TI. One I have seen has no monthly fees if I use the card for charges $2-4,000 per month, which should be fine, at least until we run out of money 🙂 

[Bubbeh]

24 minutes ago, mr walker said:

For a number of years we relied on our CBA CC complimentary travel insurance. It's worth was never tested as we never made a claim. Later my employer's insurance included 'personal' travel for me & my family for travel on the same trip, so I changed my CC to a cheaper one without the included TI.

 

As I retired in 2022, I no longer have the business travel insurance as part of my job, and have been paying for travel insurance, which seems to be getting more & more expensive. I am about to start application for a new CC with included TI. One I have seen has no monthly fees if I use the card for charges $2-4,000 per month, which should be fine, at least until we run out of money 🙂 

Mr W, I pay nothing for my CC (ANZ Platinum).  I put all our expenses on it (don't deal in cash) and pay the lot off each month.  It only took 3 - 4 months to fulfill my annual spend requirement for a fee free card.  When it comes to booking cruises etc, I split the payment to ensure the first $500 goes on the card and the balance is via bank transfer thereby minimising CC percentage charges.  

 

While I'm sure this wouldn't work for everyone, this is the way we've been living since retirement 10 years ago and it works well for us.  

[Sparky74]

2 hours ago, Bubbeh said:

Mr W, I pay nothing for my CC (ANZ Platinum).  I put all our expenses on it (don't deal in cash) and pay the lot off each month.  It only took 3 - 4 months to fulfill my annual spend requirement for a fee free card.  When it comes to booking cruises etc, I split the payment to ensure the first $500 goes on the card and the balance is via bank transfer thereby minimising CC percentage charges.  

 

While I'm sure this wouldn't work for everyone, this is the way we've been living since retirement 10 years ago and it works well for us.  

We are not retired but put everything on the CC. I used to pay it in full every fortnight when our pay went in the bank. Occasionally I’d get busy and forget if it was a pay week or not so I’ve moved to paying the CC every week. It’s a great way to keep an eye on our expenses and we never pay interest or overdue fees. I also have an automatic payment sent up just in case I slip up, or get hit by a bus (unlikely), or we are away on a cruise without Internet (more likely). 
 

I know that a lot of people live from pay cheque to pay cheque (or pension to pension). I’ve always lived below my means, making sure that something went into savings from each pay. I guess that’s because that’s how I was brought up; not to live on credit but to live within your means. My father tells the story that when he was a boy there was only one thing his parents bought on a payment plan: a piano. And that was because if they had saved up for it his sisters would have missed out on a few years of lessons.

 

Oh dear, I think I’ve got off topic again! 😱

What was this thread about? 🤔

[harbourside]

Thanks.  I don't have to take out insurance until I pay my final account which is not until September.  4 months in New Zealand not 12 months like America.  I was just getting quotes, and I cannot believe how they can be so different, some by several thousand, and there is no medical excess involved.

[cruiser3775]

You have to take out international travel insurance that includes all the foreign ports the ship is going to visit. Shop around. There is often a big difference between companies. Look for discounts from companies you already have a connection with, like airlines with frequent flier programs or motoring organisations.

Also, pay the insurance as soon as you can, so you are covered for cancellation  before the cruise begins. It won't get cheaper if you hold off until you pay the final payment.

[Sparky74]

11 hours ago, cruiser3775 said:

…Also, pay the insurance as soon as you can, so you are covered for cancellation  before the cruise begins. It won't get cheaper if you hold off until you pay the final payment.

Yes, in my experience you only need insurance for the time you’re actually away but if you buy the policy today you’re covered if you need to cancel the trip because something happens tomorrow. 

[Elorac123]

On 5/29/2024 at 11:47 AM, harbourside said:

I am going on Vikings 32day Australian cruise which includes Bali 6 hours and Komodo 30 hours.

I Cover has told me I have to include these to stops, don't count as stopover as is it is a cruise.  The policy goes from $916.07 to $1804.52 nearly doubling the policy.  This is NZ dollars .  Any one have better luck with other Insurance companies

 

I have just had a quote from Qantas for our New Guinea next year that beat all the rest I tried (this will be the first travel insurance I have ever paid for as we both now are over the age limit for our free credit card insurance)

Cheers Carole

Edited May 30 by Elorac123
Forgot a few words

[cruiser3775]

Yes,I have found  good quotes from the airlines' travel insurance if you quote a frequent flier number, and you don't actually have to be flying with them to get the insurance for a cruise.

[Womble99]

13 hours ago, Sparky74 said:

Yes, in my experience you only need insurance for the time you’re actually away but if you buy the policy today you’re covered if you need to cancel the trip because something happens tomorrow. 

Looking at various insurance options myself lately and wondering if the cancellation cover is worth the paper it is printed on when you read the pds..... The list of exceptions as to why they won't payout a cancellation are way longer than those that they will it seems

[Aus Traveller]

On 5/31/2024 at 9:50 AM, Elorac123 said:

I have just had a quote from Qantas for our New Guinea next year that beat all the rest I tried (this will be the first travel insurance I have ever paid for as we both now are over the age limit for our free credit card insurance)

Cheers Carole

We will buy travel insurance for new bookings we make. The ANZ Visa insurance covers cruises booked before the person's 81st birthday. I am way short of that but my husband has reached that milestone. We booked a cruise in May 2025 before his birthday so that one will be on the 'free' insurance.

 

For interest I looked at the insurance offered by Australia Post. It looks basic but could be OK.

[Bubbeh]

17 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

The ANZ Visa insurance covers cruises booked before the person's 81st birthday. I am way short of that but my husband has reached that milestone.

Aha, yet another child bride.