Planning a multi-night ocean cruise? Add Cruise Benefits to your RACV Travel Insurance so you can relax and enjoy the voyage ahead.** River cruises are already covered.ǂǂ
What does Basics Travel Insurance cover?
RACV Basics Travel Insurance goes beyond medical-only cover, with luggage, emergency expenses and personal liability benefits included as standard.
Any product information on this page is a summary only. Review each section of the combined PDS/FSG for terms, conditions, exclusions, limits, sub-limits and any general exclusions that apply.
What’s not covered
Basics only provides core insurance benefits. Comprehensive and Essentials plans offer additional benefits and higher limits for travellers wanting broader cover.
Who is Basics Travel Insurance designed for?
RACV Basics Travel Insurance is designed for travellers who are looking for cover at an affordable price point but want something more than medical-only benefits. Basics could be the right fit if you are:
- Travelling on a budget: If keeping the cost of travel insurance low is a priority, Basics offers essential protection at an accessible price.
- Planning a simple itinerary: Travelling with few or no prepaid bookings means cancellation cover is less of a priority.
- Travelling light: If you're not carrying cameras, laptops or other high-value items, the luggage limits on Basics may be enough for your needs.
- Prioritising medical cover: For travellers whose main concern is staying covered if they get sick or injured, Basics offers $unlimited overseas medical and hospital cover.^
Every traveller’s needs and circumstances are different. It is important to consider your personal situation, travel plans, and what level of cover is appropriate for you before choosing a policy. Please review the combined PDS/FSG to compare benefits and ensure the policy aligns with your requirements.
Why choose RACV Travel Insurance?
Need more cover?
For travellers with more complex itineraries, significant prepaid costs or higher-value belongings, Essentials or Comprehensive may be worth considering.
Additional cover options for your trip
RACV Basics Travel Insurance is simple cover that caters to a range of travellers, from cruise trip add-ons to medical conditions and pregnancy.
Frequently asked questions
Basics is an entry-level international travel insurance plan, designed for travellers who want core cover at a lower price. It focuses primarily on overseas medical benefits, with a simpler range of benefits than Essentials or Comprehensive plans.
An RACV Basics policy includes:
- $Unlimited overseas medical and hospital cover^
- emergency evacuation and repatriation
- limited luggage cover
- legal liability.
Basics doesn't include cancellation cover, travel delay, rental car excess or a number of other benefits available on higher-tier plans, making it a cheaper option for travellers with straightforward itineraries and minimal prepaid costs.
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As an entry-level plan, Basics is the most affordable of the 3 RACV International Travel Insurance options, but the final premium is still calculated individually.
Factors that affect the cost include:
- destination: Some regions carry higher premiums than others
- trip length: Generally, the longer the trip, the higher the insurance cost
- traveller age: Age is a factor in how premiums are calculated
- medical conditions: RACV covers 38 medical conditions automatically on overseas trips.~ Medical conditions that require assessment may attract an additional premium
- excess: Choosing a higher excess typically reduces your premium†
- optional add-ons: Adding cruise cover** will affect the final price.
The best way to find out what you'll pay is to get a quote based on your specific trip details – it only takes a few minutes. RACV Members save 15%.*
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RACV Travel Insurance offers three levels of international coverage, with options for different types of travellers and trips. All three include $unlimited overseas medical and hospital cover^, but they differ significantly in the breadth of cover and limits available.
- Basics: an entry-level option focused primarily on overseas medical cover, along with limited cover for lost luggage and emergency expenses.
- Essentials: sits in the middle, adding cancellation cover, luggage delay, travel delay and a range of benefits not available on Basics. Limits are lower than Comprehensive across most categories.
- Comprehensive: the top level of cover for single overseas trips, offering the broadest range of benefits and the highest limits across all categories. It's also the only plan that includes unlimited dental and emergency expenses~~, along with domestic petsǂ and financial default cover. ##
For a side-by-side comparison of what's included across all three plans, check out the Compare Travel Insurance page.
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Medical-only travel insurance does what the name suggests — it covers overseas medical and hospital expenses and little else. RACV Basics Travel Insurance is also focused on medical cover but includes a broader range of benefits alongside it.
Here's how they differ:
- Luggage cover: medical-only policies generally don't include luggage cover. Basics includes up to $2,000 for lost, stolen or damaged belongings.
- Emergency expenses: Basics includes up to $5,000 in accommodation and meal expenses if your travel is delayed by severe weather or an unexpected event.
- Legal liability: Basics includes up to $10 million for accidental injury or property damage while travelling.
For travellers deciding between the two, Basics offers a broader level of cover than medical-only policies while providing cover for a wider range of travel-related events.
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RACV Basics Travel Insurance is a practical choice for simple, low-cost trips, but there are some situations where upgrading to RACV Essentials or Comprehensive Travel Insurance is worth considering.
A higher level of cover may be worth thinking about if you:
- have significant prepaid costs: Cancellation cover is not available on Basics. If you've made non-refundable payments for flights, accommodation or tours, Essentials or Comprehensive lets you choose your level of cancellation limits.
- are carrying valuable belongings: with a luggage limit of $2,000, Basics may not be sufficient for travellers carrying cameras, laptops or other high-value items. Essentials covers up to $7,500 and Comprehensive up to $15,000.
- are planning a longer or more complex trip: the longer you're away and the more places you go, the more valuable a broader range of cover becomes.
- want cover for travel delays: if delayed transport disrupts your trip, additional accommodation and meal expenses won't be covered under Basics.
- are going on a ski holiday: Ski & Winter Sports cover can only be added to Essentials and Comprehensive policies.
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Not automatically. Cruise cover depends on the type of cruise you're taking and whether you've added the optional Cruise Benefits add-on to your RACV Travel Insurance policy.**
Here's how cruise cover works across different trip types:
- River cruises: both international and domestic river cruises are automatically included in your policy at no extra cost.ǂǂ
- Ocean cruises: you need the optional Cruise Benefits add-on, which can be selected at the time of purchase. This applies to both Australian and overseas cruises.
- Open water sailing: no cover available for small boat sailing that takes place more than 12 nautical miles from any landmass.
When the Cruise Benefits add-on is included, RACV Basics Travel Insurance provides additional cover for cabin confinement, missed ports, onboard medical, emergency evacuation, missed shore excursions and marine rescue diversions.
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RACV Basics Travel Insurance automatically covers 38 listed medical conditions, provided certain criteria are met.~ For conditions not on the list, cover can be applied for through an online medical assessment during your quote.
- Covered conditions: 38 medical conditions are covered automatically, including asthma, diabetes and epilepsy, provided specific criteria are met for each condition.
- Conditions requiring assessment: if your condition isn't on the automatic list or doesn’t meet the specific criteria, you can apply for cover through an online medical assessment. If approved, the condition will be listed on your Certificate of Insurance and an additional premium may apply.
- Conditions that can't be covered: if a condition is currently under investigation, awaiting diagnosis or awaiting treatment, cover cannot be offered.
It's important to disclose any relevant medical conditions at the time of purchase and to notify RACV as soon as possible if your health changes before your trip. Failure to do so may affect the outcome of any related claim.
You can see a full list of automatically covered conditions and the relevant criteria on the medical conditions page.
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Yes, RACV Basics Travel Insurance is available for travellers up to 110 years of age. Older travellers receive the same level of cover as any other traveller, with no reduction in benefits.
A few things worth knowing about travel insurance for seniors:
- Medical conditions: 38 conditions are automatically covered, while others require an online medical assessment before purchase.~ It's important to declare any relevant conditions at the time of purchase.
- Same benefits: older travellers on a Basics policy receive the same level of cover as any other policyholder on that plan.
- Age: generally, the higher your age, the higher your travel insurance premium.
The best way to find out what you'll pay is to get a quote based on your specific trip details – it only takes a few minutes. RACV Members save 15%.*
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* RACV Member discount applies to the premium only (not applicable taxes).
^ ‘Unlimited’ means there is no cap on the maximum dollar amount which may be paid out for this benefit, noting that how much is payable for a benefit depends on the specific cover in the relevant section of the Policy Wording and any applicable exclusions. Medical, hospital, dental or any ancillary benefits or expenses incurred more than 12 months from the time treatment for the injury or illness was first received will not be covered. Terms, conditions (including eligibility criteria), limits, sub-limits and exclusions apply. Refer to the combined PDS/FSG for full details.
⋄⋄ For more awards information, refer to https://mozo.com.au and https://www.wemoney.com.au/wemoney-travel-awards-2026.
~~ $unlimited means there is no cap on the maximum dollar amount which may be paid out for this benefit, noting that how much is payable for a benefit depends on the specific cover in the relevant section of the Policy Wording and any applicable exclusions.
## These limits are per policy.
⋄ Limited COVID-19 cover is only available for specific benefits and sub-limits apply. Refer to the PDS for full details, inclusions, exclusions and applicable limits.
# Terms, conditions (including eligibility criteria), limits, sub-limits and exclusions apply. Refer to the combined PDS/FSG for full details.
++ Dependant means any of your children, stepchildren, foster children or grandchildren who are 25 years of age or under at the time you purchase your policy, financially dependent on their parents or grandparents, not working full time, travelling with you for your entire trip and listed on the Certificate of Insurance as your Dependant. Dependants can be covered at no extra cost if they have not disclosed any medical conditions requiring assessment. Terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits apply. Refer to the PDS for full details.
** Refer to the combined PDS/FSG to determine if Cruise cover is required for your trip. Terms, conditions, limits, sub-limits and exclusions apply.
ǂǂ Cruise Benefits section does not apply to river cruising. Refer to the combined PDS/FSG for full details.
ǁ ‘Moped or Scooter’ (two or three wheeled motor vehicle (including e-scooters) with engine capacity up to 50cc), ‘Motorcycle’ (two or three wheeled motor vehicle (including electronic versions) with engine capacity equal to or greater than 50cc) and ‘Quad Bike’ are defined in the PDS. Cover is subject to general exclusions, including where you are operating or travelling as a passenger without wearing a helmet and driving without meeting specific licensing requirements. Refer to the PDS for full definitions, terms, conditions and exclusions.
† Some cover benefit limits or sub-limits may be less than your chosen excess and therefore the insurer may not contribute anything to your claim.
Travel tips and insurance guides
Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV) Limited (ABN 44 004 060 833, AR No. 1243563) (RACV) is an authorised representative of the RACV Travel Insurance insurer Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd. (ABN 80 000 438 291 AFSL 246 548) (Tokio Marine). Tokio Marine Management (Australasia) Pty Ltd (ABN 69 001 488 455, AR No. 1313066) is an authorised representative of Tokio Marine, and administers RACV Travel Insurance as the managing agent on behalf of Tokio Marine.
Terms, conditions (including eligibility criteria), exclusions, limits and sub-limits apply. Any advice is general advice only, and does not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation or needs. Before you purchase, please consider the Combined Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) / Financial Services Guide (FSG) and Target Market Determinations (TMDs) available on RACV’s website, or on request from RACV.