Travel insurance isn't a legal requirement for most destinations, but it's highly recommended for both domestic and international trips. Unexpected events like flight cancellations, lost luggage or a medical emergency can be costly and travel insurance may help cover your expenses, subject to the policy's terms, conditions, limits, exclusions and any applicable excess.

RACV International Travel Insurance includes:

• $unlimited overseas medical and hospital cover^, with 38 medical conditions automatically covered^~
• 24-hour overseas emergency assistance
• Cover for cancellations and lost deposits (available on Comprehensive and Essentials)
• Luggage cover, including new-for-old replacement
• Cover for emergency expenses due to unforeseen events.

Depending on your choice of policy, RACV Domestic Travel Insurance may cover:

• Cancellations and lost deposits
• Lost and stolen luggage
• Rental car excess
• Emergency expenses due to unforeseen events.

Kids and grandkids are covered for free on all policies⁺⁺ and RACV Members save 15%.*

The most appropriate policy is the one that matches your destination, the length of your trip and what you're planning to do when you get there.

Here are some key things to weigh up:

• Destination: Travelling internationally means medical costs can be significant. Make sure any policy you consider includes adequate overseas medical and hospital cover.
• Cancellation cover: If you've pre-paid for flights, accommodation or tours, check that the cancellation limit is high enough to cover your actual costs.
• Pre-existing medical conditions: If you or a travelling companion have a medical condition, confirm how each policy handles it and whether an assessment is needed before you travel.
• Optional extras: Cruises and ski trips often need specific cover that isn't included in a standard policy.
• Excess levels: Consider what you'd be comfortable paying out of pocket and adjust your excess accordingly.

A lower premium doesn't always mean better value. Comparing what's covered at each level, including any exclusions, limits, sub-limits, and any general exclusions that apply will help you make a more informed decision.

RACV Travel Insurance offers flexible options across international and domestic travel, with flexible cancellation cover on most policies and optional extras for cruises** and ski and winter sports. Get a quote today – it only takes a few minutes. RACV Members save 15%.*

You can purchase travel insurance as early as you like. Some policies include cancellation cover that starts immediately after you purchase the policy for eligible prepaid, non-refundable costs, meaning you have cover if the holiday can’t go ahead for an unforeseen reason.

Travel insurance must be purchased before you leave Australia, but if your trip is coming up soon you can still get covered right up until your departure date.

Cancellation cover is available with RACV Comprehensive, Essentials, Domestic, Domestic Cancellation Cover and Annual Multi-Trip policies and cover begins immediately upon purchase. Get a quote today – it only takes a few minutes. RACV Members save 15%.*

Yes, many common medical conditions are covered by travel insurance, either automatically or following an online assessment. Cover for pre-existing conditions varies between insurers and policies, so it's worth checking the specifics before you book a trip.

RACV Travel Insurance automatically covers 38 common conditions, including things like asthma, diabetes, hypertension and cataracts, provided certain criteria are met.^~ Conditions that fall outside the automatic list can be assessed online when you get a quote.

A few things to keep in mind: 

• Declare everything relevant: If you have a condition that isn't automatically covered, it needs to be declared and assessed. An additional premium may apply. If an undeclared condition affects a claim, that claim may be reduced or denied.
• Assessment doesn't guarantee cover: Some conditions may not be accepted, and this will be clearly noted on your Certificate of Insurance.
• Changes in health: If your health changes after you buy a policy but before you travel, this needs to be reported as soon as reasonably practicable.

For full details on which conditions are automatically covered and how the assessment process works, visit the Medical Conditions page or refer to the combined PDS/FSG.

Note that Medicare covers medical and hospital costs within Australia, so RACV Domestic plans don't include medical, hospital, dental or evacuation cover. However, medical conditions still need to be declared, as they can affect cancellation cover. Ambulance and private care aren't included under Medicare, so check your existing health insurance before heading off.

Cover for destinations with a travel alert varies depending on the insurer and when it was issued relative to when the policy was purchased. Many policies won't cover new claims once a formal DFAT ‘Do Not Travel’ warning is in place for a destination, though existing bookings made before the warning was issued may still be treated differently to new travel plans.

With RACV Travel Insurance, whether you’re covered or not depends on when the 'Do Not Travel' advisory has been issued:

• If a 'Do Not Travel’ advisory is issued for a destination before a policy is purchased, claims relating to that destination generally won't be covered, unless the advisory is removed before the departure date.
• If a 'Do Not Travel' advisory is issued after a policy is purchased but before departure, cover may still apply, though claims can't be made for anything that happens while the advisory was active. This exclusion doesn't apply to cancellation or lost deposits cover, so a trip can generally be cancelled if a destination becomes subject to a 'Do Not Travel' warning after a policy is purchased.

Make sure to check Smartraveller for the latest advisories before booking and throughout the lead-up to a trip.

An excess is the amount payable by a policyholder toward a claim before the insurer covers the remaining cost.

Choosing a lower excess generally means a higher premium, while a higher excess can help reduce the premium but will affect the benefit you receive when you make a claim. It's a standard feature across most travel insurance policies, though the available options and amounts vary by insurer and plan.

RACV Travel Insurance offers a choice of excess depending on the plan:

• International: $0, $100, $250, $500 or $1,000
• Domestic: $0 or $100
• Annual Multi-Trip: $0, $100 or $250.

The excess chosen is shown on the Certificate of Insurance and applies to each claimable event, meaning that if you need to make multiple claims you’ll need to pay an excess on each claim.

Standard travel insurance generally won’t cover costs related to cancelled or missed flights. However, you can usually add a level of cancellation cover, which includes cover for prepaid, non-refundable costs (including flights) if you need to cancel your trip due to circumstances outside your control, such as serious illness, injury or a family emergency.

It's worth noting that cancellation cover doesn't apply if your flight is cancelled or delayed by the airline itself. That's usually the airline's responsibility to resolve through rebooking or compensation.

With RACV Travel Insurance, cancellation cover is included on Comprehensive, Essentials, Annual Multi-Trip and Domestic plans, with flexible limit options. Cover begins from the moment your policy is issued and includes prepaid, non-refundable flight costs where your trip is cancelled or cut short for a covered reason.