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Annual travel insurance
Annual multi-trip travel insurance can be cheaper and more convenient than buying multiple policies. Compare quotes and get set up for an exciting year of travel.
Most annual policies cover overseas medical expenses, luggage and personal effects and cancellation fees.
Cheap annual travel insurance
Cheap picks selected by Gary Ross Hunter – insurance and innovations editor at Finder
Cheap comprehensive: Travel Insurance Saver Annual Multi Trip
It can cover you for up to 45 days per trip. The average is around 30 days.
It comes with COVID-19 cover. This includes unlimited medical expenses and rearrangement costs if you or someone you are travelling with catches the virus.
It comes with fairly high limits, most likely enough for multiple trips e.g. up to $12,000 for luggage, $10,000 for cancellations, $5,000 rental car excess insurance and unlimited travel delay expenses.
FastCover Traveller Saver comes with unlimited cancellation cover. Travel Insurance Saver has a $10,000 cap.
There are more comprehensive options, if you're willing to pay more. For example, FastCover and CoverMore have annual policies that all come with higher limits. These could be better for trips over $10,000.
Finder's insurance and innovations editor looked at 45 annual travel insurance policies available on the Finder engine and a handful of other well known brands including CoverMore and Medibank. Travel Insurance Saver offered the cheapest comprehensive policy for 5 different annual multi trips:
Bali, USA, New Zealand
Bali, Japan, New Zealand
Bali, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand
Bali, Italy, France, New Zealand
Bali, Thailand, New Zealand
Cheap basic: Insure4Less Annual Multi Trip Essentials
It's good if you want a very cheap policy covering medical only, including if you catch COVID-19.
Out of 45 annual multi trip policies, it was the cheapest available on Finder.
It really is a bare bones policy. It only covers medical expenses. It's no help if you need to cancel, rearrange or your luggage is delayed or lost.
It can cover you for up to 31 days per trip. If you have a longer trip planned, you should look elsewhere.
Our insurance and innovations editor picked Insure4less because it's typically the cheapest annual multi trip policy in the Finder database. Insure4less offered the cheapest basic policy for 5 different annual multi trips:
Bali, USA, New Zealand
Bali, Japan, New Zealand
Bali, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand
Bali, Italy, France, New Zealand
Bali, Thailand, New Zealand
Is it cheaper to buy annual travel insurance?
It's typically only cheaper to buy an annual travel insurance policy if you plan to go on a few big trips in the next 12 months. If you're only going away for around 2 weeks per trip, multiple single travel insurance policies are often cheaper.
For example, when we got quotes for an annual multi trip policy to multiple locations (Bali, Japan, Canada and Europe), the cheapest comprehensive policy was $399. It was $815 for multiple single travel insurance policies.
Here's a table showing the prices if you were to take out multiple single travel insurance policies, as opposed to taking out a multi trip travel insurance policy.
Location & duration
Policy cost
Bali - 7 days
$63
Japan - 45 days
$225
Canada - 45 days
$418
Italy, France, Germany - 21 days
$109
Total cost
$815
"I saved $500 getting an annual multi-trip policy. I had two big overseas trips planned, one a ski trip, and it was cheaper to get an annual policy instead of individual cover (this was for 2 people). And now I'm covered for the rest of the year too, including on domestic trips. "
Multi trip travel insurance covers all the same things as a single-trip policy. This means you can expect cover for:
Medical expenses including evacuation. If you get sick or injured while overseas, your policy will cover the cost of your ambulance, hospital bed, surgery fees and evacuation to the nearest hospital (or back to Australia if necessary). Most annual policies offer unlimited medical for international trips, which helps with peace of mind knowing you're covered no matter where you go.
Additional emergency expenses. This covers the additional travel and accommodation expenses related to emergencies outside of your control, like becoming medically unfit to travel or the unexpected death of a close relative back home. Most policies will also pay for someone in Australia to travel to you if you're hospitalised overseas.
Cancellation fees and lost deposits. This covers your non-refundable pre-paid travel expenses and any cancellation fees if you have to cancel your trip due to unexpected events outside of your control.
Luggage and personal belongings. Covers the repair or replacement costs for luggage and personal items that are lost, stolen or damaged during your trip. Some policies will pay you an emergency allowance to help you purchase essential clothing and toiletries if an airline temporarily misplaces your luggage.
Travel delay. This pays for unexpected meal and accommodation costs when your flight or other prepaid transportation is rescheduled or delayed for a significant amount of time.
Rental vehicle excess insurance. This brings down the unreasonably high excess car rental companies charge if you damage one of their cars. Some policies offer this for free. Others charge extra for it.
Cruise and Ski cover. Some annual travel insurance policies include cruise cover and ski cover in their policies. Benefits include onboard medical expenses, missed ports, cabin confinement and more.
Personal liability. This pays your legal fees and penalties if you accidentally injure someone or damage their property while travelling.
Our expert says
"At first annual travel insurance might seem like a bit of an upfront cost, but if you have a couple of big trips planned in the next 12 months (it looks like many of us do – there's been a 50% increase in departures compared to this time last year) then it's often cheaper than buying multiple individual policies."
All policies have a list of exclusions, which outlines what your policy won't cover and what situations will void your policy. These include if:
You're travelling somewhere there's a travel warning. The Australian Government issues advisories for a reason. If you choose to travel to a do not travel country and ignore these warnings, your insurance will be invalid.
You don't take care of your belongings. Your insurer won't pay for lost items if you weren't careful with them. This includes leaving your luggage or valuables unattended or leaving your hotel room unlocked.
You're taking part in extreme or dangerous activities. Most policies won't cover extreme sports or other dangerous activities such as base jumping or mountaineering.
You were acting recklessly. Your insurer can deny your claim if it finds you were acting recklessly at the time. This can include being drunk, being high, breaking the law or putting yourself in harm's way.
Illness or injury from pre-existing conditions. If you fail to disclose any pre-existing conditions, your insurer could deny medical claims if they think the new injury or illness is related.
You're pregnant. Most policies will not cover childbirth at all and they'll stop covering you if you're pregnant at around 30 weeks. However, they will cover all unrelated medical conditions like a broken wrist for the duration of the trip.
Frequently asked questions about annual travel insurance
Annual multi trip travel insurance is a type of travel insurance policy that covers multiple trips over a 12 month period. It's also known as a multi-trip policy. It's made for people who go abroad more than once a year and can sometimes be cheaper and more convenient than taking out multiple single trip policies every time you travel.
Yes. Multi trip policies can give you cover for an unlimited number of trips in a year. It can sometimes be cheaper than buying multiple policies in a year and it's convenient as you don't have to get a new travel insurance policy every time you head overseas.
Travel insurance ranges from around $5 to $20 per day but prices can vary significantly depending on the length of your trip and where you travel. On average, a basic policy for a one week trip could cost between $30 and $150. It often becomes better value for money to take out annual travel insurance if you have more than 2 of 3 big trips planned in a year.
For sure. Business cover is usually included in an annual frequent travel insurance policy, which means it doesn't matter whether you are travelling for business or going on a holiday.
However, insurers usually won't pay any medical bills that are already covered by your employer's workers compensation policy. Some policies will also exclude manual labour from cover.
Just barely. The longest max-trip duration we've seen is 93 days from Travel Insuranz and Insure4less. If you're taking a single trip that's longer than that, you'll need to get a separate single trip policy for that trip.
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To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Joelle Grubb as part of our fact-checking process.
Gary Ross Hunter was an editor at Finder, specialising in insurance. He’s been writing about life, travel, home, car, pet and health insurance for over 6 years and regularly appears as an insurance expert in publications including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Guardian and news.com.au. Gary holds a Kaplan Tier 2 General Advice General Insurance certification which meets the requirements of ASIC Regulatory Guide 146 (RG146). See full bio
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Hi, we are looking at travelling to Bali 29/8 – 7/9/2015 we are 69 and 71 years of age.
Also going to Vancouver in November/December then 2016 going to England.
How much would it cost for a 12 month policy for us and how many days can we be out of the country at one time, also excess and what are we covered for.
Thanks Carole
Finder
RichardApril 30, 2015Finder
Hi Carole,
Thanks for your question.
Your search for a multi-trip insurance policy will depend on a number of factors. Most annual multi-trip policies will only cover you for the maximum trip duration that you choose at the time you buy the policy. It can vary amongst different brands but it can range from 15 days up to 90 days. If you would like to compare the policies from our providers, please enter your travel details into the travel insurance quote engine.
Please make sure to read the eligibility criteria, features, and details of the policy, as well as the relevant Product Disclosure Statement of the policy before making a decision and consider whether the product is right for you. If necessary, speak to the insurance brand to verify any details.
I hope this was helpful,
Richard
JohnApril 29, 2015
I am a volunteer missionary doing education work in East Africa. I travel to Africa for four months, then I’m back in Aus. for four months, and so on. In Africa I have a lot of travel by road, and a little by air. At 68yrs of age, but in great health, what’s best for me.
Finder
RichardApril 30, 2015Finder
Hi John,
Thanks for your question. It will depend on a number of factors. Unfortunately, most annual policies have a maximum trip duration of 90 days, so you may need to take out separate policies.
I hope this was helpful,
Richard
JohnApril 30, 2015
Thanks Richard.
If I did that – i.e. took out two 60 or 90 day policies consecutively, which companies/policies would be best geared for my circumstances.
John.
Please make sure to read the eligibility criteria, features, and details of the policy, as well as the relevant Product Disclosure Statement of the policy before making a decision and consider whether the product is right for you. If necessary, speak to the insurance brand to verify any details.
I hope this was helpful,
Richard
SteveoApril 15, 2015
I am going on a ski trip to Canada in 2016. Flights have been bought with NAB platinum Amex card . Will the travel insurance that is provided with the card cover me for on-piste and off-piste skiing injuries?
thanks
Finder
RichardApril 15, 2015Finder
Hi Stevo,
Thanks for your question.
I had a look at the NAB Platinum Amex card product disclosure statement(PDS), and there does not seem to be any mention of ski cover, so you may want to contact QBE Insurance (the issuers of the policy) on 1800 187 025 for clarification. It is important to remember that to qualify for cover, you must purchase a minimum of $500 of your prepaid transportation, accommodation, or tour costs on your NAB Platinum Amex card.
If you are unable to get cover with your NAB card, you mayget your quote from our guide to Ski Travel Insurance.
I hope this was helpful,
Richard
AlanFebruary 18, 2015
I am a retiree, and am starting to travel a bit i think my travel will fit in the annual travel policy.My Q is When does the policy start say if i travel on 15 april and expiry of the annual policy date. I plan to travel in mid april 2015 to London from Melbourne aust.stop over in kl then to london for a month’s stay then back to kl for a longer stop over stay then return to Melb.Total to – fro journey 90days.
Finder
RichardFebruary 18, 2015Finder
Hi Alan,
Thanks for your question. You can specify when you want the annual policy to start, e.g. commence immediately or begin at the commencement of your trip. When choosing your annual travel policy, make sure to check the maximum duration a single trip can be, some policies limit trip durations to as little as 30 days.
I hope this was helpful,
Richard
JaneFebruary 1, 2015
Looking for the right insurance not sure which one I should buy, annual multi trip or single policy’s as I understand Medicare does cover you on any domestic cruises? We are a family of four and we’re going on a domestic cruise this year for 7 nights then extending our holiday for 6 nights in the Gold Coast, we have also booked flights to the UK visiting family for 5 weeks. Please can you advise me. Thanks
Finder
RichardFebruary 3, 2015Finder
Hi Jane,
Thanks for your question.
You are correct. Medicare does not cover you for cruise travel. Once you have decided on a provider and or policy, it really comes down to the cost for this. Have you got travel insurance quotes for these trips already? If not, please have a look at our travel insurance on our homepage. Please make sure to read the eligibility criteria, features, and details of the policy, as well as the relevant Product Disclosure Statement of the policy before making a decision and consider whether the product is right for you. If necessary, speak to the insurance brand to verify any details.
I hope this was helpful,
Richard
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Hi, we are looking at travelling to Bali 29/8 – 7/9/2015 we are 69 and 71 years of age.
Also going to Vancouver in November/December then 2016 going to England.
How much would it cost for a 12 month policy for us and how many days can we be out of the country at one time, also excess and what are we covered for.
Thanks Carole
Hi Carole,
Thanks for your question.
Your search for a multi-trip insurance policy will depend on a number of factors. Most annual multi-trip policies will only cover you for the maximum trip duration that you choose at the time you buy the policy. It can vary amongst different brands but it can range from 15 days up to 90 days. If you would like to compare the policies from our providers, please enter your travel details into the travel insurance quote engine.
Please make sure to read the eligibility criteria, features, and details of the policy, as well as the relevant Product Disclosure Statement of the policy before making a decision and consider whether the product is right for you. If necessary, speak to the insurance brand to verify any details.
I hope this was helpful,
Richard
I am a volunteer missionary doing education work in East Africa. I travel to Africa for four months, then I’m back in Aus. for four months, and so on. In Africa I have a lot of travel by road, and a little by air. At 68yrs of age, but in great health, what’s best for me.
Hi John,
Thanks for your question. It will depend on a number of factors. Unfortunately, most annual policies have a maximum trip duration of 90 days, so you may need to take out separate policies.
I hope this was helpful,
Richard
Thanks Richard.
If I did that – i.e. took out two 60 or 90 day policies consecutively, which companies/policies would be best geared for my circumstances.
John.
Hi John,
Thanks for your question.
You may find the following resources helpful:
Travel Insurance for Seniors
Travel Insurance for Volunteers
Please make sure to read the eligibility criteria, features, and details of the policy, as well as the relevant Product Disclosure Statement of the policy before making a decision and consider whether the product is right for you. If necessary, speak to the insurance brand to verify any details.
I hope this was helpful,
Richard
I am going on a ski trip to Canada in 2016. Flights have been bought with NAB platinum Amex card . Will the travel insurance that is provided with the card cover me for on-piste and off-piste skiing injuries?
thanks
Hi Stevo,
Thanks for your question.
I had a look at the NAB Platinum Amex card product disclosure statement(PDS), and there does not seem to be any mention of ski cover, so you may want to contact QBE Insurance (the issuers of the policy) on 1800 187 025 for clarification. It is important to remember that to qualify for cover, you must purchase a minimum of $500 of your prepaid transportation, accommodation, or tour costs on your NAB Platinum Amex card.
If you are unable to get cover with your NAB card, you mayget your quote from our guide to Ski Travel Insurance.
I hope this was helpful,
Richard
I am a retiree, and am starting to travel a bit i think my travel will fit in the annual travel policy.My Q is When does the policy start say if i travel on 15 april and expiry of the annual policy date. I plan to travel in mid april 2015 to London from Melbourne aust.stop over in kl then to london for a month’s stay then back to kl for a longer stop over stay then return to Melb.Total to – fro journey 90days.
Hi Alan,
Thanks for your question. You can specify when you want the annual policy to start, e.g. commence immediately or begin at the commencement of your trip. When choosing your annual travel policy, make sure to check the maximum duration a single trip can be, some policies limit trip durations to as little as 30 days.
I hope this was helpful,
Richard
Looking for the right insurance not sure which one I should buy, annual multi trip or single policy’s as I understand Medicare does cover you on any domestic cruises? We are a family of four and we’re going on a domestic cruise this year for 7 nights then extending our holiday for 6 nights in the Gold Coast, we have also booked flights to the UK visiting family for 5 weeks. Please can you advise me. Thanks
Hi Jane,
Thanks for your question.
You are correct. Medicare does not cover you for cruise travel. Once you have decided on a provider and or policy, it really comes down to the cost for this. Have you got travel insurance quotes for these trips already? If not, please have a look at our travel insurance on our homepage. Please make sure to read the eligibility criteria, features, and details of the policy, as well as the relevant Product Disclosure Statement of the policy before making a decision and consider whether the product is right for you. If necessary, speak to the insurance brand to verify any details.
I hope this was helpful,
Richard