There are 5 policies to choose from with Bupa travel insurance, along with a heap of add-ons including adventure activities, snow sports and wide-ranging cruise cover.
Bupa offers high-quality cover with a wide range of options to meet your travel needs. But you may also opt for lower-priced cover that will come with fewer and/or lower benefit limits.
Pros
Enjoy the flexibility to pick between a wide range of policies and set your own trip cancellation limit
If you're involved in an emergency while you're overseas, you can enjoy peace of mind you can contact Allianz Global Assistance for help at any time – 7 days a week.
Bupa health insurance members can score a 15% discount on their travel insurance.
Cons
Bupa's COVID-19 coverage is limited in comparison with brands such as Fast Cover and Southern Cross Travel Insurance.
Its cover limit of $10,000 for theft or damage to luggage and personal belongings is decent, but some competitors offer $15,000.
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What do Australians think of Bupa travel insurance?
4.23/5 overall for Customer Satisfaction — lower than the average of 4.26
4.59/5 for Trust — higher than the average of 4.57
4.21/5 for Customer Service — higher than the average of 4.2
Bupa travel insurance is underwritten by Allianz. Bupa offers quality travel insurance that can bring peace of mind that you can make the most of your trip, while knowing you'll receive financial support if things do go wrong.
All policies come with a basic excess. In most cases, you'll pay this when making a claim. You have the option to vary this excess – by committing to a higher sum, you could reduce the cost of your insurance. Keep in mind that an additional $500 excess applies to Bupa's Adventure Pack and Snow Pack.
With Bupa, you can choose between a single, couple and family policy. This provider offers a cooling-off period of 14 days – you can cancel your policy within 2 weeks for a full refund.
A Bupa travel insurance policy includes a range of benefits you can claim if an insured event happens. Bupa's comprehensive policy includes:
Overseas emergency assistance – unlimited
Overseas medical expenses – unlimited
Accidental death – up to $25,000 (or $50,000 with a family plan)
Permanent disability – up to $25,000 (or $50,000 with a family plan)
Trip cancellation costs – chosen by you
Additional expenses – up to $50,000 (or $100,000 with a family plan)
Travel delay expenses – up to $2,000 (or $4,000 with a family plan)
Personal liability – up to $5 million
Luggage, personal effects and valuables – up to $10,000 (or $20,000 with a family plan)
Alternative transport costs – up to $5,000 (or $10,000 with a family plan)
Travel documents, bank cards and traveller's cheques – up to $5,000 (or $10,000 with a family plan)
Rental Vehicle Excess – up to $6,000
Luggage & personal effects delay expenses – up to $500 (or $1,000 with a family plan)
Theft of cash – up to $250 (or $500 with a family plan)
Additionally, Bupa offers multi-trip cover, a domestic policy and an entry-level Essentials plan. Finally, you can opt for a non-medical plan – a basic policy that's good if you want some insurance but without cover for a pre-existing condition.
Optional add-ons
Bupa offers many policy features you can add to get more protection based on the type of trip you're planning. These include:
Adventure Pack. Available to those under the age of 75, this optional cover includes insurance for activities including abseiling, deep sea fishing, caving, quad bike riding, outdoor rock climbing and motorcycles/mopeds.
Cruise Pack. Get cover while you cruise overseas and in Australian waters. In addition to features such as unlimited medical cover and unlimited evacuation cover, you can claim up to $1,000 if you need to cancel (for an unforeseen reason) any pre-booked tours.
Snow pack. Available to those under 75, the Snow Pack comes with a range of snow sports activities including skiing and snowboarding. Overseas emergency assistance is capped at $100,000.
Exclusions
Bupa won't pay out for the following:
Travelling when you know you are unfit or against medical advice
Going to a country where a 'Do not travel' alert has been issued by the Australian government
Breaking the law
Being under the influence of alcohol or ilicit drugs
Death, illness or injury from an existing condition (unless it's specifically covered by your policy)
Any consequential loss or loss of enjoyment
A loss caused by or in connection with a criminal or dishonest act
Failure to take precautions after a public warning of strike, riot, civil commotion or natural disaster
Driving a rental vehicle in an illegal or dangerous manner.
Be sure to read Bupa's PDS for a full list of exclusions. Learn more about travel exclusions here.
More reasons to consider Bupa
24/7 assistance. If the unexpected happens while you’re travelling overseas, emergency help is available 24 hours a day. If you have any difficulties while you are travelling, you can contact the Emergency Assistance Hotline and you will be able to speak with one of Bupa's trained staff. You can call Bupa on +61 7 3305 7497 (overseas) or 1800 119 412 (within Australia).
Discounts for existing members. Bupa health insurance members can receive up to a 15% discount on their travel insurance premiums.
Frequently asked questions
You can get cover for some pre-existing illnesses. However, according to Bupa's policy wording, you'd need to have "disclosed the condition to Allianz Global Assistance and they have agreed in writing to include cover under your policy for the condition".
Be aware, you won't be able to get cover for pre-existing conditions under Bupa's Essentials or Non-Medical Plans.
Yes. If you change your mind about a policy, Bupa offers a 14-day cooling off period, in which time you can cancel your insurance and get a full refund, so long as you haven’t begun your travels or made a claim. If you wish to cancel or change your policy outside of this period, you can apply to Bupa online or over the phone.
If you wish to make a claim, you typically must phone Bupa within 30 days of completing or cancelling your journey.
James Martin was the insurance editor at Finder. He has written on a range of insurance and finance topics for over 7 years. James often shares his insurance expertise as a media spokesperson and has appeared on Prime 7 News, WIN News, Insurance News, 7NEWS and The Guardian. He holds a Tier 1 General Insurance (General Advice) certification and a Tier 1 Generic Knowledge certification, both of which meet the requirements of ASIC Regulatory Guide 146 (RG146). See full bio
James's expertise
James has written 204 Finder guides across topics including:
I have benign irregular heart beat. cardiologist letter says fit for travel.
Which cover can I buy that covers this? John
Finder
MayMarch 7, 2018Finder
Hi John,
Thanks for your inquiry.
There are brands that offer travel insurance to people with heart conditions. You can compare the costs and get more details about the cover by clicking on the “Get Quote” button. It is also best to contact your chosen insurer if you want to discuss more the level of cover.
Before applying, please ensure that you read through the relevant Product Disclosure Statements/Terms and Conditions when comparing your options before making a decision on whether it is right for you. You can also contact the provider if you have specific questions.
Hope this helps.
Cheers,
May
michelleNovember 23, 2015
hi,
Do you cover missed flights due to illness?
and providing you a medical certificate for proof?
thanks
Finder
RichardNovember 23, 2015Finder
Hi Michelle,
Thanks for your question. finder.com.au is a comparison service and not an insurer. Bupa Travel Insurance do provide cover for cancellation and yes you will need to be able to provide them with substantiating evidence that a claimable event did happen.
I hope this was helpful,
Richard
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I have benign irregular heart beat. cardiologist letter says fit for travel.
Which cover can I buy that covers this? John
Hi John,
Thanks for your inquiry.
There are brands that offer travel insurance to people with heart conditions. You can compare the costs and get more details about the cover by clicking on the “Get Quote” button. It is also best to contact your chosen insurer if you want to discuss more the level of cover.
Before applying, please ensure that you read through the relevant Product Disclosure Statements/Terms and Conditions when comparing your options before making a decision on whether it is right for you. You can also contact the provider if you have specific questions.
Hope this helps.
Cheers,
May
hi,
Do you cover missed flights due to illness?
and providing you a medical certificate for proof?
thanks
Hi Michelle,
Thanks for your question. finder.com.au is a comparison service and not an insurer. Bupa Travel Insurance do provide cover for cancellation and yes you will need to be able to provide them with substantiating evidence that a claimable event did happen.
I hope this was helpful,
Richard