Defence Health Travel Insurance

Our verdict: Defence Health offers a broad range of add-on options but its COVID-19 cover isn’t particularly strong.

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Nicola Middlemiss

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Defence Health

Pros

  • Rental car excess insurance is included as standard, up to $6,000
  • There's a wide range of customisations available, including adding pre-existing medical conditions, adjusting benefit limits, and altering the excess.

Cons

  • Cover for pregnancy stops at 24 weeks, but we found 11 brands that extend cover beyond this gestation period.
  • There's no loss of income benefit, but we found 12 brands that do offer it.
Defence Health Travel Insurance is not currently available via Finder. You can head to the Defence Health website or compare alternative options available below.

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Summary of Defence Health International Comprehensive policy

Overseas Medical and Hospital ExpensesUnlimited
Cancellation and Amendment FeesCover chosen
Luggage and Personal Effects$10,000
Maximum Age LimitNo age limit (120 on quote engine)

Table updated September 2023

How does Defence Health Travel Insurance cover COVID-19?

Defence Health offers some cover for expenses related to COVID-19, but it's not the strongest in the market. Here's what you can expect:

  • Overseas emergency assistance, medical care and hospital expenses if you're diagnosed with COVID-19.
  • Cancellation or amendment costs if you or your travelling companion are diagnosed with COVID-19.
  • Additional expenses if you or a travelling companion are diagnosed with COVID-19.
  • Costs to return home if you are given medical advice that you should do so.
  • Costs to return home if a relative or business partner is hospitalised or dies due to COVID-19.

There are some scenarios that are not covered by Defence Health including costs incurred as a result of mandatory quarantine or isolation, border closures or government travel bans.

Also, if you were diagnosed with COVID-19 before heading on your trip but you went anyway, you won't be covered for any COVID-related overseas medical expenses.

What policies does Defence Health offer?

Defence Health offers five insurance policies to travellers. Comprehensive, Essentials, Domestic, Multi-Trip and Non-Medical.

Travel plane luggage passport

Comprehensive

Passport

Essentials

Australian Map Icon

Domestic

Hiking

Multi-Trip

Map

Non-Medical

The insurer of this product is Allianz Australia Insurance Limited. It comes with a cooling-off period of 14 days and choice of $200 standard excess for international plans.

Here's a breakdown of Defence Health Travel Insurance features

Standard features
Optional add-ons
Exclusions

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Standard features

These are some of the main insured events that Defence Health will cover. These benefits apply across all international policies.

  • Overseas emergency assistance
  • Overseas medical treatment
  • Lost, damaged or stolen property
  • Trip cancellation or amendment
  • Additional accommodation and transport
  • Rental vehicle excess
  • Theft of money
  • Loss, theft, or damage of travel documents
  • Luggage and travel delay
  • Emergency dental costs
  • Kidnap and hijack
  • Personal liability
  • Permanent disability
  • Accidental death

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Optional add-ons

Defence Health also offers four add-ons that provide cover for a wider range of risks.

  • Adventure Pack. Provides cover for a wider range of riskier activities, including deep sea fishing, outdoor rock climbing and riding a motorbike with the appropriate licence.
  • Cruise Pack Extends your insurance policy to cover cruises and a range of cruise-specific risks such as marine rescue and cabin confinement.
  • Snow Pack.Extends your cover to include snow activities and covers snow-specific risks such as piste closure and avalanches. Only available to under 75s.
  • Increased Item Limits Cover.Increase the claims limit of specific items if you're travelling with more expensive belongings.

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Exclusions

Unfortunately, travel insurance doesn't cover everything. Generally, Defence Health will not pay your claim if it relates to:

  • Unlawful, wreckless or unreasonably unsafe behaviour by you
  • Behaviour while you were drunk or under the influence of drugs
  • Expenses related to a pre-existing medical condition not listed on your insurance document

    • li>An act of war, invasion or revolution

  • Insolvency of a travel agent, tour operator or accommodation provider
  • Mandatory quarantines or isolations
  • An act of war, invasion or revolution
  • IF you travel against medical advice
  • Childbirth or pregnancy complications from the 24th week of gestation or if you have had previous pregnancy complications
  • A multiple pregnancy or one where the conception was medically assisted
  • An elective medical or dental treatment, cosmetic procedure or body modification (including tattoos or piercing)
  • Self-inflicted injury or illness, suicide or attempted suicide

Make sure you review the Defence Health PDS for a detailed breakdown of what won't be covered, found under its list of general exclusions.

How to make a Defence Health Travel Insurance claim

You can make a claim online via the Defence Health claims portal. You should have your policy number, personal details and travel itinerary ready, as well as any relevant receipts, medical records, and police reports.

You can also call the Defence Health claims team on 1800 622 499 (Weekdays 8:30am-6pm AEST).

Here's the bottom line about Defence Health Travel Insurance

Defence Health offers a broad range of options to customise your policy, including Cruise Cover, Cover for Pre-Existing Medical Conditions, Snow Cover, and Adventure Cover. You can also increase item limits and adjust your excess.

However, if you want comprehensive cover for risks related to COVID-19, you might want to look elsewhere as Defence Health offers limited protection.

In most cases, you, your travelling companion, a relative or business partner would need to be diagnosed with COVID-19 to make a claim.

If you're still not sure about Defence Health, you can compare other travel insurance companies here.

Frequently asked questions

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Senior writer

Nicola Middlemiss is a contributing writer at Finder, with a special interest in personal finance and insurance. Formerly a business and finance journalist, Nicola has written thousands of articles helping Australians better understand insurance and grow their personal wealth. She has contributed to a wide range of publications, including Domain, the Educator, Financy, Fundraising and Philanthropy, Insurance Business, MoneyMag, Mortgage Professional, Yahoo Finance, Your Investment Property, and Wealth Professional. Nicola has a Tier 1 General Insurance (General Advice) certification and a Bachelor's degree from the University of Leeds. See full bio

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Nicola has written 241 Finder guides across topics including:
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4 Responses

    Default Gravatar
    HelenMarch 10, 2017

    I insured once before with Defence…Insurance and fortunately did not need to make any claims. I am about to travel with my adult daughter on an Intrepid trip to Turkey. My extended family member was in the defence forces. (He is a nephew of my husband.) Am I still able to use Defence..Insurance for my daughter and myself even though the family link is somewhat distant?

      AvatarFinder
      ZubairMarch 13, 2017Finder

      Hi Helen,

      Thank you for your question. You have contacted finder.com.au, a comparison and information service and not Defence Health Travel Insurance.

      Generally, extended families are eligible for Defence Health Travel Insurance. You will need to check with Defence Health Travel Insurance about the area in which you plans on traveling as some places in Turkey are designated as do not travel and reconsider your need to travel

      Please make sure though to read the eligibility criteria, features and details of the policy, as well as the relevant Product Disclosure Statement PDS/T&C’s 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.

      All the best,
      Zubair

    Default Gravatar
    pinnowOctober 25, 2016

    Have a house in New Zealand and often stay for extended periods.Am I still covered by defence health for illness or hospitalisation.

      AvatarFinder
      RichardOctober 25, 2016Finder

      Hi Pinnow,

      Thanks for getting in touch.

      While Australia has a reciprocal health agreement with New Zealand, meaning you have access to some parts of their public healthcare system, your health insurance doesn’t cover you for medical expenses incurred overseas.

      If you’re looking for added protection, you may wish to consider taking out travel insurance.

      All the best,
      Richard

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