How does Southern Cross Travel Insurance cover COVID-19?
Southern Cross Travel Insurance is one of only a few insurers we've found that offer some cover for COVID-related claims. 3 key benefits are as follows:
Medical expenses if you are diagnosed while on your journey (overseas policies only).
Pre-trip cancellation and amendment costs to change your travel arrangements if you or a relevant person are diagnosed prior to your travel.
On-trip cancellation and amendment costs if you or a relevant person are diagnosed during your trip and it's interrupted or cut short.
There are some scenarios that are not covered and you should review the Southern Cross Travel Insurance product disclosure statement (PDS) before making a decision on whether this cover meets your needs. A major exclusion to be aware of is that you must be fully vaccinated to be covered for COVID-19 expenses.
Other COVID-19 exclusions include:
Travel to a destination that Smartraveller has rated a "Level 3" or "Level 4".
Costs related to lockdowns or government restrictions.
Costs related to any pause to quarantine-free travel.
In total, Southern Cross offers 5 travel insurance policies. These are: Domestic, International Medical Only, International Comprehensive (Single Trip),International Comprehensive (Annual Multi-trip) and Working overseas. Here are some of the main insured events a policy can cover you for:
Domestic
International Medical Only
International Comprehensive Single Trip
International Comprehensive Annual Multi-trip
Working Overseas
The insurance is issued by Southern Cross Benefits Limited, trading as Southern Cross Travel Insurance.
The cooling-off period is 14 days which means you can change your policy or cancel within this period, and Southern Cross will refund your premium in full. The excess is the amount you usually need to pay when you make a claim, but with Southern Cross, you can choose to remove your excess for a higher premium.
Here's a breakdown of Southern Cross Travel Insurance features
Here are some of the main policy benefits to help you find out if Southern Cross Travel Insurance can provide the right cover for you.
Baggage and personal items
Cancelling or changing your journey before you leave
Cash, bank cards, travel documents and passports
Changes to your journey once you have left
Delayed journey to a special event
Emergency dental treatment
Medical and evacuation
Personal accident
Personal liability
Rental vehicle excess
Optional add-on
For more flexibility, Southern Cross Travel Insurance gives you the option to add extra cover to your policy. This can be done after you select your level of cover.
Taking any valuables? If the value of any items you're taking exceeds the limits of your policy, you can opt for specified items cover.
Going skiing or snowboarding? Get additional cover to be protected for gear damage or the medical expenses incurred if you injure yourself on the slopes. You'll need to wear a helmet or you might void your policy.
Taking a cruise? If you're taking a cruise, select additional cover to protect yourself. You'll need to make sure you've included all the destinations your cruise is visiting on your policy.
Riding a moped or motorbike? Get additional cover to protect yourself and your bike in case the unexpected happens. SCTI will only cover incidents involving bikes under 200cc.
Exclusions
Like all insurers, there are a few situations you won't be covered for under your travel insurance policy. Southern Cross Travel Insurance will not generally provide any cover in the following situations:
Other exclusions which could apply to a COVID-19 claim include:
Medical evacuation because of COVID-19
Travel to a destination that Smartraveller has rated a "Level 3" or "Level 4" due to COVID-19
Costs related to lockdowns or government restrictions owing to COVID-19
Make sure you read Southern Cross Travel Insurance's PDS for a full list of situations that won't be covered.
How to make a Southern Cross Travel Insurance claim
Making a claim with Southern Cross Travel Insurance is easy and the whole process can be done online. Remember to keep any supporting documents such as receipts, medical notes or police reports to help your claim go through smoothly.
Head to https://www.scti.com.au/claims/make-a-claim
Enter your policy number, email, full name and date of birth to log in
Complete your claim details by answering all sections
Upload any supporting documents relevant to your claim
Submit, then your claim should be processed within 10 business days
Here's the bottom line about Southern Cross Travel Insurance
Southern Cross offers 4 straightforward policies with enough customisation and flexibility to suit most travellers. You'll find generous limits for theft or damage to your belongings, dependent children up to the age of 21 covered for free and the ability to extend your cover if you decide to stay overseas longer. All features that you don't find every day with other insurers.
Where Southern Cross Travel Insurance falls short is with certain exclusions in its policies. There is no cover for cruises that stay in Australian waters or pregnancy after 24 weeks. While Southern Cross does have COVID-19 cover, it comes with more restrictions than other insurers, including the need to be fully vaccinated.
The age limit for Southern Cross Travel Insurance's policy is 118.
SCTI's PDS does not list automatically included pre-existing conditions. It's best to declare everything at the time of policy purchase and fill out a medical assessment, so SCTI is aware of your medical conditions.
If your condition isn't automatically included, SCTI can use the medical assessment to consider your cover and any applicable premium costs.
Yes, Southern Cross Travel Insurance covers kids for free but they must be "dependent children". This means they need to be under 21 years old at the start date of your policy. Children include your direct kids, can be stepchildren, foster children and even grandchildren.
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
Gary Ross's expertise
Gary Ross has written 689 Finder guides across topics including:
Do you have a ‘medical only’ type policy for a five month trip
to Thailand
Finder
RichardMay 19, 2015Finder
Hi Ron,
Thanks for your question.
You may contact Southern Cross Travel Insurance to work out your medical-only cover. If you would like to review the medical-only policies provided by insurers in our panel, you may visit our guide to travel insurance and filter your results on the page. 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
StephDecember 17, 2014
Hello, what is the process is required to make a claim with your company?
Thanks
SallyOctober 27, 2014
I am an Australian citizen currently living in China. I am skiing in Japan in January, can I be covered by your Ski insurance?
Finder
RichardOctober 28, 2014Finder
Hi Sally,
Thanks for your question. As you are living in China you are not able to take out this cover option. Unfortunately, most insurers that offer an Already Overseas option require that you are returning to Australia at the end of the trip. It would be a good idea to look into a local provider.
I hope this was helpful,
Richard
PeterSeptember 8, 2014
I am at present holidaying in Australia and my original travel dates were from 14th June to 14th Sept 2014. However, just recently, a family circumstance has occurred requiring me to remain in Australia for a further week and I will not now be returning to NZ until Saturday 20th Sept 20th. Could my policy be extended to cover me for an additional 6 days. I will of course pay any extra fee that this change may require. Thank you for your attention to my request.
Pete
Finder
RichardSeptember 8, 2014Finder
Hi Pete,
Thanks for your question. Unfortunately as a comparison site, finder.com.au does not access to policy information. However, after consulting the SCTI PDS:
“If You choose to extend Your Journey, You can request an extension of Your Policy by emailing us [Southern Cross Travel Insurance] at info@scti.co.nz prior to Your End Date of Journey. If You have a Single Trip Policy, no extension will be granted once the initial Policy has expired. If You have a Multi Trip Policy, no extension will be granted once the 90th day of a Journey has passed. Any extension to a Policy will be at Our [Southern Cross Travel Insurance] discretion. Any extension to a Policy will comprise a new Policy and a new premium will be payable. Any events that have occurred prior to the date this extension is issued will not be considered an Unexpected Event under the new Policy.”
I hope this was helpful,
Richard
RogerJuly 17, 2014
Hi.
Who underwrites the policy. Regards Roger
Finder
ShirleyJuly 18, 2014Finder
Hi Roger,
Thanks for your question.
On the Southern Cross Travel Insurance website it states that, “Southern Cross Benefits Ltd trades as Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI) who is the underwriter and distributor of the TravelCare policy.”
Cheers,
Shirley
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Do you have a ‘medical only’ type policy for a five month trip
to Thailand
Hi Ron,
Thanks for your question.
You may contact Southern Cross Travel Insurance to work out your medical-only cover. If you would like to review the medical-only policies provided by insurers in our panel, you may visit our guide to travel insurance and filter your results on the page. 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
Hello, what is the process is required to make a claim with your company?
Thanks
I am an Australian citizen currently living in China. I am skiing in Japan in January, can I be covered by your Ski insurance?
Hi Sally,
Thanks for your question. As you are living in China you are not able to take out this cover option. Unfortunately, most insurers that offer an Already Overseas option require that you are returning to Australia at the end of the trip. It would be a good idea to look into a local provider.
I hope this was helpful,
Richard
I am at present holidaying in Australia and my original travel dates were from 14th June to 14th Sept 2014. However, just recently, a family circumstance has occurred requiring me to remain in Australia for a further week and I will not now be returning to NZ until Saturday 20th Sept 20th. Could my policy be extended to cover me for an additional 6 days. I will of course pay any extra fee that this change may require. Thank you for your attention to my request.
Pete
Hi Pete,
Thanks for your question. Unfortunately as a comparison site, finder.com.au does not access to policy information. However, after consulting the SCTI PDS:
“If You choose to extend Your Journey, You can request an extension of Your Policy by emailing us [Southern Cross Travel Insurance] at info@scti.co.nz prior to Your End Date of Journey. If You have a Single Trip Policy, no extension will be granted once the initial Policy has expired. If You have a Multi Trip Policy, no extension will be granted once the 90th day of a Journey has passed. Any extension to a Policy will be at Our [Southern Cross Travel Insurance] discretion. Any extension to a Policy will comprise a new Policy and a new premium will be payable. Any events that have occurred prior to the date this extension is issued will not be considered an Unexpected Event under the new Policy.”
I hope this was helpful,
Richard
Hi.
Who underwrites the policy. Regards Roger
Hi Roger,
Thanks for your question.
On the Southern Cross Travel Insurance website it states that, “Southern Cross Benefits Ltd trades as Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI) who is the underwriter and distributor of the TravelCare policy.”
Cheers,
Shirley