Japan travel insurance

Why do I need travel insurance in Japan?

• It can cover you for emergency medical treatment.
• It can cover medical expenses caused by injuries and accidents, unless it's from an excluded activity.
• It can pay for transport to hospital by helicopter or ambulance, as well as medical evacuations back to Australia.
• If you're renting a car in Japan, make sure you have car rental excess cover.
• Theft can occur in Japan. Travel insurance can cover you for lost or stolen valuables. This could include rings, necklaces, phones and watches.
• Terrorism is a risk in Japan. A few insurers provide cover for medical and hospital expenses caused by an act of terrorism, including the cost of bringing you back home.

Looking for the best travel insurance for Japan? Check out our award winners in 2023

You're satisfying customers

Tick travel insurance has ranked first place for customer satisfaction in 2023.

This survey was conducted by Dynata, where 95% of respondents said they would recommend Tick to a friend, and it scored the highest in the 'value for money' category.

Want the bells and whistles?

Southern Cross Travel Insurance has taken the top position in the 'Travel insurance - Comprehensive' category for the 2023 Finder Awards. Why? It's got to do with its wide COVID-19 coverage and how it handles cancellations due to unexpected events.

Adding to that, its average pricing was pretty affordable compared to other brands who offer less coverage for a higher price.

Show me the money!

Fast Cover is the winner of the 2023 Finder Awards for the 'Travel insurance - Value' category. How? We compared the average prices of 28 international travel insurance policies, and Fast Cover came out on top.

But what does 'value' mean? It means we looked at more than just price. Fast Cover doesn't include everything on its policies, but it offers good value.

The best for your backyard

InsureandGo has taken the top place for the 'Travel insurance - Domestic' category in the 2023 Finder Awards.

Why? We analysed 23 domestic policies and found that InsureandGo were generous with their benefit limits for things like cancellation and rental car excess insurance.

This one's for the seniors

Southern Cross Travel Insurance is the winner of the 'Travel insurance - Seniors' category in the 2023 Finder Awards. Why? It has higher age limits and generous benefits.

We also appreciated SCTI's easy-to-read product disclosure statement. This means that customers can easily understand their policies, and travel with confidence.

Insurance Innovation Finalist

Fast Cover Travel Insurance's COVID-19 Benefits & Refund Policy earned it a place among the finalists in the Insurance Innovation category of this year's Finder Innovation Awards.

It goes further than many other insurers, covering COVID medical expenses and evacuation, up to $5,000 for COVID-related cancellations and additional expenses.

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Japan travel insurance: Common exclusions

Every travel insurance policy has things you won't be covered for. Common exclusions include:

• If you purchase cover after the incident has occurred. For example, if you take cover out after you've been injured and need medical attention.
• Pre-existing medical conditions. If you have any major medical conditions, make sure you let your insurer know before taking out a policy. Otherwise you won't be covered for claims related to that condition.
• You travel despite government travel advice. For example, if you travel to areas that have a warning from Smartraveller, such as the restricted areas near the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, travel insurance may not cover you.
• Incidents that occur while you're under the influence of drugs or alcohol. For example, if you go out drinking in Tokyo, get injured and need medical attention, travel insurance won't cover you.
• Driving vehicles without a licence. Like Australia, you won't be covered for medical costs or personal liability expenses if you drive without a licence in Japan.

Did you know?

Natural disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis can occur in Japan.

Will I be covered for COVID-19?

Travel insurance can cover you for COVID-19 in Japan. A policy can cover you for the following:

• Rearrangement costs if you catch the virus and need to change your plans. Lots of comprehensive travel insurance policies let you claim up to $5,000 towards these expenses.
• Medical costs due to COVID-19. This can include hospital expenses and RATs if you catch COVID-19 while overseas (but you won't be covered for mandatory PCRs).
• Expenses if you need to isolate. For example, if you catch COVID while you're overseas and need to push back your flight and stay in your accommodation longer.

How do I get cheap travel insurance for Japan?

• Medical only or basic policies will generally be the cheaper policies on the market.
• Use exclusive deals or promo codes to get a discount.
• Opt for a higher excess. This will make your policy cheaper but more expensive if you have to claim.
• Compare across a handful of travel insurers – they're not all the same.
• Get the most value by buying your policy early. It means you're covered for longer while paying the same price.

Our best travel insurance policies

What do I do in emergencies?

For emergencies: call 110 (police), 119 (ambulance) or 119 (fire).

In a medical emergency, call for help and then contact your insurer on their emergency assistance line.

Why you can trust Finder's travel insurance experts

FAQs about Japan

• Should I be worried about radiation in Japan?

  While the majority of the country including Tokyo has radiation levels within the normal range, you should avoid areas surrounding the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.

  The March 2011 earthquake and subsequent tsunami caused a nuclear disaster, which still affects the area surrounding the plant.

• Do I need vaccinations before travelling to Japan?

  Before you depart, make sure you check with your doctor to make sure you're up-to-date on your vaccinations. Before heading to Japan, you specifically want to ask your doctor about:

  • Hepatitis A
  • Hepatitis B
  • Typhoid
  • Rabies
  • Japanese Encephalitis

  While you may not need all of these shots, it never hurts to consult your doctor about your specific risks.

  Not getting all the advisable travel vaccinations is not only potentially bad for your health, but it could also end up costing you a bunch. If you're advised to get a vaccination, but don't get it and wind up sick in the hospital, your travel insurer won't cover your medical costs.

• Which travel insurance is good for Japan?

  The cheapest policy will usually only cover you for medical expenses. However, flight disruptions and petty crime are fairly common in Japan so it may be worth getting comprehensive travel insurance. This can cover you for medical expenses, trip rearrangement costs, theft, luggage delay and more.

• Do you need travel insurance to go to Japan?

  The Australian government's smartraveller site recommends that you take out cover when travelling to Japan. If you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel.

• Which travel insurance company has COVID cover for Japan?

  Lots of travel insurers cover COVID-related expenses now. You can find a full table of the policies that cover COVID expenses on our homepage.