Does travel insurance cover theft?

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Limits for cash and other belongings

Brand	Cash cover	Item cover	Apply
Medibank	$250	Maximum total cover of $15,000. The maximum amount covered for any item is: Camera or video camera and Laptop (limit per item) $4,000 Tablet computer (limit per item) $3,000 Phone or smartwatch (limit per item) $1,500 Any other item (limit per item) $1,200	Bonus Get quote
ahm	$250	Maximum total cover of $8,000. The maximum amount covered for any item is: Camera or video camera (sub limit) $3,500 Laptop or tablet computer (sub limit) $3,000 Any other item (sub limit) $1,000	Bonus Get quote
Freely	$500	Maximum total cover of $10,000. The maximum amount covered for any item is: Laptop, tablet computer and camera (sub limit) $4,000 Smartphones and drones $2,000(sub limit) Other electronic gadgets (sub limit) $1,000 Any other item (sub limit) $750	Bonus Get quote
InsureandGo	$500	Maximum total cover of $15,000. The maximum amount covered for any item is: Sub-limit for laptops, tablets, cameras, video cameras and mobile phones only $3,000 Single article limit/pair or set of items $750 Valuables limit $750 Any property (including specified items) which is lost or stolen from an unattended motor vehicle) $500
Kogan	$250	Maximum total cover of $8,000. The maximum amount covered for any item is: Camera or video camera (sub limit) $3,500 Laptop or tablet computer (sub limit) $3,000 Any other item (sub limit) $1,000	Bonus Get quote
Tick	$300	Maximum total cover of $7,500. The maximum amount covered for any item is: Sub-limit for laptops, tablets, mobile phones, cameras and video cameras only $3,000 Single article limit/pair or set of items limit $750 Valuables limit $750 Any property (including specified items) which is lost or stolen from an unattended motor vehicle) $500	Finder AwardBonus Get quote
Zoom	$250	Maximum total cover of $7,500. The maximum amount covered for any item is: Personal computers, laptops or cameras (sub limit) $3,000 Mobile phones and tables (sub limit) $1,000 (sub limit) All other items (sub limit) $750$	Get quote
Fast Cover	$250	Maximum total cover of $15,000. The maximum amount covered for any item is: Personal computers, video recorders or cameras $3,000 Mobile phones and other portable communication equipment $1,500 Small mobile hand-held computers including tablet devices like iPads $1,000 Unspecified items $750	Finder AwardBonus Get quote
Insure4Less	$500	Maximum total cover of $5,000. The maximum amount covered for any item is: Camera, laptop or hand held computer (sub limit) $2,000 Any other item (sub limit) $750	Get quote
Travel Insuranz	$400	Maximum total cover of $7,500. The maximum amount covered for any item is: Total limit for valuables per item, pair or set $1,000	Get quote
World2cover	$500	Maximum total cover of $15,000. The maximum amount covered for any item is: Camera, laptops, tablets and golf clubs (sub limit) $3,000 Smart and mobile phones, dental prostheses (sub limit) $1,000 Any other item (sub limit) $1,000	More info
Cover-More	$500	Maximum total cover of $25,000. The maximum amount covered for any item is: Camera of video camera (limit per item) $6,000 Laptop computer (limit per item) $5,000 Tablet computer (limit per item) $3,000 Phone or smartwatch (limit per item) $2,500 Drone(limit per item) $2,000 Any other item (limit per item) $1,500	Bonus Get quote
Southern Cross	$500	Maximum total cover of $15,000. The maximum amount covered for any item is: Laptops, personal computers, tablets and cameras (sub limit) $3,000 Jewellery and traditional watches (sub limit) $2,500 Phones and other items (sub limit) $1,500	Finder Award Get quote
Travel Insurance Saver	$250	Luggage, personal effects and travel documents maximum cover of $12,000. The maximum amount covered for any item (i.e. the item limit) is: Personal computer and camera(sub limit) $4,000 Smartphones (sub limit) $1,000 Any other item (sub limit) $700	More info
Easy	$250	Maximum total cover of $25,000. The maximum amount covered for any item is: Camera (sub limit) $6,000 Laptop or tablet computer (sub limit) $5,000 or $3,000 Phone or smartwatch (sub limit) $2,500 Any other item (sub limit) $1,500	Get quote
Australia Post	$250	Maximum total cover of $12,000. The maximum amount covered for any item is: Camera or video camera (limit per item) $4,000 Laptop or Tablet computer (limit per item) $3,000 Phone (limit per item) $1,500 Any other item (limit per item) $1,000	Get quote
1cover	$250	Maximum total cover of $15,000. The maximum amount covered for any item is: Personal computers, video recorders or cameras $3,000 Mobile phones (including PDAs and any items with phone capabilities) $1,000 Unspecified items $750	More info
American Express	$250	Maximum total cover of $15,000. The maximum amount covered for any item is: Laptop, camera including lenses and accessories(sub limit) $3,000 Smartphone (sub limit) $1,250 Single item or Pair or Set of items (sub limit) $1,000	More info
Ski-insurance	$250	Maximum total cover of $5,000. The maximum amount covered for any item is: Personal computers, video recorders or cameras $3,000 Mobile phones (including PDAs and any items with phone capabilities) $1,000 Unspecified items $750	More info
Worldcare	$250	Maximum total cover of $10,000. The maximum amount covered for any item is: Personal computers, video recorders or cameras $3,000 Mobile phones (including PDAs and any items with phone capabilities) $1,000 Unspecified items $750	More info

^{Note: This information was last updated August 2023}

Common exclusions of theft cover

Before you depart on your holiday, make sure you're aware of the situations when travel insurance will not provide cover for robbery. These include:

• If you are under the influence of drugs or alcohol when the robbery occurs
• If you leave your items unsupervised in a public place and they are stolen
• If you fail to take reasonable care to protect your cash, luggage and personal belongings and prevent yourself becoming a victim of theft
• Some policies will exclude lost or stolen credit cards (and any resulting credit card fraud) from cover

It's essential that you read the product disclosure statement (PDS) before you leave home so you know exactly when you will and won't be covered.

What should I do if I'm robbed?

Being robbed or having your valuables stolen overseas can be an upsetting and stressful experience. Here's what you should do if you ever find yourself in this unpleasant situation:

Health and safety first
If you're hurt or injured, make sure you seek immediate medical attention. Get in touch with your travel insurance policies emergency response team as soon as possible as some hospitals may require a guarantee of payment.

Reach out to the relevant authorities
Contact the police for a written report of the incident. This will be helpful when you make a claim on your travel insurance policy. If your passport was stolen, contact the nearest Australian embassy or consulate to get a new passport, organise an interpreter if required and ask for any advice you may need.

Make alternative arrangements
If the thieves took your hotel room key, inform your hotel's staff. If your wallet was taken, cancel your credit cards straight away.

Make a claim
When it comes to making a claim on your travel insurance, contact your insurer to report that you've been robbed. You will usually have to fill out a claim form with details of the incident and submit supporting documents such as police reports, receipts and proof of ownership.

Helpful documents if you need to make a claim

Make sure you have any information that your insurer requires after a robbery. This could include:

• Police reports. Make sure you get this within 24 hours.
• Medical reports. This is essential if you have been harmed.
• Receipts of your stolen items. Without this, you might not be able to claim anything back.
• Credit card statement. If your credit card has been stolen, then you will need this to prove any fraud.
• General paper trails. Copies of correspondence like emails or letters from hotels or other businesses that can confirm the incident.

Follow these tips to avoid being robbed

• Avoid high-crime areas. While it's not always possible to avoid tourist hotspots where petty crime is rife, do your research ahead of time and steer clear of dangerous neighbourhoods.
• Don't keep all your money in one place. Separate your funds throughout different pockets and different items of luggage. Carry a backup credit card so that you will still have access to funds if you are a victim of theft.
• Keep a record. Before you leave home, make a list of everything you're taking with you on your trip, especially valuables such as jewellery and electronic items. Take photos of each item as well so that you have a record of everything if something goes missing.
• Photo ID. It's also a good idea to keep photo backups of your licence, passport and visa in case they are ever stolen.
• Make use of hotel safes. Your passport and money will be much better off in a safe than in your pockets or hidden under your socks in your suitcase. Some claims have been denied for not securing property in hotel safes

Get a quote

FAQs

• Does travel insurance cover theft of money?

  Yes, most comprehensive travel insurance policies will offer a limit for stolen cash. While these limits vary, you can find insurers who will offer up to $500 coverage for money. Try providing ATM receipts or copies of your bank statements to the insurer when making a claim as proof of the transaction.

• What's the best travel insurance for theft?

  A comprehensive policy is always going to be your safest bet. Comprehensive policies include more benefits and higher limits for your belongings. For example, if you look at Tick Travel Insurance, you'll notice that it's Top policy offers $7,500 worth of cover for your belongings, and $300 for cash. Compare this to it's Basic policy which only covers $2,000 for your belongings, and doesn't cover cash.

  Check out our guide on the best travel insurance policies, or see our award winners in 2023.

Written by

Jessica Prasida

Travel Insurance Expert

Jessica Prasida brings a decade of experience in the travel industry, including over four years as a travel agent and branch manager at STA Travel. She holds a Bachelor of Business and a Master of Marketing from the University of Technology, Sydney, as well as a Tier 1 General Insurance qualification that complies with ASIC guidelines. An avid traveller herself, Jessica combines her professional expertise with a passion for ensuring safe and enjoyable journeys for all travellers. Jessica was a Travel Insurance Publisher at Finder from 2019 to 2024. See full bio