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Worldcare travel insurance
Our verdict: Feature-rich policies with lots of flexibility should suit many travellers but there are a few exclusions that could leave you wanting more.
Worldcare travel insurance policies pack a punch with their unlimited overseas medical cover on even the basic plan and its $6,000 for rental vehicle excess is the highest we've seen.
You can tailor your insurance to make it the best polisucy for you. Flexible cancellation cover, a stack of add-ons and the option to insure any high-value items are all a big plus.
Cons
The Essentials plan is tempting if you're looking for cheap travel insurance but there are a few caveats – you can't add any optional cover and won't be covered for pre-existing conditions.
Worldcare travel insurance is not currently available via Finder. You can head to the Worldcare website or compare alternative options available below.
On top of these, you might get a partial refund of your insurance premium if you're prevented from travelling or have your trip cut short because of COVID-19.
However, some exclusions apply, including if you contract the virus when you travel against advice or warning by the Australian government.
Take a peek at which other providers include cover for pandemic-related expenses in our guide to COVID-19 cover.
What policies does Worldcare offer?
Worldcare offers a range of policy options for trips overseas and within Australia with both single-trip and multi-trip options on offer. You can choose from Comprehensive, Essentials, Domestic and Non-Medical.
Comprehensive
Essentials
Domestic
Non-Medical
Multi-trip
This insurance is underwritten by Allianz Australia Insurance Limited.
It comes with a cooling-off period of 14 days, which allows you to cancel your policy if you decide you no longer want it and receive a full refund. Worldcare also gives you a choice of base excess that applies when you make a claim. An excess is an amount that may be deducted from any claim payment made to you.
Here's a breakdown of Worldcare travel insurance features
Depending on the policy you've purchased, Worldcare offers travel insurance that covers a variety of standard features. Some of these features are only available for certain levels of cover (e.g. Comprehensive vs the Essentials policy).
Whether you're going skiing or bungee jumping, you'll need to make sure you've got appropriate cover. Worldcare offers cover for these as an optional extra and you'll need to add them in at the time of purchasing your policy.
Adventure Pack. While Worldcare covers a stack of adventure activities as standard, if you're planning to try out something riskier than normal, you may need to purchase additional cover.
Cruise Pack. Relax on your next cruise knowing that you're still covered for the essentials. This cruise add-on is designed to cover medical costs onboard, cabin confinement, pre-paid shore excursion cancellation, ship to shore evacuation and more.
Snow Pack. Whether you're an avid skier or a newbie snowboarder, accidents tend to happen out on the snow. This pack adds on winter sport-specific cover for piste closure, sports equipment, bad weather and avalanche closure.
Increased Item Limits Cover. If you're taking along any personal belongings of a higher value than what's covered by your policy, you can increase the item limits. This could include items such as cameras, personal computers and jewellery.
Exclusions
Worldcare will cover you around the world, but there are certain scenarios in which your policy won't pay out. They include the following:
Make sure you review Worldcare's PDS for a detailed breakdown of when you won't be covered. You'll find the information in its list of general exclusions.
How to make a Worldcare travel insurance claim
You can call Worldcare at 1300 726 087 or email travelclaims@allianz-assistance.com.au to request a claim form.
Alternatively, you can complete a claim online by following these steps:
Head to https://claimmanager.com.au/aga/agreement
Agree to the terms and conditions and click on "Create a new claim"
Enter your policy number, name and date of birth to log in
Describe your trip and the event you're claiming for
Upload any documents to support your claim
Submit, and you should hear back within 10 working days
Here's the bottom line about Worldcare travel insurance
Worldcare's policies certainly tick a lot of boxes. Even on its basic travel insurance policy, Essentials, you'll find unlimited overseas medical expenses, your choice of cancellation cover and a fair amount of personal belongings cover. Travellers of all ages are covered (with a few limitations for travellers over 75) and non-Australian residents can also apply.
Where Worldcare falls short can be found in the fine print and has the potential to leave a few travellers out in the cold. Pregnancy, for example, is considered a pre-existing condition and there are a handful of exclusions that you'll need to be aware of. The optional Adventure Pack and Snow Pack both have a nonremovable excess of $500 for medical or cancellation claims that will be in addition to your base excess.
Not quite sure about Worldcare? You can find other travel insurance companies here and compare features to make sure you pick the best one for your holiday.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. You're eligible to apply for travel insurance as a non-resident with Worldcare provided you meet a few criteria, including the following:
You have a permanent home in Australia
You hold a current Australian visa (not a tourist or working holiday visa) that allows you unrestricted right of entry into Australia
You hold a valid Australian Medicare card
Yes. Cover is available for travellers of all ages on the Comprehensive, Domestic and Non-Medical plans. The Essentials and Multi-Trip plans are only available to travellers aged 74 years or younger. For more options, you can review our seniors travel insurance guide.
It will depend on the condition you have. Worldcare doesn't have a list or automatically included pre-existing conditions so you'll need to disclose any conditions at the time of applying. This will include a medical assessment that can be done online or over the phone.
Highly commended for Best Travel Insurance - Seniors
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To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by David Gregory as part of our fact-checking process.
Cristal Dyer is a travel writer at Finder. She has been writing about travel for over five years and has visited over 40 countries around the world. Cristal currently travels full-time, writing about her favourite cities and food finds, and she is always on the lookout for amazing flight deals to share. See full bio
WorldCare provides value for money travel insurance to both domestic and overseas travellers, offering a range of benefits for those who travel frequently within Australia plus 24/7 overseas emergency help through Allianz Global Assistance.
My name is Charles Lawson and I am wanting Insurance to enter Thailand for 60 Days I am double Vaccinated and will have had a booster before I leave in March is there a Government Agency that supplies travel insurance to suit my needs as I am 83 years old in good health and a have been a regular visitor to Thailand for the last 15 years
Be sure to read through the relevant Product Disclosure Statements (PDS) when comparing your options before making a decision on whether a policy is right for you.
I hope this helps,
Regards,
James
PeterSeptember 8, 2015
Does personal liability cover any claims made by a 3rd party resulting from injuries caused when you were driving a rental vehicle?
Finder
RichardSeptember 8, 2015Finder
Hi Peter,
Thanks for your question. Cover varies from provider to provider. You’d need to check the personal liability section of the policy for exclusions like:
“To the extent permitted by law we will not pay any amount you become legally liable to pay if the liability arises directly or indirectly from, or is in any way connected with, or is for your ownership, custody, control or use of any firearm or weapon, aerial device, watercraft or motorised vehicle.”
The wording around exclusions varies, so be careful.
I hope this was helpful,
Richard
IrmaApril 3, 2015
Does your organization insure people traveling from USA to England?
Finder
RichardApril 7, 2015Finder
Hi Irma,
Thanks for your question. Unfortunately, finder.com.au is a comparison service and not an insurer. The insurers in our panel are for Australian citizens, residents and certain VISA holders. The majority of policies require the journey to begin and/or end in Australia.
I hope this was helpful,
Richard
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My name is Charles Lawson and I am wanting Insurance to enter Thailand for 60 Days I am double Vaccinated and will have had a booster before I leave in March is there a Government Agency that supplies travel insurance to suit my needs as I am 83 years old in good health and a have been a regular visitor to Thailand for the last 15 years
Hi Charles,
I’m not aware of any government agencies offering travel insurance. Depending on the type of cover you’re looking for, you can explore your options on our Travel insurance for seniors over 80 guide. You can also find out more about travel insurance that covers COVID-19 here.
Be sure to read through the relevant Product Disclosure Statements (PDS) when comparing your options before making a decision on whether a policy is right for you.
I hope this helps,
Regards,
James
Does personal liability cover any claims made by a 3rd party resulting from injuries caused when you were driving a rental vehicle?
Hi Peter,
Thanks for your question. Cover varies from provider to provider. You’d need to check the personal liability section of the policy for exclusions like:
“To the extent permitted by law we will not pay any amount you become legally liable to pay if the liability arises directly or indirectly from, or is in any way connected with, or is for your ownership, custody, control or use of any firearm or weapon, aerial device, watercraft or motorised vehicle.”
The wording around exclusions varies, so be careful.
I hope this was helpful,
Richard
Does your organization insure people traveling from USA to England?
Hi Irma,
Thanks for your question. Unfortunately, finder.com.au is a comparison service and not an insurer. The insurers in our panel are for Australian citizens, residents and certain VISA holders. The majority of policies require the journey to begin and/or end in Australia.
I hope this was helpful,
Richard