Going on an extended holiday to a disease-prone country? It's a good idea to schedule a check-up at least eight weeks before you depart. Infectious diseases abroad can be very serious. Every year, Australian travellers become ill and die while travelling overseas. Take extra precautions when visiting these countries that you'll need a polio vaccination to enter.

Note: many of these countries are not recommended travel destinations (and some may be excluded by certain travel insurance policies). But here at Cover-More, we understand that not travelling is not always an option. If you must travel to these countries, be prepared and take full precautions.

The views, opinions and positions expressed by the author and those providing comments are theirs alone, and are meant as travel inspiration only. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Cover-More Insurance.

Over the last few years there has been a noticeable increase in medical expenses incurred by Australians travelling overseas.  Australia has a limited amount of 'Reciprocal Health Agreements' in place which allow for minimised costs for Australian Citizens by providing full cover for medical expenses incurred at the public hospital and practitioner level in countries such as the United Kingdom and New Zealand.  However, in many popular travel destinations these agreements do not exist.  This means that Australians who are injured or become ill in these countries can face expensive medical bills. These bills become even more expensive in countries such as the United States of America which has no public health care system and charge non residents at higher rates.

Smartphones can do a lot of amazing things and their apps continue to develop and grow with their improving technology. But there is one app that most people use every day that has been overlooked—until now. Many phones come with a humble and basic weather app pre-installed, but oftentimes they aren't much to talk about. Instead, opt for an alternative and see how much more information you can get from your weather app.

If you have a severe food allergy, things that can appear simple, like taking a holiday to a foreign country, can become difficult relatively quickly. Concerns pop up, like “what if I can’t read the menu and I accidentally order something I am allergic to