Real life domestic claims stories

We all know how important it is to make sure you have the right insurance when travelling overseas. But what happens in Australia when a flight cancellation puts an end to your weekend away? Or your brand new iPhone or favourite suitcase goes missing?

If it’s never happened to you can count yourself among the lucky few.

In the past year, more than 5000 domestic travel insurance claims were made by Cover-More customers and more than one-third of domestic holidaymakers had flights cancelled, or luggage and valuables damaged. Consider protecting your trip with Australia with travel insurance and check out our frequently asked questions.

We’ve all heard the horror stories about travellers caught in extreme weather events or medical emergencies overseas, but the unfortunate reality is you can suffer huge financial loss from missing a flight due to illness or flight cancellation as a result of bad weather just as easily travelling from Sydney to Melbourne as you can from Singapore to London.

In 2016 flight and accommodation changes or cancellation costs were by far the most claimed benefit by Cover-More customers, accounting for more than half of total domestic claims. This was followed by lost luggage and travel documents, additional expenses and rental car insurance excess.

Real life Cover-More customer domestic claims

• A flight cancellation due to severe weather and the customer was forced to buy brand new flights. Additional Expenses: $5,500 – covered.
• A customer’s suitcase had gone missing with their chosen airline and the items were not recoverable. Luggage value: $2,500 – covered.
• A rental car was damaged due to a third party collision and the car was deemed a write-off. Rental Car Insurance Excess: $4,000 – covered.

Like hundreds of travellers, Cover-More customer Mathew, planned to kick up his heels and head off to Hamilton Island for the Easter break. The trip was planned and flights and accommodation booked long before any warnings about Cyclone Debbie were issued. Though he wasn’t caught directly in the cyclone, Mathew was able to claim for the cost of re-arranging his flights so he could take the holiday later in the year. His travel companion, however, did not have insurance and had to pay hundreds of dollars to re-book. In total, Cover-More paid more than $330,000 to customers who had to cancel their holiday and reorganise flights/emergency accommodation because of the cyclone.

But you don’t need to be caught up in an extreme event like Cyclone Debbie to benefit from domestic travel insurance. Domestic policies have specific benefits for travel within Australia and can cover you for everything from lost luggage to a broken smartphone.

In one recent example, a customer travelling within Australia was involved in an unexpected altercation that resulted in their glasses being broken. The customer was able to claim the glasses on their policy and received a reimbursement of approximately $500.

A bout of food poisoning that stops you from making your flight or an accident in a rental car could all be covered with domestic travel insurance.

So the next time you time you plan a fun weekend getaway or even a work trip, take the time to find out if domestic travel insurance is right for you. It could save you big time.

Most common domestic insurance claims

• Flight Cancellation
• Luggage and Personal Effects
• Additional Expenses
• Rental Car Insurance Excess
• Travel Delay
• Non-Medical additional expenses
• Delayed Luggage Allowance
• Resumption of journey  

Get a quote for domestic travel insurance today!