Aussies to travel slower and more sustainably in 2020, says Skyscanner

For many Aussies, the turn of a new year - or new decade for that matter, brings fresh opportunities to travel, but things are starting to look little different and so are travel insurance policies. 

According to travel comparison site Skyscanner, the way Australians plan to travel this year has shifted, as solo travel was knocked off top spot as the most popular way to travel. 

But come on, that’s so 2019!  

The research showed a 20% year over year increase in travellers looking to ‘slow travel’ as an option for their next holiday, and projected it to be the most popular way to travel in 2020. Whether it’s long-walks, unscheduled activity or simply staying overseas until your budget runs out, slow travel emphasises leisurely holidaying habits and prioritising rest over the hustle and bustle of sightseeing.  

But despite the new laid back approach to travel, Skyscanner found that Aussies are still thirsty for a little adventure, transformative experiences or taking things off the beaten track. 

The report also recorded a 103% year over year growth in those looking to travel more sustainably through choosing greener flight options, offsetting carbon emissions or travelling to areas that are more environmentally conscious. 

How do my travelling habits affect my travel insurance? 

If you change the way you travel, you’d likely change the way you’d look for travel insurance, right?  

Well, Ben Webster, founder of Insured By Us, Travel with Kit and Travel with Jane, says the travel insurance industry is responding to the changing ways we plan to travel in 2020. 

“For insurers, an uptick in activities and exotic locations, leads to risk, which leads to soaring premiums,” Mr Webster said. 

“Instead, we see the industry responding with an adaptive approach to policy building, by offering a truly broad range of optional extras built around trending activities, and better cover for non-included medical conditions.”

He also predicted that for the ‘conscious consumer’ travel insurers that cover transport alternatives like sailing, cycling or even carbon-offsetting will come out on top in the new decade.

RELATED ARTICLE: A snapshot of Aussie travellers in 2019 and travel insurance in the new decade

Tips to finding the right travel insurance policy in 2020 

• Ensure ALL your destinations are covered - Map out where you are going to be while you’re away and make sure the policy you go for covers them all. Don’t forget about any stopovers either, if something were to go wrong while you are waiting for a connecting flight or train and you aren’t covered in that country, you may not be able to make a claim. 
• Check what optional extras are available -  Whether it’s skiing or cruise cover, some insurers offer them as optional extras but don’t cover them under their basic or comprehensive options. So if you need buy extra cover for your trip, make sure it’s on your to do list. 
• Find out what medical conditions are covered - The list of pre-existing medical conditions that are covered under travel insurance often differ between providers, so ensure you read the PDS that is specific to the policy you intend to buy. 
• Compare policies - Start your search with a list of places and activities you need to be covered for and weigh up what options you have across a few different providers. By doing this you not only could find the most comprehensive amount of cover to suit your holiday but might also save a little bit of cash as well! 

RELATED ARTICLE: Making a travel insurance claim after your Christmas holiday overseas

Want to weigh up travel insurance options for your next holiday? Jump over to our travel insurance comparison tool or check out our handy guides for more info.