Packed and ready to fly? Don’t forget your travel insurance this Christmas

By Tom Watson · · 2 min read
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With Christmas just days away and Santa busily refuelling his reindeer at the North Pole, many Australians are getting ready to make equally long trips of their own.

But as airports and roads fill up, travellers should ensure they’re covered with adequate travel insurance to avoid a Christmas headache, warned Claudio Saita, Deputy CEO and Executive Director for Tokio Marine Australia (underwriter of World2Cover travel insurance).

With Australians predicted to spend $9.77 billion on Christmas presents alone this year, for jet-setters travelling with gifts Saita recommended checking the limits on individual items.

According to Mozo’s travel insurance tool, luggage and personal effects cover (and the limits applied to individual items) can differ greatly from insurer to insurer with some offering cover into the thousands, while others offer no cover at all.

“It may be that extra special items like a Swiss watch or MacBook require additional protection or should be covered under home and contents insurance to make sure you’re not left out of pocket should the worst happen,” he said.

For instance, many travel insurers will provide additional cover for specified items if you pay a higher premium when you take out the policy.

Saita also recommended checking whether your travel insurance will protect you against cancellations and delays, especially for those jet-setting to the northern hemisphere, as severe weather is forecast for much of Europe and America.

“A white Christmas isn’t always a good thing for travellers. Aussies visiting the US should expect a chilling winter, with plenty of rain and snow.”

“This applies across the States, as bitter cold temperatures are even predicted to reach as far south as Florida and the Gulf Coast,” he said.

With no two policies the same, it's important for travellers to check the level of cover detailed in the fine print. To find a policy that suits your next overseas adventure use our travel insurance comparison calculator.