Fast Cover Travel Insurance

About Fast Cover

An Australian based travel insurance provider, Fast Cover travel insurance policies are underwritten by Allianz Global Assistance, so your cover is provided by a company who has helped over 250 million Australians around the world every year. They operate in 28 countries, with specialist medical emergency assistance at the core of their policies.

Rates and fees verified as correct at 26 May, 2017. Other information correct at the time of writing.

Fast Cover travel insurance policies

At Fast Cover you can find travel insurance policies ranging from multi-trip, comprehensive policies complete with snow cover, to a bare bones cancellation and luggage policy if you just need a little extra peace of mind. Fast Cover also offer a domestic travel insurance option, but here at Mozo, we only compare international travel insurance policy options. You can learn more about these travel insurance policies in our handy table below:

What should I know about Fast Cover travel insurance

What your policy covers

Obviously, this will depend on the plan and cover type you elect to purchase. Some of the benefits you can expect to have covered in most Fast Cover travel insurance policies include:

• Cancellation and loss of deposit
• Overseas medical assistance
• Hospital cash allowance
• Additional expenses
• Accidental death or permanent disability
• Loss of travel documents
• Loss of luggage and personal effects
• Personal liability

This excludes Fast Cover’s luggage and cancellation travel insurance policy, which only covers - you guessed it, your luggage and cancellation costs.

What pre-existing medical conditions are covered

Your Fast Cover travel insurance policy will automatically cover 43 pre-existing medical conditions as long as you haven’t been hospitalised, including a trip to the ER, for that condition in the last 24 months. The Fast Cover PDS has a full list of these conditions, which include all the usual suspects, such as allergies, epilepsy and coeliac disease. It also covers both types of diabetes, however, if you have cardiovascular disease, this isn’t covered, and will mean cover for diabetes is also excluded.
Also, a little bit of fine print to be noted here: there is no cover for any pre-existing medical conditions under Fast Cover multi-trip travel insurance policies.
If you’re travelling with a pre-existing medical condition, Mozo have put together a guide to answer some of your questions about finding a travel insurance policy that’s right for you.

What medical assistance you will receive

Allianz Global, who Fast Cover travel insurance works with, have an international network of over 1600 medical specialists and can offer services ranging from emergency rescue, to interpreting for you at a hospital. Under most Fast Cover travel insurance policies, you will be entitled to:

• Emergency medical evacuation and repatriation
• Help assessing and managing your medical care while overseas
• Help locating the nearest embassy or consulate
• English interpretation in overseas hospitals

Allianz will also relay messages to family members and your employer should it be necessary.

The age limit

For Fast Cover multi-trip travel insurance policies, an age limit of 59 years applies.
Any other policy can be bought by persons of any age, although special conditions do apply for seniors. If you’re over the age of 80:

a $2,000 excess applies to medical related claims and for many benefits your claims are capped at a combined value of $40,000.

If you’re 90 or over, the excess bumps up to $5,000 and the benefits are capped at $30,000.

Travelling with dependents

If you’re travelling with family, your children or grandchildren could be classed as dependents and covered for free if they meet the requirements of Fast Cover travel insurance. This means they’ll need to be:

• Under 21 years of age when you buy the policy
• Not in full-time employment
• Travelling with you for the duration of the trip

If you’re travelling with dependents you can choose between two Fast Cover travel insurance cover types: single and family. Single cover is for 1 adult and up to 10 dependents, while family cover is for 2 adults and up to 10 dependents. Family cover is not available on multi-trip or luggage and cancellation policies.

Cancelling your Fast Cover travel insurance policy

Fast Cover offer a cooling off period of 14 days, during which you can cancel your travel insurance policy for a full refund. So if you decide the travel insurance policy you’ve chosen is not right for you or decide not to travel for any reason, you can cancel it, as long as you haven’t started your trip or made any claims on the policy.
You can still cancel after the 14 day period, but you won’t be refunded any part of your premium.

What optional travel insurance cover does Fast Cover travel insurance offer?

Specified Luggage and Personal Effects Cover

For a little extra cover for your luggage and personal items, you can choose this optional addition to your Fast Cover travel insurance policy. You’ll pay an additional premium and your benefit limit will be displayed on your insurance certificate. The catch is, this extra cover can not be applied to standard or luggage and cancellation travel insurance policies, and it doesn’t cover snow sports equipment or jewellery.

Removal of Standard Excess

You can pay an additional premium to remove or reduce your excess on all Fast Cover’s international travel insurance policies.

A quick guide to the fine print of Fast Cover travel insurance policies

Keep an eye on the fine print of your Fast Cover travel insurance policy so that you have a clear idea of what is included and excluded from your policy. Some of these exclusions can mean the difference between your claim being denied or approved. Here’s a few quick tips for what to look out for when choosing your policy:

• Pregnancy is considered a pre-existing medical condition under Fast Cover travel insurance policies and if your claim is linked back to pregnancy it will be denied. For more information about finding travel insurance that covers pregnancy, read Mozo’s handy guide.
• If you have to go to hospital while on your trip, make sure you contact Allianz as soon as possible. If you don’t, there’s a chance your hospital expenses won’t be covered by your travel insurance policy.
• In the case of loss or theft of luggage or personal items, you need to make a report with either the transport carrier that lost them, or with the local police. Make sure you get an official statement of the report so you can include it in your claim later.
• Make sure you keep receipts for the personal items that you’re travelling with or that you buy while on your trip, so that if you have to make a claim because they are damaged, lost or stolen, you’ll have proof of ownership. If you don’t have the receipts, it's a good idea to take a photo of the item.
• You also need an official statement if your trip, or any activities included in your trip, are delayed or cancelled and you’re planning to make a claim on your Fast Cover travel insurance policy. If you don’t have this documentation, your claim could be denied.
• If you're entitled to be reimbursed by anyone other than your insurance provider (airlines, transport companies, tour companies etc.) make sure you are! In these cases, Fast Cover will not pay for loss, damage or delay that occurred during your travels. But, if you are being partly reimbursed by the responsible party, your travel insurance policy should cover the rest.
• A full claim must be submitted within 30 days of your return to Australia. Make sure you fill in the forms completely and include all relevant documents, like receipts or official statements, because an uncompleted claim can result in delays or a reduction of the amount you can be paid.

How do I make a claim with Fast Cover travel insurance?

Now that you know the finer points of making a claim on your Fast Cover travel insurance policy, you should also keep in mind the steps to make a claim should it become necessary.
To make a claim with Fast Cover you can either call them and have your claim processed over the phone, download a claims form on their website and send it via post, or submit a claims form online. If you’re submitting online or filling in a postal form, make sure you have these things close by:

• All relevant travel documentation, including your insurance certificate and your booking confirmations.
• Any other documents relevant to your claim, like receipts, photos or official statements.
• Your bank details.

An online or postal claim will be assessed within 10 days of Fast Cover receiving it, but if more information is needed as evidence of your claim, it may take longer to process. Claims made over the phone can usually be processed immediately, unless more documentation is required as evidence to your claim.

For more information on making travel insurance claims, check out our handy guide.

Compare Fast Cover travel insurance policies with other Travel Insurers

There are so many companies offering travel insurance policies these days, so don’t make a hasty decision when it comes to your next overseas trip! Check out the options available to you and find a policy that fits your needs with Mozo’s easy to use travel insurance comparison tool. All you have to do is fill in the dates of your travel, your destination and how many people you’ll be travelling with for a quick and easy comparison of the best travel insurance policies available to Australians.

You can also check out Mozo’s guide to travel insurance for some tips on making your travel insurance policy work for you, and remember to drop by our travel hub for some helpful articles, tips and tools to plan a money savvy holiday.