What should I know about Real Insurance travel insurance
What your policy covers
What is and isn't covered in your policy will depend on the specific policy and level of cover you choose. However, here's a general scope of what to expect from Real Insurance travel insurance:
- Overseas emergency medical assistance, including a specialist medical advisor, transfers and repatriation
- Overseas emergency medical and hospital expenses
- Cover for cancellation or amendment costs if your trip gets cancelled or amended due to circumstances beyond your control
- Free cover for kids under 21 who don’t work full time (when travelling with an insured adult)
- Cover of luggage and personal effects if lost, stolen or damaged
For a more accurate understanding of exactly what's covered in a specific policy, please read the terms and conditions.
What pre-existing medical conditions are covered
Real Insurance travel insurance automatically covers 43 different pre-existing medical conditions but be aware that these conditions are subject to specific terms and conditions. So, if you have a pre-existing medical condition, it's crucial to check whether it's covered in the PDS.
For example, while Real Insurance travel insurance includes ‘allergies’ as a pre-existing medical condition, this is just limited to Rhinitis, Chronic Sinusitis, Eczema, Food Intolerance and Hay Fever. So if you suffer from anaphylaxis (a life-threatening allergy), you won’t be covered for this.
Here’s a guide to finding the right travel insurance policy if you’re travelling with a pre-existing medical condition.
What medical assistance you will receive
Heading overseas with a Real Insurance travel insurance policy? Then take comfort in knowing that overseas medical assistance comes with Basic, Comprehensive and Annual Multi-Trip Real Insurance travel insurance policies.
Real Insurance travel insurance provides 24/7 worldwide emergency assistance. If you get sick or injured while overseas but wouldn’t necessarily class it as a medical emergency, so long as medical treatment costs are below $1,000 and you keep any receipts or medical reports you should be able to claim on those.
Age restrictions
To take out a Real Insurance Comprehensive or Basic travel insurance policy, at the time of purchasing the policy, you must be no more than 79 years old. If you’re going for an Annual multi-Trip Policy, on the other hand, cover is only available if you are less than 75 years of age.
Travelling with dependents
Planning a trip for the whole family? Dependant children or grandchildren (under the age of 21 and who aren’t employed full time) that are travelling with you for the entire duration of the trip could be covered for free!
Cancelling your Real Insurance travel insurance policy
Changed your mind? With Real Insurance you’ll have a 14-day cooling-off period, in which you can cancel your travel insurance policy for a full refund, by writing to Real Insurance. If you cancel your policy after the 14-day cooling-off period, however, you will not receive a refund.
Keep in mind, if you try to cancel your policy during the cooling-off period, and your trip has already commenced, or you've already made a claim, then you won't receive a refund.
What optional benefits does Real Insurance travel insurance offer?
If you’re looking for additional cover to add on to your travel insurance policy, here are some of the optional benefits Real Insurance offers:
Sports and leisure activities
Most sports and leisure activities are covered under Real Insurance travel insurance. However, certain activities are only included when you purchase additional cover, such as winter sports.
If you’re heading on an action-packed snow trip then you’ll need to purchase a ‘Winter Sports’ optional benefit to add to your Real Insurance travel insurance policy. This add-on covers skiing, snowboarding and a long list of other snow sports.
Excess reduction
The standard excess on Real Insurance travel insurance policies is $200; however, if you pay an additional premium, you can potentially reduce this to $100 or even $0. Just be sure to check the PDS for more information on how to do this and any specific requirements.
A guide to the fine print of Real Insurance travel insurance policies
Need a little help navigating the terms and conditions? Then check out these top tips on what to look for when choosing a travel insurance policy. To help you out even more, here are some of the main inclusions and exclusions on Real Insurance travel insurance:
- Pregnancy: While pregnancy is considered a pre-existing medical condition under a Real Insurance travel insurance policy, it isn't automatically covered. So, make sure you check out the PDS for all the details on any limitations.
- Lost luggage or personal items: If your luggage or personal items are lost or stolen during your trip, make sure to report this to your airline (if they lost your luggage) or to the local authorities. If your airline is responsible and pays you compensation, then you usually can’t claim this amount on your insurance as well.
- Documentation: If making a claim, remember to include any relevant receipts or documentation as proof to support your claim. If you need to go to the hospital or report any incidents to the police or other authorities, you should also request an official statement to include with your insurance claim.
How do I make a claim with Real Insurance travel insurance?
Here's what you need to make a claim on your Real Insurance travel insurance policy:
- Policy number
- Any receipts for expenses and lost or stolen goods
- Keep any damaged valuables as Real Insurance can potentially repair them
- Written confirmation of any trip delays or cancellations from a travel agent, tour operator or airline
You can make your claim online via the Real Insurance website, or over the phone. Check out this guide for more information on submitting a travel insurance claim.