Making a Travel Insurance Claim: Tips for Success
The steps that make or break a claim — what to document, how fast to notify, and when to escalate.
The moment you need your travel insurance is usually a stressful moment. Knowing these steps in advance can mean the difference between a paid claim and a denied one.
Contact your insurer before major expenses
For medical treatment, hospitalisation, or emergency evacuation: call your insurer's 24/7 emergency line before incurring significant costs if at all possible. Many policies have conditions around pre-authorised expenses — paying first and asking for reimbursement later can get complicated.
Document everything
- •Medical: keep all receipts, medical reports, and prescriptions
- •Theft: police report within 24 hours is non-negotiable
- •Flight delays: written confirmation from the airline of the delay cause and duration
- •Cancellations: written documentation of the reason (doctor's certificate, death certificate, airline notification)
- •Luggage: airline Property Irregularity Report (PIR) if bags were lost in transit
After you return
Submit your claim promptly — most policies require notification within 30–60 days of returning. Online claims portals are now standard. Be thorough and attach everything upfront to avoid back-and-forth that delays processing.
If a claim is denied
You can dispute a denied claim via the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) — it's a free service. Insurers must participate. Many claims that were initially denied are overturned at this stage.
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