'No Excuses' Not to Buy Travel Insurance for a Short Getaway

SYDNEY, Sept. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- With some policies now costing less than the price of a movie ticket, there are absolutely 'no excuses' not to seek cover, says a leading online travel insurance provider.

Online travel insurer, Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI) has amended the minimum number of days its TravelCare policy can be issued for from five days to two.

That means for travellers heading on a short break to New Zealand, the South Pacific or Bali, SCTI policies now start from AUD$15 for a two-day journey.

Research undertaken on behalf of SCTI at the end of 2011 found that those going on a trip of short duration (one to seven days) were more likely not to buy travel insurance.

"The reality is that unfortunate incidents can happen to anyone, at any time, regardless of the trip duration. The cost of travel insurance is really just a tiny fraction of the costs that can result from these incidents," said SCTI CEO, Craig Morrison.

Morrison said the high costs of medical treatment and any travel needs related to a medical event should be every traveller's primary reason for taking out travel insurance.

"Every week we see claims in the tens of thousands of dollars for accidents or unexpected illness. And it's not that unusual for us to see claims for medical-related events head into the hundreds of thousands of dollars."

"For example, if you're surfing in Bali and have a serious accident, there will not only be medical treatment and ambulance costs to cover but also any repatriation back to Australia. Even if you've just broken your arm, you will probably require an accompanying medical professional to cut your cast off should your arm swell during the flight.  Why take the risk of travelling without a policy, when coverage can be obtained for the price of a couple of beers?"

Morrison said travellers should not be lulled into a false sense of security by reciprocal health agreements with countries like New Zealand.

"The reality is these agreements do not cover all types of costs when an accident or emergency situation occurs. For example, Australian visitors to New Zealand are not entitled to publicly funded emergency transport by ambulance – if you require one, you'll be charged a flat rate of NZD$757. When your health is at stake, the true value of travel insurance really hits home."

For a free online travel insurance quote, visit www.scti.com.au.  

About Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI)

Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI) is an APRA and ASIC regulated general insurer. We are a member of the Financial Ombudsman Service, the Insurance Council of Australia and a signatory to the Australian General Insurance Code of Practice.

SCTI began operations in NZ in 1982, and is a travel insurance specialist. In both NZ and Australia, SCTI insures hundreds of thousands of travellers and offers customers a wealth of experience and expertise.

Dealing direct with our customers, those who travel with SCTI know they can trust us to look after them if the unexpected happens. Dealing direct online with our customers helps us keep our overheads down and therefore pass on savings to our customers through cheaper premiums.

Southern Cross Benefits Ltd trades as Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI) who is the underwriter and distributor of the TravelCare policy.

Contact:

Aimee Bourke
Group Communications Manager
[email protected]
+64 9 925 6420

SOURCE Southern Cross Travel Insurance