Family Travel Insurance Ultimate Guide

Love them or loathe them, family holidays can be a challenging experience at the best of times. A family holiday can either be a fantastic break from reality, offering a lifetime of laughs and memories for years to come, or a complete disaster, particularly if you are taking an extra long trip. A lot of people don’t bring the whole family travelling, as having grandparents, aunties and uncles in tow can create a lot more effort and, of course, there’s the extra expense. Bringing family along can be a great asset though, particularly when travelling with children, you have more helping hands and more loved ones to make memories with, so it’s a shame to feel you have to rule out these possibilities. Fear not! We come with good news. Many insurance companies offer cover specifically for families, reducing the costs and risks involved in bringing family along – so take the plunge! Get your family out of their routine and into a trip of a lifetime.

Save with a family policy

Purchasing a family travel insurance policy is cheaper than purchasing a policy for each individual travelling, so cover may not be as expensive as you first thought! A lot of insurers offer discounted rates per person for family travel insurance, so check out our top tips and suggestions for choosing your family travel insurance below!

Your family is your first thought so don’t let insurance be an afterthought

Treating travel insurance as an afterthought can add significant costs to your family holiday. Whether you're exploring the historic streets of Europe, basking in the tropical beauty of Southeast Asia, or venturing into the bustling cities of the USA, having the right family travel insurance ensures that you and your loved ones are protected. Comparing policies online with us will give you the same competitive price as buying direct – but without the legwork of schlepping around. Don’t buy from you travel agents or airlines and pay for unnecessary commissions. Compare and buy a family policy in one place with the click of a button and save time and money!

Kids may be covered for free!

Did you know in some cases dependent kids are covered completely for free! This makes a family travel insurance policy even more affordable. With these kinds of savings you'll have more cash to splash on water parks, beach days and ice creams!:

Defining family is never easy – travelling with them can be even harder

The definition of family has certainly changed in the last 50 years, but if you’re planning on taking a trip, the key thing to consider when buying a family travel insurance policy is the way an insurer defines a family, or a dependent – as this can vary between providers! A dependent is defined in most policies to be your financially dependent children or grandchildren under the age of 18 years. However, the age limits vary between insurers; so if your 21 year old is unemployed, still studying, or simply a little slow to fly the nest, shop around as some insurers class them as a dependent if living at home. Check out our simple reference table below for the definitions of a dependent from some major insurance providers.

Family Travel Insurance Providers

General Advice Warning: The contents of this article were accurate at the time of writing. Insurers change their policies from time to time, so some information may have changed. You should always read the Product Disclosure Statement of your chosen insurer to understand what is covered and what isn't. The information provided is of a general nature only and does not take into account any personal objectives, financial situation or needs. Before making a decision you should consider the appropriateness of the information having regard to your personal circumstances.

Most travel insurance providers listed on our site account for two adults and up to four dependent children in a family policy. Some insurers will provide cover for up to 10 dependent children for free, so if your family is a little bit larger, make sure you shop around. Single parent families are also covered, with some policies offering to cover dependent children when travelling with a parent or grandparent on a single adult policy, just be sure to check the terms of your policy.

Family togetherness – what could go wrong?

Travelling in a group, even a family group will mean there are lots of important things to consider, so keep these points in mind when you’re jetting off:

• Cover limits – do you have enough? When selecting a policy be sure to consider the varying limits of cover for each benefit, such as luggage and medical coverage. A family policy will have a set limit for a family travelling with dependents.
• Luggage cover limits apply to the whole family, they are not usually per person. It’s not easy (or sometimes possible) to travel light with kids in tow. Two ipads, two iphones, two cameras (including a fancy new DSLR) and a laptop quickly add up. So make sure you have enough cover for all that lifesaving tech! Single item limits apply too.
• Are you sticking together the whole trip? You know how it is, that magical time when kids turn into teenagers – all of a sudden they go from clutching at your skirt to needing a bribe to even get them to board the flight for your annual family holiday. (And that bribe is often a promise they’ll be able to do their own thing for part of the trip) But remember, all dependent children need to be named on your policy, and many insurers require them to be travelling with their parents for 100% of the journey. So if you’re travelling separately from your kids for a part of your trip you may need to buy separate policies.
• Are your kids adrenaline junkies? Many kids (and adults) adventure activities aren’t covered automatically. So check your policy to make sure go-karting, zorbing, black water rafting, abseiling etc. are covered!
• Pre-existing medical conditions are normally not covered, but to be sure check your specific policy wording for a list of covered medical conditions.
• Are you kids forgetful? Remember unattended items aren’t covered. So if you’re at the airport boarding area and Jimmy leaves his ipad under his seat to go to the bathroom and it’s gone when he comes back, chances are the loss won’t be covered.

Exclusions apply to all insurance policies!

Before you fly the coop with your flock it’s vital to read the policy wording (PDS) to ensure you understand what is and isn’t covered by your family travel insurance, if there’s something you don’t understand you should contact your insurance provider directly.

Adventure Time!

We know you’re pumped for some adrenaline-fueled adventures on your family trip, but remember that your family travel insurance policy might not cover you for high-risk activities. Some activities like skydiving, bungee jumping, or extreme sports might not be covered at all, while others, like scuba diving and sailing, have conditions attached to being covered, and bringing the little ones on any of these activities is going to make things a little more complicated. So, take a look at your policy, and if you're planning any wild escapades, you might need to look into purchasing some extra coverage to make sure your family's adventures are epic and worry-free.

Blooming to go!

Already pregnant or about to start a family? Travelling with a bump is possible, assuming your doctor has given you the go-ahead and you have the right travel insurance to suit your needs. There are several Australian travel insurance companies who provide cover for unexpected medical complications for women up until 26 weeks of pregnancy, with a couple offering cover up to 32 weeks of pregnancy. Expectant mothers can still buy standard travel insurance after the maximum gestation limit; however you won't be covered for anything related to the pregnancy. Check out our pregnancy travel insurance guide page. And if you are travelling with a bump on board make sure you read your policy documentation to know what is and isn’t covered.

Compare family insurance online and save money!

There are so many variables to consider when it comes to travel. And when travelling with dependents you’ll want to do your research and compare family travel insurance policies before buying the first one you see. We compare heaps of reputable insurers offering family cover in one place – making comparing quick and easy! With a move of a mouse and the click of a button you can get the same competitive prices as buying direct.

Say yes to family travel insurance and more family fun! Save time, worry and loads of money! Comparing family travel insurance online will leave you plenty of time for family fun!