Travel Insurance Japan

Wowee, does Japan have something for everyone! It's no wonder that The Land of the Rising Sun's tourism numbers are going gangbusters. Whether you're a skier, want to soak up the ancient temples, immerse yourself in the karaoke scene, take a trip on a bullet train, or indulge in the weird and wonderful dishes, a trip to Japan with all its wacky ways will not disappoint!

Despite its appeal, no trip comes without some risks and it can be tough to navigate a new land when you don't speak the local lingo. From Tokyo tummy, to monkey bites and earthquakes, travel insurance is essential to protect you from travel troubles on your Japanese holiday.

What it won’t cover

Riding risky: It’s a tourist tradition to hire mopeds on holiday, despite most having never attempted to ride! Whilst Japanese roads are well developed, reading local road signs when on-the-go can make driving in Japan hairy. Be warned, your insurer will not cover you if you are riding without a current Australian licence (valid in the country you are in) or a helmet.

Unattended items: Oops I left my bag on the bullet train, is not a covered event. Keep a hold of all your belongings as leaving your stuff unsupervised in a taxi, at a temple, or whilst eating teppanyaki will not be covered.

Being intoxicated: One sake, two sake, three sake...floor! Whilst having a few tipples on your trip is what holidays are all about, any claims related directly to alcohol and drugs will not be paid. Have fun in moderation!

Terrorism and travel warnings: While the chances of getting caught up in an act of terrorism are small, it’s still a good idea to keep up to date with travel advisories on sites like smarttraveller.gov.au. Generally travelling against DO NOT TRAVEL warnings from the Australian Government will jeopardize your cover.

Pre-existing conditions: Medical conditions that exist before you travel are generally not covered, but it pays to check. You can sometimes pay a bit extra to get some conditions covered. Check your policy wording to see what conditions are covered automatically, and which ones require a medical assessment first.

Unreported items: You need to report theft or loss to the relevant authority ASAP (and your travel insurance provider) within 24 hours.

High risk activities: Adventure activities are plentiful in Japan. Some of the worlds best snowy fields are an adventure playground for adrenaline junkies. But watch out, as participating in particularly risky activities such as climbing (where ropes are needed), cliff jumping or sky diving may not be covered by your policy. Be sure to scan your policy’s small print to check out which of your preferred heart pounding activities are covered.

Must knows before you go

• Visas: Australian citizens, you’re in luck! No visa is necessary for stays up to 90 days in Japan as an Australian tourist. If you’re planning on working while in Japan you’re going to need to make sure you get the correct visa or penalties will apply. Check out smartraveller for full details.
• Passport: You must carry your passport with you at all times while in Japan, this local law applies to tourists and Japanese citizens alike so be sure to have somewhere safe to keep it while exploring.
• Medication: Japan has strict rules regarding medication and drugs.Some ingredients found in ADHD, cold, and flu medicines are prohibited. Exercise caution to ensure that any medication you bring is legal, as even trace amounts of illegal substances in your system can lead to charges.
• Alcohol: The legal drinking age in Japan is a little bit older at 20, and alcohol consumption is restricted in certain areas on certain days (like Shibuya on Halloween). Be mindful of these restrictions during your stay

Skiing in Japan

Japan is a go-to destination for skiers and snowboarders globally, but you’re going to need ski travel insurance if you’re planning on hitting the slopes. Ski cover is crucial as regular travel insurance likely won’t cover injuries on the slopes, or look after all your expensive equipment. Ski insurance will cover:

• Medical treatment: it can be easy to rack up medical expenses out there, a winter sports insurance pack will make sure you're not paying those costs out of pocket.
• Emergency rescue: winter sports can be risky business, most insurers will cover medical evacuation to the nearest hospital, or depending upon the seriousness of the injury, back home.
• Luggage and equipment hire: Most insurers will cover damages and losses to your equipment provided its worth more than $700 and you have specified the individual items you travelled with. You may also be covered for the cost to hire alternative equipment so you don't miss out on snow fun time on the slopes.
• Ski pack reimbursement: You may be compensated for prepaid passes, lift passes, equipment hire and ski lessons if you get sick, are injured or your ski pass is stolen.
• Piste closure: Ski insurance will usually cover your transport to a new resort, or compensate your losses if your original destination is closed.
• Bad weather and avalanche closure: Cover for your out of pocket expenses in the event of adverse weather conditions causing cancellation. If you don't have a special snow sports policy, this may not be covered by the standard cancellation protection.

Getting around Japan

There’s plenty of places to go in Japan, but what’s the best way to travel around Japan as a tourist?

• Trains: this is the most popular way to travel intercity in Japan, the Shinkansen (bullet train) boasts a huge network making it an efficient and reliable way to get around. Trains in Japan are not cheap however with 7, 14 or 21 day rail passes going for $535 - $1056! The train lines are complicated and confusing, with plenty of stories about getting lost to go around, but Japan is an exceptionally safe and scenic country, so even if you do get lost, sit back and enjoy the ride.
• Buses: Japan Railways operate a large network of highway buses, with some other cheaper operators also providing bus routes to areas that the train lines don’t reach. Buses are significantly slower than bullet trains, but also significantly cheaper and very reliable.
• Ferries: A ferry ride is going to be slower and more costly than many other options, but ferry trips in Japan are fun and memorable. Long haul ferries have bathhouses, dining halls and karaoke rooms! It can be worth upgrading to a dorm room as 2nd class tickets may mean sleeping in common rooms, or on plastic mats on the floor.
  Bike share: Some major cities have bike-share schemes, but you'll need to sign up online for these before you use them. Cities don’t have reliable cycle lanes, and bikes should be ridden on the roads, so navigating unfamiliar streets may be difficult.
• Car Hire: if you’re heading out to more rural areas hiring a car may be the way to go. Nippon and Toyota have large rental networks around Japan, with prices starting around $70 per day for small cars.

Natural disasters in Japan

Japan has been thwarted by a series of earthquakes in recent years. In the majority of cases Australian travel insurance policies do cover you for unforeseen natural disasters that affect your holiday, however it's still a good idea to wise up on your cover.

• If you already have a policy and have started your journey and your transport or accommodation is directly affected by a natural disaster there may be provision to claim for reasonable additional travel, accommodation and meal expenses.

• If you have a policy but have not started your holiday and your pre-booked travel arrangements are cancelled, delayed or rescheduled as a direct result of a natural disaster, you may be able to claim for cancellation or rearrangement of your journey.

• If your flights have been cancelled or your destination deemed unsafe, we recommend you contact your travel agent or travel provider regarding the best option in altering your trip. Some travel providers may provide penalty free options to amend travel arrangements.

It's good to remember that while flight delays can be frustrating, groundings due to natural hazards are always in the interest of passenger safety. And remember, not all insurers cover natural disasters, so check your policy wording to be sure.

How to save on Japan travel insurance

• Choose your destination wisely: You might be able to save yourself a few buckaroos by finding an insurer that classes Japan in its own price bracket, rather than grouped under Asia.
• Consider how often you travel: If you travel a few times per year, you could save by purchasing an annual multi-trip policy rather than purchasing a policy each time you take off.
• Combine policies: If travelling with your family or a companion, a joint policy is often cheaper than purchasing separately.
• Increase your excess: Most insurers allow you to lower your premium by opting to pay higher excess in the instance that you need to make a claim.
• Shop around: You'll be amazed at how much travel insurance quotes can vary. Offers by travel agents or airlines usually have commissions added on. Doing your comparison online will allow you to compare loads of quotes in seconds.
• Pick the right level of cover: The cost of travel insurance can vary enormously! Basic policies come in around $20 – $60, you can expect (generally speaking) medical, personal liability and unexpected travel expenses. Mid-level and comprehensive policies range up to around $150 but can cover extras like luggage, cancellations and travel documents.

Japan facts & our top 5 tips

• Capital: Tokyo
• Currency: Japanese Yen
• Language: Japanese is the official primary language with over 125 million speakers.
• Visa: Australian citizens travelling to Japan are not required to obtain a visa to enter Japan if the trip is for less than 90 days and when the visit is for tourism, a business trip, a conference, to see relatives and friends.
• Pack light: Japan’s cities are densely populated , so space is a premium. This means hotel rooms are small, and public transport is crowded, so dragging a large suitcase around is going to be more hassle than its worth. Get up to speed with bidets: High tech toilets are the norm in Japan, with electronic bidets washing and drying for you at the touch of a button. Motion triggered sound machines are also pretty common to cover up any sensitive noises. You might find there’s no towels or hand dryers in many places though, so most locals carry small towels with them to dry their hands.
• Carry cash: with a lot of countries moving towards cashless societies, in Japan you’re going to need cash. Many older businesses, small shops and restaurants even in the cities will not accept anything else.
• No eating in public: its considered rude to eat, especially while walking, publicly in Japan. If you’re at a festival or food market with vendors, you’re good to go, but other than that avoid eating and offending the locals.
• Learn some lingo: head out of the major cities and English speakers may become hard to come by, so knowing these basics will help you get by:
  • omori (large portion, often free at ramen stalls)
  • okawari (refill)
  • mochikaeri (takeaway)
  • tennai de (eat-in)
  • onegai shimasu (please). Follow up any of your orders or requests with this; for example, if you want tea, say, “O-cha onegai shimasu.”
  • sumimasen (excuse me)
  • arigato gozaimasu (thank you). Because it’s a bit of a mouthful, it’s tempting to shorten it to simply arigato. Think of it as the difference between “thank you” and “thanks” and go for the politer “arigato gozaimasu.”
  • toire (toilet; pronounced “to-ee-rey”)

Safety Speed Dial

Should you encounter a blunder the following emergency contacts are good to have on hand.

Australian Embassy Tokyo

2 Chome-1-14 Mita, Minato City, Tokyo 108-8361, Japan For the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre, call: 03 5232 4111 (within Japan) 1300 555 135 (within Australia) [email protected] https://japan.embassy.gov.au/tkyo/home.html

Tokyo police stations

https://www.tokyo-icc.jp/guide_eng/gov/04.html

Narita Airport

1-1 Furugome, Narita, Chiba 282-0004, Japan https://www.narita-airport.jp/en/step/

Haneda Airport

Hanedakuko, Ota City, Tokyo 144-0041, Japan http://www.haneda-airport.jp/inter/en/