Non-Resident Travel Insurance: Where to Buy It

Quick summary for busy readers:

• Non-residents in New Zealand on a valid visa, such as a working holiday, student or skilled work visa, can generally still buy travel insurance for an overseas trip. It’s just a smaller pool of insurers than the standard NZ market.
• Most insurers require your trip to start and end in New Zealand, plus proof of access to Health New Zealand (Te Whatu Ora), or long-term private health insurance while you’re here.
• Publicly funded healthcare through Health New Zealand is available to citizens of Australia and the UK under reciprocal health agreements, and separately, to anyone holding a work visa valid for two years or more, regardless of nationality.
• Cover typically includes medical expenses, luggage and personal items, personal liability, and cancellation costs – broadly similar to a standard travel insurance policy.

 

Living in New Zealand on a temporary visa doesn’t mean your travel plans have to be put on hold. Whether you’re here on a working holiday, studying, or working under a skilled visa, you can generally still get cover for an overseas trip. It’s just a bit harder to find than standard travel insurance, since not every insurer offers policies to non-residents.

Read on to learn what non-resident travel insurance actually is, where you can buy it, and what it typically covers.

What is non resident travel insurance?

Non-resident travel insurance is a travel insurance policy designed for people living in New Zealand on a temporary visa, rather than as a citizen or permanent resident. It works in a similar way to standard travel insurance, covering things like medical costs, cancellations and lost luggage, but it’s underwritten with non-residents specifically in mind, which is why it’s sold as its own category rather than folded into every standard policy.

To qualify, most insurers will expect you to:

• Have a trip booked that starts and ends in New Zealand.
• Hold a valid visa that allows you to leave and re-enter the country.
• Have access to Health New Zealand (Te Whatu Ora), or alternatively, hold long-term private health insurance in New Zealand if you're not eligible.

That last point trips a lot of people up, since access to publicly funded healthcare isn’t automatic just because you’re living here. It’s generally available to New Zealand citizens and permanent residents, and beyond that, there are two other ways to qualify. Citizens of Australia and the United Kingdom can access some publicly funded treatment through reciprocal health agreements, and separately, anyone holding a work visa valid for two continuous years or more qualifies for Health New Zealand (Te Whatu Ora) cover regardless of nationality.

If you’re eligible and haven’t registered yet, it’s worth sorting that out before you apply for travel insurance, since some insurers will ask for proof. And if none of that applies to you, you’re not necessarily out of options. Some insurers will still cover you provided you can show you hold long-term private health insurance in New Zealand instead.

Where can I buy non resident travel insurance?

Like we said above, not every New Zealand travel insurer offers cover to non-residents. But we’ve done the hard work for you and put together the insurers that do below:

What’s typically included with non resident travel insurance?

Non-resident policies tend to cover much the same ground as a standard travel insurance policy. The main things worth checking you’re covered for are:

• Medical cover. Costs for injury or illness while you’re away, including hospital stays, surgery, dental treatment, prescription medication and doctor visits.
• Luggage and personal items. Cover if your belongings are lost, stolen or damaged during your trip.
• Personal liability. Cover if you’re found legally liable for injuring someone else or damaging their property while overseas.
• Cancellation fees and lost deposits. Cover for the cost of rearranging or cancelling your trip due to unforeseen circumstances such as illness, an accident, or extreme weather.