Looking for the highest level of travel insurance cover? Compare comprehensive travel insurance policies from leading New Zealand insurers – covering medical expenses, cancellations, luggage, travel delays, and more.
the benefits
Falling ill or sustaining an injury overseas can result in bills that run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars; seriously, hospital treatment in the USA can cost upwards of $10,000 per day. Comprehensive travel insurance covers all your medical expenses for injury or illness, including hospital stays, surgery, dental treatment, prescription medications, and doctor consultations.
Comprehensive travel insurance covers the cost of rearranging or cancelling your trip due to unforeseen circumstances such as illness, injury, or extreme weather – with cover starting from the day you purchase your policy, not just from the day you start travelling. This means that even if something goes wrong before you leave home, you’re protected from the moment you buy.
Losing your luggage (or having it stolen or damaged) can be a frustrating and costly experience. Comprehensive travel insurance covers the cost of replacing or repairing your personal belongings, including cash and travel documents, giving you financial protection against one of the most common travel mishaps.
If your transport is delayed due to an unforeseen event, comprehensive travel insurance covers your out-of-pocket accommodation, meals, and transport expenses until you’re back on track. Just be mindful that most policies require a minimum delay period – typically six hours or more – before this benefit applies.
If a close relative or travelling companion becomes seriously ill, injured, or passes away while you’re overseas, comprehensive travel insurance covers your travel expenses back home. Conditions around the relative’s age, medical history, and location may apply though, so it’s worth checking the specific terms of your policy before purchasing.
If you are found legally liable for causing accidental injury to another person or damage to their property while travelling, personal liability cover protects you against the potentially significant financial consequences. This is included as standard in all comprehensive travel insurance policies.
key considerations
Comprehensive travel insurance is the highest level of cover available and is the most appropriate choice for the majority of travellers. It is particularly well suited to those who have made significant pre-paid travel costs – including flights, accommodation, and tours – as well as those travelling with high-value belongings, travelling to high-cost medical destinations such as the USA or Japan, or those who have pre-existing medical conditions they wish to declare and cover. If your only concern is emergency medical cover, a basic or medical only policy may be a more cost-effective option.
Comprehensive travel insurance does not cover everything. Common exclusions include pre-existing medical conditions that have not been declared, injuries sustained while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, deliberate or reckless behaviour, and high-risk activities (like skydiving). Natural disasters that were already publicly known at the time of purchase are generally excluded as well; they’re typically called “known events”. Always read the Policy Wording carefully to understand the full exclusions that apply to your policy.
Pre-existing medical conditions must be declared when purchasing comprehensive travel insurance. Some conditions may be covered automatically, while others may require a medical assessment or attract an additional premium. If cover for a condition is declined, you can usually still purchase a comprehensive policy that covers all other benefits, just not claims related to that specific condition. Never travel without declaring a relevant condition, as failure to disclose could result in a claim being rejected.
Some countries – including Cuba and Thailand – require travellers to hold valid travel insurance as a condition of entry. A comprehensive policy will satisfy these requirements in most cases, but it’s worth confirming the specific cover levels required by your destination before purchasing. Even for destinations that don’t require it, the financial risk of travelling without comprehensive cover can be significant.
Many high-risk activitiesand extreme sports are not automatically covered under standard comprehensive policies. If your trip includes activities such as skiing, scuba diving, or adventure sports, check the specific activity inclusions of your policy and add any necessary optional extras before you travel. Some activities require a dedicated add-on pack to be covered, while others may be excluded entirely regardless of the level of cover purchased.
If your trip includes a cruise, check whether cruise cover is included automatically in your comprehensive policy or whether it needs to be added as an optional extra. The same applies to other specialist cover types, including pregnancy cover, rental vehicle excess, and high-value item cover. Comprehensive travel insurance provides the broadest base of protection, but understanding which add-ons are relevant to your trip ensures you’re not left with unexpected gaps in your cover.
further reading
Expert guides to help you make an informed decision about your travel cover.
get answers
Comprehensive travel insurance is the highest level of cover available and the most popular choice among Kiwi travellers. It covers emergency overseas medical expenses, trip cancellation and curtailment, lost or damaged luggage and personal belongings, travel delays, family emergencies, and personal liability. This is in contrast to basic or medical only policies, which cover only emergency medical expenses and a limited range of additional benefits. For a full breakdown of comprehensive cover, visit our fully comprehensive travel insurance guide.
Common exclusions on comprehensive travel insurance policies include pre-existing medical conditions that have not been declared, injuries sustained while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, deliberate or reckless behaviour, high-risk activities not covered under the specific policy, and events that were publicly known at the time of purchase. Always read the Policy Wording carefully before purchasing to understand the specific exclusions that apply to your policy.
Most comprehensive travel insurance policies are available to travellers of all ages, though some products – such as annual multi-trip policies – may have age limits of around 65 years. Premiums typically increase with age, and some insurers may apply additional conditions or exclusions for older travellers. Using our comparison tool is the most reliable way to find policies available for your specific age and circumstances.
Yes, most New Zealand travel insurance policies provide some level of cover for pregnancy, though the specific terms vary between insurers. Most policies cover pregnancies up to around 24 weeks gestation, with some extending cover to 32 weeks or more. Cover is typically limited to unexpected complications rather than routine antenatal care or planned childbirth. For a full breakdown of pregnancy cover across insurers, visit our pregnancy travel insurance guide.
This depends on the insurer. Some comprehensive travel insurance policies include cruise cover automatically while others require you to purchase a dedicated cruise add-on. When comparing policies, check whether cruise cover is included as standard or needs to be added separately, and confirm this before purchasing if a cruise is part of your trip.
Domestic travel insurance policies do not include medical benefits, as New Zealand’s public health system covers medical treatment within New Zealand. However, domestic comprehensive policies can still provide valuable cover for trip cancellations, lost luggage, rental vehicle excess, and travel delays. Some domestic policies offer cancellation cover of up to unlimited amounts and luggage cover up to $15,000, making them a worthwhile investment even for trips within New Zealand.
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