Best Travel Insurance Australia 2026: Award Winners and Policy Features

Summary

Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI) won Best Comprehensive Travel Insurance at the 2026 Finder Travel Insurance Awards — its second consecutive win — SCTI features no restrictive age limits, luggage and personal items cover up to $25,000 and the option to extend cover mid-trip; ReadySet won Best Value with unlimited overseas medical cover on its Basic plan and 90+ activities automatically covered; InsureandGo won Best Domestic. Considering your options for the best travel insurance Australia 2026 is vital for a worry-free trip.

Medicare does not cover overseas medical expenses — Australia has reciprocal health care agreements (RHCAs) with 11 countries: Belgium, Finland, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, the Republic of Ireland, Slovenia, Sweden and the United Kingdom; these agreements provide some access to emergency public health care in those countries; coverage levels vary by country and agreement; Smartraveller states that reciprocal health agreements are not a substitute for travel insurance

Travel insurance policies differ in what they cover — inclusions, exclusions, limits and conditions vary between providers and policy tiers; the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) for each policy sets out the full terms

The 2026 Finder Travel Insurance Awards

The Finder Travel Insurance Awards assess Australian travel insurance policies across pricing, coverage and customer satisfaction.

Best Comprehensive Travel Insurance: Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI)

Southern Cross Travel Insurance won Best Comprehensive for the second consecutive year in 2026.

Policy features:

No restrictive age limits
Luggage and personal items cover up to $25,000
Option to extend cover mid-trip

Highly commended (comprehensive):

1Cover — $15,000 luggage and personal items cover
Fast Cover — optional add-ons depending on holiday type

Best Value Travel Insurance: ReadySet

ReadySet won Best Value at the 2026 Finder Travel Insurance Awards.

Policy features:

Unlimited overseas medical expenses on its Basic plan
90+ sports and activities covered at no extra cost
Unlimited trip cancellation cover within Australia

Best Domestic Travel Insurance: InsureandGo

InsureandGo won Best Domestic at the 2026 Finder Travel Insurance Awards.

Policy features:

Multiple levels of cover for single trips and annual multi-trip policies
Range of adventure activities covered

Highly commended (domestic):

Qantas Travel Insurance — earns Qantas Points on the cost of cover
Tick Travel Insurance — free for children under 18 travelling with a parent

Other providers in the Australian market

The Australian travel insurance market includes a range of providers beyond the 2026 Finder Award winners. The following are among the providers listed on major Australian comparison platforms:

Cover-More

Cover-More is underwritten by Zurich Australia and offers single trip and annual multi-trip policies for Australian residents. International policies are available in three tiers: Basic, Comprehensive and a third tier — covering single and multi-trip options. Cover-More also offers inbound insurance for people visiting Australia.

NIB

NIB’s comprehensive policy automatically includes multi-day cruise cover — unlike most providers which require a separate cruise add-on. NIB offers single trip and multi-trip international and domestic policies for Australian residents.

1Cover

1Cover’s comprehensive policy automatically covers 30+ sports and activities including bungee jumping and shark cage diving, with optional add-ons for higher-risk activities. Trip cancellation cover is nominated by the policyholder. No age limit applies, though travellers aged 80 and over incur a $3,000 excess. 1Cover has received a 4.2-star average from 4,500+ reviews on ProductReview.

Allianz

Allianz offers two international plan options — Comprehensive and Basic — available as single, duo or family policies for domestic and international travel.

Cover-More, Fast Cover and World2Cover

Fast Cover is underwritten by certain underwriters at Lloyd’s and offers optional add-ons for different holiday types. World2Cover received a 4.4/5 for value and was recommended by 94% of Finder survey respondents in 2026.

NRMA

NRMA was named Most Recommended travel insurer in the 2026 Finder Customer Satisfaction survey, with 99% of respondents recommending it, and a 4.3/5 average across trust, ease of claims and customer service.

AllClear

AllClear covers travellers of any age and states it covers more than 1,300 pre-existing medical conditions. Listed on Finder’s comparison platform.

World Nomads

World Nomads is listed on the CHOICE and Finder comparison platforms and is commonly used by Australian travellers on longer or adventure-focused trips.

What travel insurance policies cover

Policy inclusions vary by provider and tier. The following are commonly included in comprehensive policies — refer to the PDS for the specific policy you are considering:

Commonly included:

Overseas emergency medical costs
Emergency evacuation and repatriation
Trip cancellation for covered reasons
Luggage and personal items (limits vary)
Travel delay allowances
Personal liability

Commonly excluded or subject to conditions:

Pre-existing medical conditions — declaration requirements and coverage outcomes vary by insurer; refer to the PDS
Adventure and extreme sports — may require an add-on
Cruise cover — may require a specific add-on
High-value individual items — per-item sub-limits apply in most policies
Alcohol and drug-related incidents

Medicare and reciprocal health care agreements

Medicare does not cover overseas medical expenses for Australian residents travelling abroad.

Australia has reciprocal health care agreements with 11 countries: Belgium, Finland, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, the Republic of Ireland, Slovenia, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Under these agreements, Australians may access some emergency public health care in those countries. Coverage scope and eligibility conditions vary by country. Smartraveller states: “Reciprocal health agreements aren’t a substitute for travel insurance.”

For all other destinations, Medicare does not apply to overseas medical costs incurred by Australian residents.

Countries where travel insurance is required for entry

Travel insurance is required for entry to certain destinations. Two confirmed examples:

Schengen Area (26 European countries) — travel insurance with minimum medical cover is required as part of Schengen visa applications
United Arab Emirates — travel insurance is required for entry

Check entry requirements for your specific destination at smartraveller.gov.au before travel.

Policy types

Single trip vs annual multi-trip

	Single trip	Annual multi-trip
Coverage	One trip	Multiple trips within a year
Trip duration limit	Set per policy	Set per policy — typically 30-90 days per trip

Credit card travel insurance

Some Australian credit cards include complimentary travel insurance. Terms, inclusions, exclusions and activation requirements vary by card. Refer to the PDS for the card’s insurance product.

Pre-existing conditions

Travel insurers define and assess pre-existing conditions differently. Refer to each insurer’s PDS for their definition and declaration process before purchasing.

When to purchase

Travel insurance can be purchased at any time before departure. Policy terms — including when cover begins — vary by provider. Refer to the PDS for the policy you are considering.

Frequently asked questions

Does Medicare cover me overseas?

Medicare does not cover overseas medical expenses for Australian residents. Australia has reciprocal health care agreements with 11 countries providing some emergency public health care. For all other destinations, Medicare does not apply.

Which countries have reciprocal health care agreements with Australia?

Belgium, Finland, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, the Republic of Ireland, Slovenia, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Coverage levels vary by country and agreement.

Who won the 2026 Finder Travel Insurance Awards?

Southern Cross Travel Insurance (Best Comprehensive), ReadySet (Best Value) and InsureandGo (Best Domestic).

Is travel insurance required for Europe?

Travel insurance with minimum medical cover is required for Schengen visa applications. The Schengen Area covers 26 European countries.

Related guides

This guide is for general information only and does not constitute financial or insurance advice. Always read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) before purchasing travel insurance and verify current information at finder.com.au and smartraveller.gov.au. Last updated September 2026.

Sources: finder.com.au — Best travel insurance Australia September 2026 (3 days ago) | finder.com.au — 2026 Finder Travel Insurance Awards | Services Australia — Reciprocal Health Care Agreements (servicesaustralia.gov.au, printed 9 September 2026) | Smartraveller — Reciprocal healthcare agreements for Australians overseas (smartraveller.gov.au, July 16, 2026)