Family Travel Insurance: Covering Everyone on the Trip

Why family travel insurance needs extra thought

A family trip has more people who can get sick or hurt, more bags to lose, and more bookings that fall over if one person cannot travel. A family policy can cover everyone under one policy, but only on the terms in its wording — who counts as family, which conditions are covered, and what happens when one person’s illness stops the whole group from travelling.

How family policies work

Family policies generally cover one or two adults and their dependent children. The details that matter are in the definitions section of the wording:

• Who counts as a dependent child. Insurers set their own maximum age and may require the child to be financially dependent, not working full time, or travelling with the named adults the whole time.
• How many children can be included. Some policies cap the number of children; others do not.
• Whether limits are shared. Some benefits apply per person, others are shared across everyone on the policy. Shared limits matter when several family members claim for the same event.
• Whether each traveller must be named. Make sure every child travelling is listed on the policy.

If an older child or a grandparent is travelling with you, check whether they fit the family definition or need their own policy.

Pre-existing conditions for every traveller

Children’s conditions such as asthma, allergies or diabetes need to be declared in the same way as an adult’s. The insurer’s answer decides whether a condition is covered, excluded or covered for an extra premium. If a condition is not declared, a claim linked to it may be affected. See our pre-existing conditions guide.

SafeTravel also notes that not all medications that are legal in New Zealand are legal in other countries, and suggests checking before you travel that your child’s medications are legal at your destination.

Source: SafeTravel (MFAT), "Travelling with children" (accessed 30 September 2026)

Cancellation when one person cannot travel

When one family member is sick or injured before departure, the whole family may need to cancel or change plans. Check how the cancellation section treats this: whether it covers cancellation because of the illness of a travelling companion or a relative, whether each traveller’s costs are covered, and the cancellation limit per person or per policy. Buying cover soon after you book means cancellation cover is in place for longer before you leave — check when your policy’s cancellation cover starts.

Pregnancy

Insurers set their own rules for pregnancy, usually based on how many weeks pregnant you will be during the trip, whether it is a single or multiple pregnancy, and whether there are complications. Cover for childbirth or the care of a baby born overseas is often limited or excluded. Read the pregnancy section of each wording, and talk to your midwife or doctor about whether it is safe to travel.

Children’s activities

SafeTravel advises getting a policy that covers any activities you have planned, and checking safety standards of equipment such as pools and playgrounds. Many everyday holiday activities are covered as standard, but activities such as skiing, scuba diving, or riding a motorbike or scooter can be excluded or need an add-on. Check the list of covered and excluded activities before you go.

Source: SafeTravel (MFAT), "Travel insurance" (accessed 30 September 2026)

Source: SafeTravel (MFAT), "Travelling with children" (accessed 30 September 2026)

Travelling without both parents

SafeTravel says children travelling without both parents — with one parent, alone, or with someone who isn’t their parent or guardian, such as a teacher or grandparent — may need a consent letter. It usually includes the child’s details, who they are with, where they are going, the parents’ consent and passport information, and is usually signed by the parents and witnessed by a public official. Check the requirements with the destination country’s embassy and your airline, as you or your child may otherwise be denied boarding or entry.

Source: SafeTravel (MFAT), "Travelling with children" (accessed 30 September 2026)

Single-trip or annual cover

If your family travels several times a year, an annual multi-trip policy may cost less than buying separate single-trip policies. Compare the actual quotes for your trips, and check the annual policy’s maximum days per trip, whether domestic trips are included, and whether the family definition is the same as on the single-trip policy.

Family travel insurance checklist

For step-by-step help with a claim, see our travel insurance claims guide.