Complete Guide to Travel Insurance in New Zealand
By the Travel Insurance Comparison NZ editorial team
Travel insurance pays for defined costs when things go wrong on a trip — most importantly medical treatment overseas. This guide explains how it works for New Zealanders, the types of policy, and what to compare.
Why New Zealanders need it
MFAT's SafeTravel service says not to travel outside New Zealand without insurance: even minor medical treatment can be expensive, and the New Zealand Government will not pay these costs (SafeTravel (MFAT): Travel insurance).
ACC covers injuries from accidents, not illness (ACC: Injuries we don't cover). For injuries overseas, ACC does not cover overseas treatment costs, non-accident medical emergencies, disrupted travel plans or lost deposits — though it may help once you are back home (ACC: If you're a New Zealander injured overseas).
What a policy can cover
- Overseas medical and hospital costs, emergency assistance, evacuation and repatriation.
- Cancellation and curtailment: non-refundable costs if you have to cancel or cut short a trip for a reason the policy covers.
- Delays and missed connections: extra accommodation and transport costs.
- Luggage and personal effects, usually with per-item limits.
- Rental vehicle excess.
- Personal liability for injury or damage you cause to others.
Types of policy
- Single-trip: cover for one trip, priced on destination, length and travellers.
- Annual multi-trip: cover for several trips in a year, usually with a maximum length for each trip.
- Domestic: cover for trips within New Zealand, mainly for cancellation, luggage and rental vehicle excess.
- Credit card cover: some cards include travel insurance — SafeTravel suggests checking how it is activated, the excess, the trip length covered and your activities.
Card cover source: SafeTravel (MFAT): Travel insurance.
How to compare policies
- Check the region covers every country you will visit, and read the current SafeTravel advice for each — many policies will not cover places SafeTravel advises against visiting.
- Declare pre-existing medical conditions for everyone travelling.
- Make sure the activities you plan are covered.
- Compare the benefit limits and the excess, not just the premium.
- Read the general exclusions.
More detail: common exclusions, how an excess works and making a claim.
Insurers
Insurer overviews on this site (the order is not a ranking):
Frequently asked questions
What does travel insurance usually cover?
Most international policies include overseas medical and emergency assistance cover, and many also cover cancellation, delays, luggage and personal liability. Basic policies may leave some of these out. What is covered, and the limits, depend on the policy you choose.
How much does travel insurance cost?
Premiums depend on your age, destination, trip length, pre-existing conditions, the level of cover and the excess you choose. The only reliable way to know is to get quotes for your own trip.
When should I buy travel insurance?
Cancellation cover can only protect you from the date the policy starts, so many people buy when they book and pay for the trip. Check when cover begins under the policy you are considering.
This page is general information, not financial advice, and does not take your personal circumstances into account. Cover, limits, excesses and exclusions differ between insurers and policies. The policy wording (and any policy schedule or endorsement) is what decides a claim, so read it — or ask the insurer — before you buy.
Sources
Official sources cited on this page, checked 30 September 2026.
Compare travel insurance policies
See how the main New Zealand travel insurers set out their cover, then check the policy wording for the points that matter to your trip.
Compare policies