How Long Does a Travel Insurance Claim Take?
The timeframes New Zealand insurers have committed to, and what you can do to avoid delays
The short answer
It depends on the insurer, the claim and your paperwork. What you can rely on is the commitment most New Zealand insurers have made through the Insurance Council of New Zealand’s (ICNZ) Fair Insurance Code. When you make a claim, an insurer that follows the Code will:
If the insurer cannot meet the timeframes, the Code says it will explain why and tell you how long it expects a decision to take. The Code applies to ICNZ members; check whether your travel insurer is one, and read your policy wording for its own claims process.
Source: Insurance Council of New Zealand, Fair Insurance Code 2020 (current PDF, accessed 30 September 2026)
What affects how long a claim takes
Insurers do not publish comparable processing-time figures, so we do not list “average days” by insurer. These are the factors that make a real difference:
Complete documents
The Code’s 10-business-day decision timeframe starts once the insurer has all the information it needs. Every missing receipt or report restarts the wait.
Information from third parties
Medical records from overseas hospitals, police reports and airline reports can take time to arrive, and the insurer may need them before deciding.
Complexity
A claim that raises questions about a pre-existing condition, an exclusion or the value of an item takes longer to assess than a straightforward one.
Catastrophes and major events
The Code recognises insurers may not meet its timeframes when a catastrophe or disaster produces a large number of claims, but they must still update you at least every 20 business days.
Source: Insurance Council of New Zealand, Fair Insurance Code 2020 (current PDF, accessed 30 September 2026)
How to avoid delays
Before you submit
- Gather everything first: receipts, medical reports, police or airline reports, booking confirmations and photos.
- Check the policy wording: it lists the documents the insurer needs and any deadline for lodging a claim.
- Make documents legible: clear photos or scans, with foreign-language documents translated if the insurer asks.
- Describe what happened clearly: dates, places and the sequence of events.
Things that slow claims down
- Incomplete forms: missing signatures, dates or bank details.
- Missing evidence: no police report for a theft, or no proof of what an item cost.
- Late notification: the Code expects you to contact the insurer as soon as you can after a loss.
- Slow replies: each request for more information pauses the decision until you answer.
For a full checklist of documents by claim type, see our travel insurance claims guide.
If your claim is taking too long
1. Raise it with the insurer
Ask for a written explanation of the delay and an expected decision date. If you are not satisfied, make a formal complaint. Under the Fair Insurance Code the insurer first tries to resolve a complaint through its internal process within two months; if it cannot, it will offer a “deadlock” letter and tell you which external dispute resolution scheme it belongs to. You can go to that scheme after two months even without a deadlock letter, and once a deadlock letter is issued you have 3 months to refer the complaint.
Source: Insurance Council of New Zealand, Fair Insurance Code 2020 (current PDF, accessed 30 September 2026)
2. Go to the insurer’s dispute resolution scheme
Depending on the insurer, this is one of the following. Both are free for consumers.
- • Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman Scheme (IFSO): 0800 888 202. IFSO asks that your provider has the chance to resolve the complaint first, and notes providers have 2 months to do so.
Source: Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman Scheme, "Complaints" (accessed 30 September 2026)
- • Financial Services Complaints Limited (FSCL): 0800 347 257. FSCL looks into complaints about financial services including insurance.
Source: Financial Services Complaints Limited (accessed 30 September 2026)
Frequently asked questions
How long does a travel insurance claim take to process?
There is no single answer — it depends on the insurer, the type of claim and how complete your documents are. Insurers that follow the Insurance Council of New Zealand’s Fair Insurance Code commit to acknowledging a claim within 5 business days and deciding whether to accept it within 10 business days of having all the information they need.
What if the insurer needs longer?
Under the Fair Insurance Code, if an insurer cannot meet those timeframes — for example because a claim is complex or depends on information from third parties — it must explain why, tell you how long it expects a decision to take, and update you at least once every 20 business days or another interval you agree.
How can I help my claim move faster?
Lodge it as soon as you can with every document your policy wording asks for, make sure photos and receipts are legible, reply quickly to requests for more information, and keep a note of your claim number and every conversation.
What can I do if my claim is taking too long?
Ask the insurer for a written explanation and make a complaint through its internal process. Under the Fair Insurance Code, if a complaint is not resolved within two months you can take it to the insurer’s external dispute resolution scheme — the Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman Scheme (IFSO) or Financial Services Complaints Limited (FSCL). Both are free.
Source: Insurance Council of New Zealand, Fair Insurance Code 2020 (current PDF, accessed 30 September 2026)
Looking at policies for your next trip?
Read each insurer’s policy wording to see how it handles claims before you buy.
General information only, not financial advice. Sources checked 30 September 2026.