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What travel insurance is best for you?

Raman Kumar Raman Kumar

Whether you’re a solo adventurer, travelling with your better half or embarking on an overseas family holiday, it’s without question that travel insurance is a must. But with so many options on the market, which one is right for you? We chatted with Kirsty Lamont at Mozo insurance comparisons to find out.

SOLO TRAVELLERS

Hot tips:

  • The cost of travel insurance can vary wildly from insurer to insurer so get a few different quotes to ensure you’re not paying too much.
    Mozo recently compared 57 insurers and found the cost of a comprehensive policy for a 25 year old single travelling to the UK for 14 days varies from $117 to $352.
  • Remember travel insurance is essential for any getaway, not just adventure holidays or trips to riskier corners of the globe.
    Food poisoning is one of the most common traveller mishaps in Bali, and the daily hospitalisation in South East Asia will set you back around $800 a day.
  • Be wary of exclusions. A favourite trick of travel insurers is to bury a whole series of exclusions in the fine print.
    For example, a policy might exclude cover for “fragile or brittle electronic equipment" like laptops and cameras that are scratched or cracked during travel.
  • Get organised before you go. Print double copies of your policy records and insurer contact details for your hand luggage and checked luggage so you can easily access them in an emergency.
    Suffering a mishap while travelling solo is stressful enough so make sure you’re organised in case of emergency.

Best value travel insurance for solo travellers:

Comprehensive Insurance
Worldcare Comprehensive
Average quote for 14-day trip = $67

Basic Insurance
Insure&Go One Trip – Bare Essentials
Average quote for 14-day trip = $49

 

COUPLES

Hot tips:

  • Avoid buying travel insurance through airlines and other travel operators as prices can be up to 200% more expensive than the best value policies to be found by shopping around.
  • Check your sub-limits. Total baggage and personal effects claims limits might seem generous but limits for individual categories or items like electronic equipment can be as low as $300 per item.
    Couples travelling with expensive cameras, tablets and phones can easily get caught out by not checking the fine print.
  • Be wary of basic travel insurance policies. Some limit overseas emergency medical assistance and hospital expenses to $10,000.
    Medical costs in countries like the US can easily run into tens of thousands of dollars, and a full-blown medical evacuation from the US can cost up to $300,000.
    Make sure your policy has unlimited emergency medical and hospital cover.
  • Check government travel warnings as many insurers have a clause buried in the fine print of their policies that excludes coverage for countries subject to an Australian Government ‘do not travel’ warning.
    You’ll be unlikely to get coverage for travel to Thailand right now for example.

Best value travel insurance for couples:

Comprehensive Insurance
Southern Cross Travel Insurance TravelCare
Average quote for 14-day trip = $130

Basic Insurance
Insure&Go One Trip – Bare Essentials
Average quote for 14-day trip = $89

 

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FAMILIES

Hot tips:

  • Check medical exclusions before you sign on the dotted line as travellers with pre-existing medical conditions like asthma, diabetes and hypertension may not be covered at all or may have to apply for special coverage.
  • Make sure your policy has good cancellation cover in the event that one of the kids gets sick in the lead up to your holiday, forcing you to reschedule or cancel your trip.
    Many basic policies have little to no cancellation cover.
  • Always shop around and compare policies when travelling with kids as the rules and restrictions covering dependents can vary considerably when it comes to things like age limits and how many dependents are covered.
  • Before purchasing a standalone family travel insurance policy, check whether your credit card offers comprehensive free travel insurance.
    Most credit card travel insurance policies offer free coverage for spouses and dependents travelling with the primary cardholder.

Best value travel insurance for families:

Comprehensive Insurance
Southern Cross Travel Insurance TravelCare
Average quote for 14-day trip = $130

Basic Insurance
Insure&Go One Trip – Bare Essentials
Average quote for 14-day trip = $89

 

 

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Raman Kumar

Raman Kumar

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5 things every hotel needs for a more restorative stay

    Kate Bettes Kate Bettes
    Continue
    Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

    The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

    1. Easy access to good food

    meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20
    Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

    One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

    In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

    In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

    Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

    At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

    While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

    It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

    2. Better sleep options

    Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room
    Sleep deeply with Novotel.

    There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

    For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

    The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

    3. More ways to move

    woman hiking around queenstown new zealand
    Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

    Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

    At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

    Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

    4. Better connections

    Novotel Sharm El Sheikh
    Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

    One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

    Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

    A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

    5. Location is everything

    Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld
    Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

    Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

    All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

    Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.