Christine Punzalan – Head of Claims, Fast Cover Travel Insurance

About Christine

Christine Punzalan is Head of Claims at Fast Cover, bringing together over a decade of combined experience in clinical nursing and insurance claims - a combination that is rare, and that makes a unique difference when assessing complex, high-stakes cases.

Her career started in clinical nursing as a Medical Surgical Nurse. She then moved into travel insurance as a Medical Assistance Supervisor, coordinating emergency care for travellers overseas followed by working as an Emergency Department Nurse in the United States. Christine progressed into a Senior Case Assessor role and eventually into leading the claims function at Fast Cover.

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and is a member of ANZIIF (Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance). Christine applies her combined expertise to claims every day, reading medical reports and treatment plans with a clinical understanding while assessing coverage with policy expertise.

Areas of Expertise

Christine's specialist knowledge spans the full claims and emergency assistance process, including complex medical and high-value claims, medical evacuations, pre-existing condition reviews, and compliance with the General Insurance Code of Practice and the Australian Financial Complaints Authority expectations. She applies her clinical background daily when reviewing medical reports, diagnoses, and treatment plans to assess coverage accurately and fairly.

Real-World Travel Experience

Christine travels regularly across different trip types, including cruises, family holidays, and adventure activities like quad biking. Her experience travelling across multiple countries paired with her clinical nursing experience gives her a genuine, personal understanding of the situations travellers face when something goes wrong abroad, and it shapes how she leads the claims team every day.