Which country or travel insurance region do I choose?

Select the right country or geographical region for your trip

Which country or travel insurance region do I choose?
World globe

When you do a quote with us, you can simply enter the country or countries that you’re planning on visiting.

Being able to specify the countries that you’re travelling to has its advantages, including:

  • Knowing you have cover for the country or countries you've listed.
  • We’ll know where you are and may be able to provide country specific assistance and information if required.

And while you’re travelling, if you decide to do a side trip to another country which you haven’t already specified, you can add it to your policy by logging into Your Policy or contacting us. Ideally you should update your countries or regions before you depart.

Also, depending on which additional countries you’re planning on travelling to, you may not even need to pay an additional premium!

5 Travel Insurance Country Tips

  1. Be sure you list the correct countries (or region) you're planning to visit.
  2. You have cover for transits of 48 hours or less in a country that’s not specified on your policy, provided you don't leave the airport.
  3. If you need to add a country to your policy, you may not need to pay an additional premium.
  4. Contact us immediately if you have selected the wrong country or region on your policy, or you want to visit other countries not listed on your policy.
  5. Countries with a 'Do not travel' warning issued by smartraveller can't be covered under our policies.
Fast Cover guy pointing

What do I do if I’m travelling to a lot of different countries?

If you’re travelling to multiple countries, or you haven’t fully decided on the countries that you’ll be visiting, you can simply select from one of our 4 regions:

1. Worldwide

This is the highest region. This means it provides cover for the countries under all the other regions listed below including Europe, Asia, South Pacific, and also New Zealand and Australia (Domestic).

2. Europe

Provides cover for travel around the Europe, Asia and South Pacific regions and also New Zealand and Australia (Domestic).

3. Asia

Provides cover for travel around the Asia and South Pacific regions and also New Zealand and Australia (Domestic).

4. South Pacific

Provides cover for travel around the South Pacific region and also New Zealand and Australia (Domestic).

5. New Zealand

Provides cover for travel in New Zealand and Australia (Domestic).

 What about Domestic trips?

If you are travelling in Australia (Domestic), you should specify Australia.

When should I select a region instead of a country? 

Selecting a region can be handy if you’re:

  • Going on a Contiki tour which covers too many countries for you to list!
  • On a cruise around the world and stopping in many ports along the way
  • Going backpacking in Asia for a year with an initial plan of visiting Vietnam and then seeing how you feel after that
  • You have a UK Working Holiday Visa and you want to keep your travel options open

When selecting the region that you’ll be travelling to, make sure you pick the correct one, otherwise you may not be covered for your travel to that region or certain countries. Fast Cover, for every country has designated the specific region it belongs to for its travel insurance purposes, so some countries may not be in the regions you would assume them to be!

For example, when it comes to buying travel insurance, Hawaii may be in the Worldwide region, Turkey and Russia in the Europe region and Bali (Indonesia) in the Asia region.

Selecting the incorrect region for your travel destinations could result in your claim being declined, which means you would be responsible for all costs incurred. If you’re seriously sick or injured, these costs could be thousands of dollars and possibly hundreds of thousands of dollars for overseas emergency medical and hospital expenses.

The following table can help you select the right geographical region for your holiday.

Popular Destinations
Exceptions
Covers Regions
Worldwide

North America

Africa

Antarctica

Central America

South America

Middle East

  • If you are unable to find your country, select Worldwide
  • Countries with a 'Do not travel' warning from smartraveller can't be covered
  • Countries listed in the General Exclusions in our Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) can't be covered
Also covers you for travel in Europe, Asia and South Pacific regions, New Zealand and Australia (Domestic).
Europe

France

Germany

Greece

Italy

Republic of Ireland

Russia

Spain

Turkey

Belgium

United Kingdom

  • England
  • Wales
  • Scotland
  • Northern Ireland
  • Turkey is often defined as where east meets west. For the purpose of travel insurance with Fast Cover, Turkey is included in the Europe region.
  • Countries with a 'Do not travel' warning from smartraveller can't be covered
  • Countries listed in the General Exclusions in our Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) can't be covered
Also covers you for travel in Asia and South Pacific regions, New Zealand and Australia (Domestic).
Asia

Bali

China

Hong Kong

India

Singapore

Thailand

Vietnam

Japan

Indonesia

  • For the purpose of travel insurance with Fast Cover, Bali (Indonesia) is in the Asia region
  • Countries with a 'Do not travel' warning from smartraveller can't be covered
  • Countries listed in the General Exclusions in our Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) can't be covered
Also covers you for travel in the South Pacific region, New Zealand and Australia (Domestic).
South Pacific

Fiji

South Pacific Islands

  Also covers you for travel in New Zealand and Australia (Domestic).
New Zealand

New Zealand

  New Zealand
Domestic

All of Australia including:

  • Lord Howe Island
  • Norfolk Island
  • Thursday Island
  • Christmas Island
  • Cocos (Keeling) Islands
If you’re going on a cruise, for the purposes of travel insurance with Fast Cover and Medicare, you are technically leaving Australia so you require international cover. A Domestic policy will not cover you for cruising in the sea or ocean even if you’re only in Australian waters. Australia (Domestic) only
Exclamation mark
Make sure your destination is listed on your policy

To avoid selecting the wrong region and finding you’re not covered for the country that you’re travelling to, enter all the countries you’ll be visiting.

You can also add a region to your list of selected countries, which will give you flexibility just in case you decide to travel elsewhere within that region.

For example: If you're travelling to Bali, you can select just Bali (indonesia), or Bali (Indonesia) and the Asia region. This means that if you decide to also go to Malaysia, your policy will provide you with cover for Malaysia!

Choosing the right country FAQs

The good news is that we can upgrade your policy while you’re travelling.  Log into Your Policy or contact us immediately, let us know your new travel plans and if it's a country that we can cover, we’ll upgrade your policy. Additional costs may apply for the upgrade depending on the additional country you're adding to your policy, and whether or not there has been a price increase between the time that you purchased your policy and your upgrade.

If you had selected only the UK on your policy, you should also add Thailand, to have cover for your travel there.

If you had selected both the UK and the Europe region on your policy, you have cover for your travel to Thailand, as Thailand is in the Asia region, which sits under the Europe region. However you can still choose to specify Thailand on your policy.

Example

John is flying to England (Europe region) for a friend’s wedding and to hang out with his mates for a few weeks. As he has also just finished a contract for work, he's decided to travel for a few months, but has no definite plan of where he’ll be going but thinks he might stop off in Thailand (Asia region), New Zealand and maybe Brisbane before coming back to Sydney to search for a new job.

He should select the UK and Europe region. which will provide him with cover for England, any other country in Europe he decides to travel to can be covered, and the other possible destinations in the Asia and South Pacific regions, New Zealand and Australia (Domestic) at no additional charge.

You’re permitted a transit or stopover in another country of up to 48 hours, provided you're not going to leave the airport. However, if you’re transitting or stopping over for more than 48 hours in another country, or you're planning on leaving the airport within the 48 hours transit, you should add that country to your policy.

Please note that the two-night transit allowance does not apply when you’re on a cruise. So if you’re cruising, and spending only one night in Hawaii for example, you should still select the USA and all the other countries that you'll be visiting, or the Worldwide region.

Example

Nick and Connie are flying to Greece for their honeymoon. They managed to get a deal with Etihad that includes a 40 hour stopover in Abu Dhabi where they'll just be waiting at the airport for their connecting flight.

As their transit in Abu Dhabi is only for 48 hours or less, they only need to buy a policy for Greece.

If you have selected the wrong country or region for your trip, please call us and we can correct it for you. Depending on the country you’re changing your policy to, and whether or not we've had a price increase since you purchased your policy, an additional premium may apply.

If you’re visiting multiple cities or countries, you should list all the countries or select the highest region applicable for your trip.

1. Worldwide (highest region) - Provides cover for Worldwide, Europe, Asia and South Pacific. 

2. Europe - Provides cover for Europe, Asia and South Pacific. 

3. Asia - Provides cover for Asia and South Pacific. 

4. South Pacific (lowest region) - Provides cover for South Pacific only. 

 

If you are just travelling to New Zealand and/or Australia, you should choose one or both of those countries.

However, if you will be traveling to New Zealand and/or Australia in addition to other countries, New Zealand and Australia will be included in all of the regions listed above. You should therefore choose the highest region that includes the countries you are travelling to and New Zealand and Australia will be included. 

Example

Sarah has booked a holiday. She'll be visiting China, Vietnam and Cambodia (Asia region) for two weeks to visit friends, do some sight-seeing and lots of shopping. She'll then fly to Fiji (South Pacific region) for one week of lying by the pool and cocktails.

Sarah should select:

  • China, Vietnam, Cambodia and Fiji, or
  • The Asia region, which will cover her to travel to China, Vietnam, Cambodia and also Fiji.

Yes, higher regions automatically cover the lower regions.

Example

If Pete buys a policy for the Europe region, he’s also covered if he decides to travel to Vanuatu, which is in the South Pacific region.

Countries with 'Do Not Travel' status

There is no cover for travel to any country or area of a country where a travel advisory risk rating of ‘Do Not Travel’ (or equivalent if this term is replaced) has been issued by the Australian Governments Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade before the start date of your trip. You can check the status of your destination on Smart Traveller

There is also no cover, if your claim arises from you not following advice in the mass media or any government or other official body’s warning against travel to a particular country or parts of a country or against remaining in a particular country or parts of a country.

Additionally, there is no cover for travel to Cuba, Iran or North Korea under any circumstances regardless of the status issued by Australian Governments Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade or what is stated on Smart Traveller.

 

Fast Covers Country/Destination list and the travel insurance regions they belong to

Countries/Destinations
Region

Afghanistan

Worldwide

Albania

Europe

Algeria

Worldwide

American Samoa

South Pacific

Andorra

Europe

Angola

Worldwide

Anguilla

Worldwide

Antarctica

Worldwide

Antigua & Barbuda

Worldwide

Argentina

Worldwide

Armenia

Europe

Aruba

Europe

Ashmore & Cartier Islands

South Pacific

Australia

Domestic

Austria

Europe

Azerbaijan

Europe

Azores

Europe

Bahamas

Worldwide

Bahrain

Asia

Balearic Island

Europe

Bali

Asia

Bangladesh

Asia

Barbados

Worldwide

Belarus

Europe

Belgium

Europe

Belize

Worldwide

Benin

Worldwide

Bermuda

Worldwide

Bhutan

Asia

Bolivia

Worldwide

Bonaire Island

Europe

Bosnia & Herzegovina

Europe

Botswana

Worldwide

Bouvet Island

Worldwide

Brazil

Worldwide

British Indian Ocean Territory

Europe

Brunei Darussalam

Asia

Bulgaria

Europe

Burkina Faso

Worldwide

Burundi

Worldwide

Cambodia

Asia

Cameroon

Worldwide

Canada

Worldwide

Canary Island

Europe

Cape Verde

Worldwide

Cayman Islands

Worldwide

Central African Republic

Worldwide

Chad

Worldwide

Channel Islands

Europe

Chile

Worldwide

China

Asia

Christmas Island

Domestic

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Domestic

Colombia

Worldwide

Comoros

Worldwide

Congo

Worldwide

Congo (Democratic Republic of)

Worldwide

Cook Islands

South Pacific

Costa Rica

Worldwide

Cote D'Ivoire

Worldwide

Croatia

Europe

Cuba

(x) There is no cover for this country

Curacao

Europe

Cyprus

Europe

Czech Republic

Europe

Denmark

Europe

Djibouti

Worldwide

Dominica

Worldwide

Dominican Republic

Worldwide

East Timor

Asia

Ecuador

Worldwide

Egypt

Worldwide

El Salvador

Worldwide

Equatorial Guinea

Worldwide

Eritrea

Worldwide

Estonia

Europe

Ethiopia

Worldwide

Faroe Islands

Europe

Falkland Islands

Worldwide

Fiji

South Pacific

Finland

Europe

France

Europe

France, Metropolitan

Europe

French Guyana

Worldwide

French Polynesia

South Pacific

French Southern and Antarctic Lands (Territory of)

Worldwide

Gabon

Worldwide

Gambia

Worldwide

Georgia

Europe

Germany

Europe

Ghana

Worldwide

Gibraltar

Europe

Greece

Europe

Greenland

Europe

Grenada

Worldwide

Guadeloupe

Worldwide

Guam

South Pacific

Guatemala

Worldwide

Guinea

Worldwide

Guinea-Bissau

Worldwide

Guyana

Worldwide

Haiti

Worldwide

Hawaii

Worldwide

Heard Island & McDonald Islands

South Pacific

Holy See 

Europe

Honduras

Worldwide

Hong Kong

Asia

Hungary

Europe

Iceland

Europe

India

Asia

Indonesia

Asia

International Waters

Worldwide

Iran (Islamic Republic of)

(x) There is no cover for this country

Iraq

Worldwide

Ireland

Europe

Isle of Man

Europe

Israel

Worldwide

Italy

Europe

Ivory Coast

Worldwide

Jamaica

Worldwide

Japan

Asia

Jordan

Worldwide

Kazakhstan

Asia

Kenya

Worldwide

Kerguelen

Worldwide

Kiribati

South Pacific

Kuwait

Worldwide

Kyrgyzstan

Asia

Laos

Asia

Latvia

Europe

Lebanon

Worldwide

Lesotho

Worldwide

Liberia

Worldwide

Libyan Arab Jamahiriya

Worldwide

Liechtenstein

Europe

Lithuania

Europe

Luxembourg

Europe

Macau

Asia

Macedonia

Europe

Madagascar

Worldwide

Madeira

Europe

Malawi

Worldwide

Malaysia

Asia

Maldives

Asia

Mali

Worldwide

Malta

Europe

Marshall Islands

South Pacific

Martinique

Worldwide

Mauritania

Worldwide

Mauritius

Worldwide

Mayotte

Worldwide

Mexico

Worldwide

Micronesia (Federated States of)

South Pacific

Moldova (Republic of)

Europe

Monaco

Europe

Mongolia

Asia

Montserrat

Worldwide

Morocco

Worldwide

Mozambique

Worldwide

Myanmar

Asia

Namibia

Worldwide

Nauru

South Pacific

Nepal

Asia

Netherlands

Europe

New Caledonia

South Pacific

New Hebrides

Worldwide

New Zealand

New Zealand

Nicaragua

Worldwide

Niger

Worldwide

Nigeria

Worldwide

Niue

South Pacific

Norfolk Island

Domestic

North Korea

(x) There is no cover for this country

Northern Mariana Islands

South Pacific

Norway

Europe

Oman

Worldwide

Pakistan

Asia

Palau (Republic of)

South Pacific

Panama

Worldwide

Papua New Guinea

South Pacific

Paraguay

Worldwide

Peru

Worldwide

Philippines

Asia

Pitcairn

South Pacific

Poland

Europe

Portugal

Europe

Puerto Rico

Worldwide

Qatar

Worldwide

Reunion

Worldwide

Romania

Europe

Russian Federation

Europe

Rwanda

Worldwide

Saba

Europe

Saint Bartelemy

Worldwide

Saint Eustatius

Europe

Saint Helena

Worldwide

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Worldwide

Saint Lucia

Worldwide

Saint Marteen

Europe

Saint Pierre and Miquleon (Territorial Collectivity of)

Worldwide

Saint Vincent & the Grenadines

Worldwide

Samoa

South Pacific

San Marino

Worldwide

Sao Tome & Principe (Democratic Republic of)

Worldwide

Saudi Arabia

Worldwide

Senegal

Worldwide

Serbia & Montenegro

Europe

Seychelles

Worldwide

Sierra Leone

Worldwide

Singapore

Asia

Slovak Republic

Europe

Slovenia

Europe

Solomon Islands

South Pacific

Somalia

Worldwide

South Africa

Worldwide

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Worldwide

South Korea

Asia

Spain

Europe

Sri Lanka

Asia

State of the Vatican City

Europe

Sudan

Worldwide

Suriname

Worldwide

Svalbard & Jan Mayen

Worldwide

Swaziland

Worldwide

Sweden

Europe

Switzerland

Europe

Syrian Arab Republic

Worldwide

Tahiti

South Pacific

Taiwan (Province of China)

Asia

Tajikistan

Asia

Tanzania (United Republic of)

Worldwide

Thailand

Asia

Thursday Island

Domestic

Togo

Worldwide

Tokelau

South Pacific

Tonga

South Pacific

Trinidad & Tobago

Worldwide

Tunisia

Worldwide

Turkey

Europe

Turkmenistan

Asia

Turks & Caicos Islands

Worldwide

Tuvalu

South Pacific

Uganda

Worldwide

Ukraine

Europe

United Arab Emirates

Worldwide

United Kingdom

Europe

United States of America

Worldwide

United States Minor Outlying Islands

Worldwide

Uruguay

Worldwide

Uzbekistan

Asia

Vanuatu

South Pacific

Venezuela

Worldwide

Vietnam

Asia

Virgin Islands (British)

Worldwide

Virgin Islands (U.S.)

Worldwide

Wallis & Futuna Islands

South Pacific

Western Sahara

Worldwide

Yemen

Worldwide

Zambia

Worldwide

Zimbabwe

Worldwide

 

Good to know
  • Fast Cover's Travel Insurance page can give you more information on travel insurance, including quotes, comparing, buying, claims and emergencies.
  • Check Smart Traveller for the latest security updates and travel advice.
  • When considering travel insurance with any company, always read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) carefully to make sure that the policy is right for you.
  • Keep in mind that some travel insurance companies may exclude cover if you ignore travel warnings issued by the Australian Government and choose to travel to regions listed as ‘Do Not Travel’.

 

 

 

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Fast Cover - Brooke

About the author

Brooke is the Operations Manager at Fast Cover who works tirelessly to keep everything running smoothly. From coding to customer service and everything in between, is there anything Brooke can't do? A baking enthusiast in her spare time, she has elevated the humble pavlova to new gourmet heights – much to the delight of the Fast Cover team.

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