Working holiday travel insurance

If a medical emergency happens while you’re overseas, Fast Cover provides access to an Australian-based Emergency Assistance team, available 24/7. ^ 

Depending on your situation, Fast Cover’s Emergency Medical Assistance team may be able to assist you during unexpected medical emergencies overseas by: 

• Locating and arranging overseas medical treatment or hospital admission 
• Coordinating approved medical evacuation or repatriation 
• Providing guidance on accessing local medical support services 

Medical care overseas can be costly, and in some destinations, even a short hospital visit can result in large bills. With Fast Cover’s working holiday travel insurance, you may be covered for overseas emergency medical and hospital expenses if you become unexpectedly ill or injured while on your trip. ^ 

This may include reasonable medical treatment, hospitalisation costs, or related medical expenses covered under your policy that you incur during your trip and are not reimbursed elsewhere. ^ 

If you experience a serious medical emergency during your working holiday, you may need to be transported to the nearest suitable medical facility or repatriated back to Australia for treatment.  

Fast Cover’s travel insurance includes benefits for medical evacuation and repatriation when these services are approved under your policy and arranged by Fast Cover. All evacuations and repatriations must be arranged and approved by Fast Cover before they take place. ^ 

Even on a working holiday, you may have pre-paid non-refundable costs before you leave, like flights, starter accommodation, tours, or transport. If you become unexpectedly ill, injured, or experience another covered event under your policy that forces you to cancel your trip, Fast Cover’s Trip Cancellation Expenses benefit may reimburse the pre-paid non-refundable costs you’ve already paid. ^ 

At Fast Cover, you can buy travel insurance up to 12 months before your departure date, allowing you to cover pre-paid trip costs even before you book your flights or accommodation. ^  

Life on a working holiday often means moving between hostels, shared houses, job sites and new cities. If your luggage or personal items are lost, stolen or accidentally damaged during your trip, working holiday travel insurance may offer cover for eligible belongings such as laptops, phones, cameras and other valuables. ^ 

Benefit limits and sub-limits apply to individual items, and the PDS sets out the conditions for how and when cover applies. Make sure to read the PDS for full details on covered events, exclusions and the steps you must take if something happens to your belongings. ^ 

Travel delays can happen during a working holiday, especially when you’re moving between cities for weekend trips, starting a new job, or travelling during peak seasons. If your pre-booked transport is cancelled or delayed due to an event covered by your policy, Fast Cover’s Travel Delay Expenses benefit may reimburse you for reasonable additional meals and accommodation costs. ^ 

This benefit may provide up to $200 per adult traveller for every 24-hour period of delay, once your scheduled transport has been delayed by at least 6 hours due to circumstances outside your control.

If your working holiday plans include adventurous activities beyond sightseeing, Fast Cover’s Adventure Pack gives you the option to include cover for an extended list of activities, subject to the PDS. ^ 

 Examples of some activities that require the Adventure Pack include:   

• Abseiling   
• Outdoor rock climbing   
• Quad biking   
• Tandem parachuting and tandem skydiving   
• Sailing from 10 -15 nautical miles off any land mass    
• Scuba diving up to a depth of 30 m   
• Water skiing, jet skiing, and speedboating    

Conditions apply for activities under our Adventure Pack so make sure to read the PDS for full T&Cs.   

The Adventure Pack is available at an additional premium as an optional cover for Aussie travellers aged 74 and under (at the date of policy issue) when they purchase a Comprehensive, Standard Saver, Snow Sports Plus, Domestic Plus or Frequent Traveller Saver policy. ^   

For more details, visit our page on travel insurance for adventure activities.    

Getting around by scooter, moped or motorcycle is common on a working holiday, especially for commuting to work, weekend trips or travelling between regional areas. 

Fast Cover’s Motorcycle Pack is an optional extra that you can add to your travel insurance policy that may provide cover to you for being the rider or passenger on a:    

• Motorcycle,    
• Moped, or   
• Scooter. ^   

The Motorcycle Pack is available at an additional premium for Aussie travellers aged 74 years and under at the date of policy issue when they purchase an international travel insurance policy. ^   

For more details visit our page on travel insurance for riding a motorcycle overseas and read our PDS for terms and conditions of cover for the Motorcycle Pack.   

Many working holiday makers rent cars or campervans to get between towns, go on a road trip and explore regional areas. Rental vehicle insurance can include a large excess that you may need to pay if the vehicle is damaged or stolen.

If your rental vehicle is in an accident, damaged or stolen during your trip overseas, Fast Cover can, depending on the policy chosen, and on payment of additional premium provide reasonable additional cover of up to $8,000 for the rental vehicle excess component of your rental vehicle insurance with your car hire company overseas.^ 

The rental vehicle excess benefit applies to a:   

• Sedan, hatchback, or station wagon,      
• Four-wheel drive or minibus/people mover, or   
• Campervan or motorhome (up to 4.5 tonnes),    

rented from a licensed motor vehicle rental company (including vehicles rented from peer-to-peer carsharing platforms). ^   

For more details visit our page on rental vehicle excess cover and read our PDS for terms and conditions of cover for rental vehicle excess.   

Working holiday travellers often bring valuable items such as laptops, phones or cameras. If you want a higher level of cover for certain belongings, you can choose to insure them as specified high value items for an additional premium. ^

Below are some examples of items you may be able to specify as high value items. They will be specifically listed on your certificate of insurance to confirm cover.

• Phone   
• Laptop  
• Camera   

For more details visit our page on travel insurance for luggage and personal effects and read our PDS on terms and conditions of cover for luggage and personal effects.   

Are you planning to work in the snow or visit the snow during your break? Unexpected events at the snow can snowball into costly expenses. If you’re planning to ski or snowboard overseas, answer yes to ‘Skiing or Snowboarding’ during your quote application. This will give you the option to purchase a “Snow Sports Plus Policy” which can provide cover for costs associated with ski and snow sports. ^ 

Below are some examples of things that may be covered in your snow sports benefits: 

• loss or theft of, or accidental damage to snow sports equipment, 
• for hiring replacement snow sports equipment that is necessary to continue with your original itinerary if snow sports equipment owned by you has been misdirected or delayed for a period of more than 24-hours, or has been accidentally damaged, lost or stolen during your trip, 
• if you are injured or become sick during your trip and are unable to utilise the full duration of your pre-booked and pre-paid lift passes, snow sports equipment hire, or lessons, we will reimburse you the percentage amount of the unused portion for each insured person, and 
• the cost of transport and lift passes at an alternate ski resort,  

in conditions and circumstances covered under your policy and as per limits and sub limits set out in our PDS. ^  

The Snow Sports Plus policy is available at an additional premium for Aussie travellers aged 69 and under at the date of policy issue, when they purchase an international travel insurance policy. ^  

For more details visit our page on travel insurance for skiing and snowboarding and read our PDS for terms and conditions of cover for Snow Sports. 

Going on a cruise during your working holiday? If you plan to travel on a cruise ship and want cover for it, you must specify cruise cover at the time of purchase. ^ 

If you are travelling on a cruise ship and wish to be covered for it, you must specify cruise cover at the time of purchase based on your destination and length of your cruise trip: 

• If you are travelling within Australian waters, the New Zealand or the South Pacific region for 1night or more, you must specify cruise cover at the time of purchase  
• If you are travelling on a cruise within Asia, Europe or Worldwide regions for 4 nights or more, you must specify cruise cover at the time of purchase.  

By adding this option, your existing travel insurance benefits will extend to when you’re on a cruise. Adding cruise cover to your policy allows you to have cover both on board and on land, helping you stay covered throughout your entire trip. ^ 

For more details, visit our page on travel insurance for cruises and read our PDS for terms and conditions of cover for travelling on cruise ships. 

A working holiday often means extended travel with flexible plans. You might be working in one country and end up exploring many more along the way. Fast Cover’s working holiday travel insurance can provide cover for trips lasting up to 24 months, giving you flexibility to visit as many eligible countries as your itinerary allows within your chosen region. ^ 

This can be helpful if you are working in one place, but will also be taking spontaneous detours, or exploring multiple regions without needing separate policies. Choosing the right regional cover at the time of purchase ensures you are protected across all the destinations included in your policy

Adventure is often a big part of working holidays. For example, many travellers choose to go on tandem skydiving, quad biking or jet skiing adventures during their time off. These experiences are what make your working holiday more memorable, but they can also increase the risk of accidents or injury.

Fast Cover’s working holiday travel insurance can include optional extras such as the Adventure Pack, allowing you to add cover for adventure activities and tick off your bucket list. ^

Working holiday life can mean your belongings are constantly in transit between hostels, share houses, job locations, buses, flights and weekend trips. If your luggage or personal items are lost, stolen or accidentally damaged, it can be expensive and disruptive.

Depending on your policy, Fast Cover’s Luggage and Personal Effects benefit may provide cover for loss, theft or accidental damage to belongings in circumstances covered under your policy. ^

Many working holiday travellers prepay flights, initial accommodation, internal transport or tours. If you become unexpectedly ill, injured, or experience another covered event that means you need to cancel your trip before departure, you may lose those pre-paid costs.

Depending on your policy, our Trip Cancellation Expenses benefit may reimburse pre-paid non-refundable trip bookings when cancellation happens for a covered reason. ^

Working holidays often mean juggling day-to-day life overseas with work, weekend travel and new activities. If you become unexpectedly ill or injured while overseas, medical expenses can be costly. Working holiday travel insurance may help provide cover for unexpected overseas emergency medical and hospital expenses if you get sick or injured during your trip. 

For example, Fast Cover’s international policies provide medical benefits including: 

• Overseas Emergency Medical and Hospital Expenses 
• Overseas 24/7 Emergency Medical Assistance 
• Overseas Emergency Medical Evacuation and Repatriation 

Please note injuries sustained at the workplace are not covered by the policy. 

Working holiday travel plans can be affected by unexpected events like severe weather, strikes, or natural disasters that lead to transport delays, cancellations or changes to your route. Some Fast Cover policies include the Travel Delay Expenses benefit or the Trip Disruption Expenses benefit that may cover reasonable extra meals and accommodation expenses up to the limits outlined in the PDS. ^

This can be useful on a working holiday if you’re travelling between cities for work, taking short trips on your days off, or relying on connecting transport to get to your next stop.

These are only some of the situations that you might wish to consider when deciding if you need working holiday travel insurance.

Before you decide whether you need working holiday travel insurance for your trip, you should read the PDS to check what our travel insurance will and won’t cover you for, any conditions and exclusions that might apply to you and whether the policy provides the cover that you’re looking for. Any advice is general advice only and does not take into account your individual objectives, financial situation or needs. 

The best policy isn’t necessarily the most expensive one, it’s the one that matches the level of cover you want for the way you’ll travel and live overseas. If you’re comparing options, look closely at what each policy includes, such as: 

• Overseas emergency medical and hospital expenses 
• Cancellation and disruption benefits 
• Luggage and personal effects cover 

Understanding the benefits, limits and sub-limits can help you decide which policy is suitable for your working holiday. 

Fast Cover offers a range of cover levels so you can choose an option that matches your working holiday plans, whether you’re working a ski season or taking side trips to nearby countries. 

Some working holiday travellers return home temporarily for personal reasons. When comparing policies, check whether your cover stays valid if you come back to Australia for reasons that aren’t a claimable event.

Fast Cover policies allow you to return home for reasons like attending a wedding, celebrating a birthday or feeling homesick, and then resume your trip as long as you still have at least 14 days left on your policy. Your travel costs home and back may not be covered, unless you are required to return home due to emergency listed in your policy, but your policy will remain valid until the original end date shown on your Certificate of Insurance. ^

Working holidays often involve activities like skiing, high-altitude hiking, renting a car for a road trip, cruising, riding a motorcycle and more. Some activities may require optional add-ons or a policy upgrade to be covered and may have different age limits and conditions that apply.

When comparing travel insurance policies for your working holiday, check whether you can upgrade or customise your policy to include cover for the activities you plan to do.

On a longer working holiday, health and safety are important and in a medical emergency it helps to have support available. Consider whether the policy provides 24/7 overseas emergency medical assistance. This can help if you become unexpectedly sick or injured and need support locating medical care or arranging approved medical evacuation or repatriation.

With Fast Cover, you have access to our Australian-based Emergency Assistance team 24/7 if an unexpected medical emergency occurs during your trip. ^

Working holidays are often longer trips, and plans can change. Choosing travel insurance that actually covers the full length of your stay is important. When comparing policies, check how long your cover lasts, whether it includes every destination, and if you can extend your policy mid-trip if your plans change. This helps ensure your insurance truly matches the length and scope of your journey.

Fast Cover travel insurance policies can provide cover for up to 24 months (when extended and approved). ^

Working holiday travellers often take side trips or travel through multiple countries during the same trip. When comparing options, check whether the policy can cover the destinations you plan to visit. 

Fast Cover offers six regional options:  Worldwide, Europe, Asia, South Pacific, New Zealand and Domestic, so you can select the one that best matches your route. 

These are just some of the considerations that you might wish to take into account when reviewing the best working holiday travel insurance, so you know what cover is available to you before and during your trip and under what conditions. 

Before you decide on the best working holiday travel insurance for your trip, you should read the PDS to check what the policy will and won’t cover you for, any conditions and exclusions that might apply to you and whether the policy provides the cover that you’re looking for. Any advice is general advice only and does not take into account your individual objectives, financial situation or needs. 

Your travel insurance may not cover you if you are legally required to pay compensation as a result of a claim made against you for someone else’s death or injury, or for the physical loss of (or damage to) someone else’s property, and this occurs while you are conducting a business, profession, or trade.

If you become injured while breaking the law, there are various conditions and exclusions that may apply which means you may not be covered. For example, this may include riding a motorcycle without the required helmet, or while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Remember that possession of certain drugs and prohibited substances is illegal and different countries will have different laws. Using drugs or prohibited substances or selling them can land you in trouble with the law overseas.

Whilst it may not be illegal to have a drink overseas, alcohol consumption laws vary from country to country, and between regions within some countries.

Make sure to research your travel destinations and follow the local laws. Keep in mind that if you’ve drunk alcohol excessively, there are certain exclusions that may likely apply to your travel insurance policy. As an example, if you’re under the influence of alcohol and you stumble and hurt yourself, you may not have cover under your policy.

Certain drugs are illegal in some countries, and you may not be covered by your travel insurance policy when you’ve consumed drugs or been involved in drug related activities.

If you’re injured in an accident while, for example, riding a motorcycle, and you didn’t add the Motorcycle Pack to your travel insurance policy, you may be responsible for paying your medical and hospital expenses because you did not choose to include cover for that under your policy.

It is important to think about what activities you will be participating in so that you have the right cover for the activities you plan to do overseas.

If your belongings are stolen while unattended or unsupervised, you may not be able to claim for the stolen item. For example: If you leave your bag with your wallet and passport inside it on the beach while you go for a swim, this may be considered leaving your belongings unattended, in which case you may not be covered.

Make sure you keep your belongings with you at all times or keep them in a secure location or take reasonable measures to secure them at all times and at all places.

There are exclusions that may apply for regular or routine check-ups or filling regular prescriptions as they are not considered medical emergencies. If you require regular medication, bring enough of what you’ll need for your holiday overseas before you leave Australia.

Should the Australian Government release a warning on official government Smartraveller website that certain areas overseas are no longer safe to travel to and you still choose to travel there anyway, there may be exclusions that will apply such as if you do not follow advice in the mass media where a travel advisory risk rating of Do Not Travel was issued after policy purchase.  

Note: We are unable to offer travel insurance to international destinations that have a Do Not Travel warning on official government Smartraveller website. To check which countries we may cover, enter your destination country in the quote box on our website.

Known events are usually considered as serious situations, from natural disasters like earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, to disease outbreaks, which can affect your holiday plans and also the cover on your overseas travel insurance policy.  

If you buy your travel insurance after an event is a known event, the cover on your policy may be affected. You should check for any Travel Alerts that may have been issued for your overseas travel destination as well as information on the official government Smartraveller website so you know where you stand with regards to the cover that you will have on your working holiday travel insurance policy.  

Perhaps your working holiday doesn’t turn out the way you hoped, for example, accommodation isn’t what you expected, the weather affects your plans, or an experience is underwhelming. Whatever the reason you’re unhappy with how your trip has shaped up, your travel insurance policy is not intended to compensate you because you didn’t enjoy your time there.