what is travel insurance south africa

Top Travel Insurances for South Africa You Should Know in 2024

Byron Mühlberg

Monito's Managing Editor, Byron has spent several years writing extensively about financial- and migration-related topics.

Links on this page, including products and brands featured on ‘Sponsored’ content, may earn us an affiliate commission. This does not affect the opinions and recommendations of our editors.

At the very bottom of Africa, South Africa is a famous tourist destination that's known for its diverse landscapes, Table Mountain, the Kruger National Park with its Big Five, and rich cultural heritage such as traditional music and dance. Although travelling to South Africa can be an accessible holiday destination for many people, out-the-pocket healthcare costs in the country tend to be expensive, so it's a very good idea to arrive there with travel insurance under your belt.

Luckily, online global insurances (known as 'insurtechs') specialize in cost-savvy travel insurance to South Africa and other countries worldwide. Our list below explores the four services we believe provide the best deals for young travellers, adventurers, everyday holidaymakers looking for comprehensive but affordable coverage, and longer-term expats.

South Africa Insurance Profile

Here are a few of the many factors influencing the scope and cost of travel insurances for South Africa:

Best Travel Insurances for South Africa

• 01. Should I get travel insurance for South Africa? scroll down
• 02. Best medical coverage: VisitorsCoverage scroll down
• 03. Best trip insurance: Insured Nomads scroll down
• 04. Best mix for youth and digitial nomads: SafetyWing scroll down
• 05. FAQ about travel insurance to South Africa scroll down

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Do I Need Travel Insurance for South Africa?

No, there's currently no legal requirement to take out travel insurance for travel to or through South Africa.

However, regardless of whether or not it's legally required, it's always a good idea to take our health insurance before you travel — whether to SA or anywhere else. For what's usually an affordable cost , taking out travel insurance will mitigate most or all of the risk of financial damage if you run into any unexpected troubles during your trip abroad. Take a look at the top five reasons to get travel insurance to learn more.

With that said, here are the top three travel insurances for South Africa:

VisitorsCoverage: Best Medical Coverage

Among the internet's best-known insurance platforms,  VisitorsCoverage  is a pioneering Silicon Valley insurtech company that offers comprehensive medical coverage for travellers going abroad to South Africa. It lets you choose between various plans tailored to meet the specific needs of your trip to South Africa, including coverage for medical emergencies, trip cancellations, and travel disruptions. With its easy online purchase process and 24/7 live chat support, VisitorsCoverage is a reliable and convenient option if you want good value and peace of mind while travelling abroad.

• Coverage 9.0
• Quality of Service 9.0
• Pricing 7.6
• Credibility 9.5

VisitorsCoverage offers a large variety of policies and depending on your needs and preferences, you'll need to compare and explore their full catalogue of plans for yourself. However, we've chosen a few highlights for their travel insurance for South Africa:

• Policy names: Varies
• Medical coverage: Very good. Includes coverage for doctor and hospital visits, pre-existing conditions, repatriation, mental health-related conditions, and many others.
• Trip coverage: Excellent - but only available for US residents.
• Customer support: FAQ, live chat and phone support
• Pricing range: USD 25 to USD 150 /traveller /month
• Insurance underwriter: Lloyd's, Petersen, and others
• Best for: Value for money and overall medical coverage

Insured Nomads: Best Trip Coverage

Insured Nomads is another very good travel insurance option, especially if you're adventurous or frequently on the go and are looking for solid trip insurance with some coverage for medical incidents too. With Insured Nomads, you can choose the level of protection that best suits your needs and enjoy a wide range of benefits, including 24/7 assistance, coverage for risky activities and adventure sports, and the ability to add or remove coverage as needed. In addition, Insured Nomads has a reputation for providing fast and efficient claims service, making it an excellent choice if you want peace of mind while exploring the world.

• Coverage 7.8
• Quality of Service 8.5
• Pricing 7.4
• Credibility 8.8

Insured Nomads offers three travel insurance policies depending on your needs and preferences. We go through them below:

• Policy names: World Explorer, World Explorer Multi, World Explorer Guardian
• Medical coverage: Good. Includes coverage for doctor and hospital visits, pre-existing conditions, repatriation, and many others.
• Trip coverage: Good. Includes coverage for trip cancellation and interruption, lost or stolen luggage (with limits), adventure and sports activities, and many others.
• Customer support: FAQ, live chat, phone support
• Pricing range: USD 80 to USD 420 /traveller /month
• Insurance underwriter: David Shield Insurance Company Ltd.
• Best for: Adventure seekers wanting comprehensive trip insurance

SafetyWing: Best Combination For Youth

SafetyWing is a good insurance option for younger travellers or digital nomads because it offers flexible but comprehensive coverage at a famously affordable price. With SafetyWing, you can enjoy peace of mind knowing you're covered for unexpected medical expenses, trip cancellations, lost or stolen luggage, and more. In addition, SafetyWing's user-friendly website lets you manage your policy, file a claim, and access 24/7 assistance from anywhere in the world, and, unlike VisitorsCoverage, you can even purchase a policy retroactively (e.g. during a holiday)!

• Coverage 7.0
• Quality of Service 8.0
• Pricing 6.3
• Credibility 7.3

SafetyWing offers two travel insurance policies depending on your needs and preferences, which we've highlighted below:

• Policy names: Nomad Insurance, Remote Health
• Medical coverage: Decent. Includes coverage for doctor and hospital visits, repatriation, and many others.
• Trip coverage: Decent. Includes attractive coverage for lost or stolen belongings, adventure and sports activities, transport cancellation, and many others.
• Pricing range: USD 45 to USD 160 /traveller /month
• Insurance underwriter: Tokyo Marine HCC
• Best for: Digital nomads, youth, long-term travellers

How Do They Compare?

Interested to see how VisitorsCoverage, SafetyWing, and Insured Nomads compare as travel insurances to South Africa? Take a look at the side-by-side chart below:

Data correct as of 4/1/2024

FAQ About Travel Insurance to SA

Travel insurance typically covers trip cancellation, trip interruption, lost or stolen luggage, travel delay, and emergency evacuation. Some travel insurance packages also cover medical-related incidents too. However, remember that the exact coverage depends on the insurance policy.

No, you'll not be required to take out travel insurance for South Africa. However, we strongly encourage you to do so anyway, because the cost of healthcare in South Africa can be high, and taking out travel insurance will mitigate some or all of the risk of covering those costs yourself if you need medical attention during your stay.

Yes, medical travel insurance is almost always worth it, and we recommend taking out travel insurance whenever visiting a foreign country. Taking out travel insurance will mitigate some or all of the risk of covering those costs yourself in case you need medical attention during your stay. In general, we recommend VisitorsCoverage to travellers worldwide because it offers excellent value for money and well-rounded travel and medical benefits in its large catalogue of plans.

Health insurance doesn't cover normal holiday expenses, such as coverage for missed flights and hotels, but in case you run into medical trouble while abroad, it may cover some or all of your doctor or hospital expenses while overseas. However, not all health insurance providers and plans offer coverage to customers while abroad, and that's why it's generally best to take out travel insurance whenever you travel.

Although there's overlap, health and travel insurance are not exactly the same. Health insurance covers some or all of the cost of medical expenses (e.g. emergency treatment, doctor's visits, etc.) while travel insurance covers non-medical costs that are commonly associated with travelling (e.g. coverage for missed flights, stolen or lost personal belongings, etc.).

The cost of travel insurance depends on several factors, such as the length of the trip, the destination, the age of the traveller, and the level of coverage desired. On average, travel insurance can cost anywhere between 3% and 10% of the total cost of the trip.

A single-trip travel insurance policy covers a specific trip, while an annual one covers multiple trips taken within a one-year period. An annual policy may be more cost-effective for frequent travellers.

Yes, you can sometimes purchase travel insurance after starting your trip, but it is best to buy it before the trip begins to ensure maximum coverage. If you do need to buy insurance after you've started your trip, we recommend VisitorsCoverage , which offers a wide catalogue of online trip and medical insurance policies, most of which can be booked with immediate effect. Check out our guide to buying travel insurance late to learn more.

Yes, you can most certainly purchase travel insurance for a trip that has already been booked, although we recommend purchasing insurance as soon as possible aftwerwards to ensure all coverage is in place before your journey begins. Check out our guide to buying travel insurance late to learn more.

See Our Other Travel Insurance Guides

Looking for Travel Insurance to Another Country?

See our recommendations for travel insurance to other countries worldwide:

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YOUR ONLINE TRAVEL INSURANCE IN SOUTH AFRICA

Discover our travel insurance products and select the coverages that best suits your needs.,   travel schengen  .

Our Schengen Travel insurance is the perfect insurance to obtain your Schengen Visa. Buy it online starting from R 147** with AGCS SA and get the Schengen visa you need to visit Europe.

From R 147*

  travel global  .

Our travel insurance protects you and your family while you are travelling abroad. Compare our products now and select the level of coverages that best suits your needs.

From R 233**

  annual multi trip  .

Our annual multi-trip  products cover you for all of your trips below 92 days within a year. This is the best cost-effective travel insurance if you are a frequent traveller. Buy once and get covered for a full year.

From R 1887***

  sport covers  .

AT AGCS SA, we know travelling is about experiences and we want you to be covered when you are taking this extra risk that will make the difference. Our Sport cover accompanies you a step further !

From R 582****

  travelsmart app  .

Our TravelSmart app is the perfect travel companion. It provides assistance service while you are abroad. You can use it to locate assistance service such as hospitals or embassies or translate medical terms.

Free for all

* Schengen Travel - Price based on a 30 year old travelling up to 3 days within a Schengen Destination.

**Travel Standard - Price based on a 30 year old travelling up to 3 days within Worldwide excluding USA & Canada geographical zone.

***Travel Schengen Annual multi-trip  - Price based on a 30 year travelling to the Schengen space

****Travel Standard with Sport Cover - Price based on a 30 year old travelling up to 3 days within Worldwide excluding USA & Canada geographical zone

For more information about our optional products prices please refer to the products page.

Terms and conditions apply to all policies and pre-existing medical conditions are not covered  within any products.

5 Reasons Why You Need Travel Insurance That You May Not Have Thought Of

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a policy cost.

Prices vary depending on the policy type, duration of the trip, where you are travelling to, the age and number of people travelling and whether any options are required.

To find out how much a policy costs:

• Click "Get A Quote"
• Choose the policy type (single trip or annual trip)
• Add any options you require (Winter sports, Hazardous activities, Terrorism cover)
• Enter the dates and destination of the trip you require
• Enter details of the persons requiring cover
• Click 'Submit'

How can I buy a policy?

How do i know that buying my policy online is secure, what if i change my mind about buying the policy.

If your cover does not meet your requirements, please notify us before the date of departure or maximum 30 days after the purchase date of your insurance as stated on the certificate of insurance. We will not refund any premium is you have already travelled or claimed

Schengen cover Premium refunds are only considered for single trip cover, when you are either unable to obtain the necessary visas or the policy does not meet your requirements. Please notify the issuing agent within 48 hours of receiving your policy schedule or start date of the policy whichever is the earlier and return all your documents to them for a refund of your premium.

Contact us by telephone: +971 4 270 8705 email at: [email protected]

Can I buy Allianz Travel insurance if I am not a resident of South Africa?

Does it matter who i book my travel arrangements through, does allianz travel offer an annual multi-trip policy, is there an age limit on the travel insurance policy, when does cover begin and end, what is the maximum trip length, if i return home early do i get a refund of my premium, are there any exclusions to the policy, am i covered for any existing medical conditions.

The policy does not cover claims relating directly or indirectly to any existing medical conditions, if you or anyone to be insured has at the time of taking out this insurance or booking your journey (whichever is the later):

• Been prescribed regular medication
• Received treatment or had a consultation with a doctor or hospital specialist for any medical conditions in the past 6 months
• Been referred to, treated by or are currently under the care of a doctor or a hospital specialist
• Been diagnosed as having a terminal illness

Please click here  to read the Health Declaration for more information.

Am I covered for skiing or other adventure activities?

Am i covered for loss of cash, how do i get my insurance documents, can i purchase a policy if i have already started my journey, if i have any queries, who do i contact, can i still claim even if i don't have receipts for all my personal possessions, who do i contact in the event of a medical emergency, who do i contact to make a claim, how am i ever going to remember all these different contact numbers.

The Travel Insurance Experts

When you are insured with AGCS SA, you have access to a global network of travel experts.  Our travel insurance underwriters have a vast amount of experience and local knowledge about the destinations, cultures and risks of many different countries. This means that we can design a comprehensive cover for your specific needs while understanding the unique challenges faced by people traveling to more remote or exotic locations around the world.

How can we help?

Millions of people rely on us! With 1 intervention every 2 seconds, Allianz is the worldwide leader in travel Insurance and assistance services. Winter Sports, Hazardous Activities, Single trip or Annual cover: We are here for you 24/7.

  Terms & Conditions apply.  

Travel Insurance in South Africa: Everything You Need to Know

Travelling is an exciting experience, but it comes with its own set of risks and uncertainties. Whether it is a domestic or international trip, unexpected events such as medical emergencies, lost luggage or trip cancellations can occur, causing significant financial losses. This is where travel insurance comes in handy. In South Africa, several travel insurance providers offer a range of policies to cater to different types of travellers.

Allianz Travel, for instance, has a global network of travel experts with vast experience and local knowledge about the destinations, cultures, and risks of many different countries. Old Mutual Insure’s Travelsure is an affordable travel insurance policy covering lost luggage, cancelled flights, and unexpected medical expenses for travellers. Travel Insurance Consultants (TIC) provides travel insurance coverage for individual leisure and business travellers and corporate travellers through a large distribution of travel agents, brokers, banks, medical schemes, and affinity groups.

Choosing a travel insurance policy that suits one’s specific needs and requirements is essential. Hippo.co.za is a platform that helps travellers find the right travel insurance policy by comparing quotes from different providers. With the current travel landscape, Hollard is proud to lead the way as the first insurance provider in South Africa to launch COVID-19 travel insurance and Cancel for Any Reason benefits. As such, it is advisable to read the policy documents carefully and understand what is covered and what is not before purchasing a travel insurance policy.

Understanding Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is a policy that provides coverage for unforeseen losses while travelling, both domestically and internationally. Travel insurance covers medical emergencies, trip cancellations, interruptions, delays, medical evacuation, and lost, damaged, or stolen luggage.

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A travel insurance policy can be purchased for a single trip or as an annual one, covering multiple trips throughout the year. The cost of travel insurance varies depending on the coverage level, the trip length, and the destination.

Understanding what a travel insurance policy covers before purchasing it is important. Some policies may have exclusions or limitations that may affect the coverage. For example, pre-existing medical conditions may not be covered or require an additional premium. It is important to read the policy carefully and ask questions if anything is unclear.

Travel insurance covers various aspects of a trip, including:

• Medical Emergencies: This covers the cost of medical treatment if a traveller falls ill or gets injured while travelling. It may also cover emergency medical evacuation if necessary.
• Trip Cancellation and Interruption: This covers the cost of cancelling or interrupting a trip due to unforeseen circumstances such as illness, injury, or death of a family member.
• Delayed or Missed Flights: This covers additional expenses incurred due to delayed or missed flights, such as accommodation and meals.
• Lost, Damaged, or Stolen Luggage: This covers the cost of lost, damaged, or stolen luggage or personal belongings.

In conclusion, travel insurance is essential to any trip, providing peace of mind and protection from unforeseen circumstances. It is important to understand the policy’s coverage before purchasing it and to ask questions if anything is unclear.

Why Travel Insurance is Vital for South Africa

Travelling is an exciting and enriching experience but can also be unpredictable. Travel insurance is essential to protect you from unexpected events and provide peace of mind during your trip. This is especially true when travelling to South Africa, where certain risks are more prevalent.

Emergency Medical Care

South Africa has a high crime rate and many health risks, including infectious diseases such as malaria and HIV/AIDS. The country’s healthcare system is also of variable quality, with some facilities lacking the necessary resources to provide adequate care. In a medical emergency, travel insurance can provide access to quality medical care and cover treatment and hospitalisation costs.

Theft and Loss of Baggage

Theft and loss of baggage are common occurrences when travelling, and South Africa is no exception. The country’s major airports and tourist destinations are known for their high incidence of theft and pickpocketing. Travel insurance can provide coverage for lost or stolen baggage and personal items and reimburse you for any expenses incurred due to the loss.

Holiday Cancellation and Interruption

Holiday cancellation and interruption can be a significant financial burden, especially when travelling to South Africa. The country is known for its unpredictable weather patterns, which can cause flight cancellations and delays. Additionally, political unrest and civil disturbances can also disrupt travel plans. Travel insurance can cover these unforeseen events and reimburse you for any expenses incurred due to the cancellation or interruption of your trip.

In summary, travel insurance is vital when travelling to South Africa. It can cover emergency medical care, theft and loss of baggage, and holiday cancellation and interruption. By purchasing travel insurance, you can protect yourself from unexpected events and enjoy your trip with peace of mind.

Types of Travel Insurance in South Africa

Travel insurance in South Africa offers various coverage options to protect travellers from unexpected losses while travelling. Here are some of the most common types of travel insurance available in South Africa:

Medical Travel Insurance

Medical travel insurance is designed to cover the costs of medical emergencies while travelling, such as hospitalisation, doctor’s visits, and emergency medical evacuation. This type of insurance is essential when travelling to countries with high medical costs or limited medical facilities.

Business Travel Insurance

Business travel insurance is designed to cover business travellers for unexpected events that may occur during their trip, such as trip cancellation, lost or stolen baggage, and medical expenses. This type of insurance is ideal for frequent business travellers who must protect their investments and ensure their business trips go smoothly.

Schengen Travel Insurance

Schengen travel insurance is mandatory for travellers visiting the Schengen area of Europe. This insurance covers medical emergencies, repatriation, and emergency medical evacuation. It is important to note that Schengen travel insurance must meet certain minimum coverage requirements to be valid.

Cancellation and Curtailment Insurance

Cancellation and curtailment insurance covers unexpected events that may cause a traveller to cancel or cut short their trip, such as illness, injury, or death of a close family member. This insurance also covers rearranging travel plans and returning home early.

In conclusion, travel insurance in South Africa offers a range of coverage options to protect travellers from unexpected losses while travelling. Choosing the right type of insurance based on your needs and travel plans is important.

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Travel Insurance

No matter where you travel in the world, you are always just a call away from the help you need. Traveling without travel insurance, opens you up to the risk of crippling medical expenses. TIC is South Africa’s largest travel insurance company and offer a wide range of products to cater for all travel requirements including:

- Worldwide 24-hour emergency assistance - International journey cancellation - Emergency medical cover as a result of COVID-19 - Pre-existing illness cover for travelers up to the age of 69 - Lost luggage, cash or documents (reported within 48 hours) - Children up to the age of 21 can share with parents free of charge

If you are in an accident or become ill during your trip you will enjoy the expert medical care and travel assistance you need. Make sure that you are covered while traveling so that you can have peace of mind on your holiday!

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Details of cover

Your chubb travel insurance cover, your chubb travel insurance cover.

Chubb Travel Insurance provides a range of comprehensive travel insurance products that cover single and annual multi-trips, shielding you from travel-related emergencies and disruptions. But Chubb’s cover includes so much more than just medical insurance.

Here’s what you can expect from our Travel Insurance cover:

PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS:

• Worldwide cover 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (excluding Cuba and sanctioned territories)
• Unlimited cover for emergency medical and related expenses
• Top-up cover for existing travel insurance provided by your credit card
• Cover for single or annual multi-trips
• Compliance with all visa requirements
• Up to 90 days of travel cover for single trips
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• Travel cover for individuals and families (aged 6 months to 69 years), as well as seniors (70-79 years of age)

Please note that there are limits on each of our travel insurance products.

STANDARD COVER INCLUDES:

• Medical and related expenses, including evacuation and repatriation
• Specified pre-existing medical conditions automatically covered
• Repatriation
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• Senior Cover
• Travel Top-Up

The following table summarises the benefits of the various Chubb Travel Insurance policies. Please refer to the Chubb Leisure Travel Insurance Policy for more details.

Your destination:

Single trip, annual multi-trip, credit card top up, what is covered by:, emergency medical & related expenses.

A. i. Medical Expenses &

ii. Emergency Repatriation Expenses

B. Accompanying Traveller Expenses

C. Cremation, Burial or Transportation Charges

D. Emergency Dental Treatment

E. Pre-Existing Medical Condition Extension (age <55)

F. Pre-Existing Medical Condition Extension (age 55-69)

Actual Expenses

R40,000,000

Personal Accident

Accidental Death

Accidental Death – scheduled commercial flight additional benefit

Permanent Total Disability

Cancellation, Curtailment and Disruption

A. Loss, damage or theft

Single item limit

Valuables limit in total

B. Delayed Baggage after 6 hours

Personal Liability

R25,000,000

R10,000,000

Overseas Legal Expenses

Hijack or kidnap and wrongful detention, optional add-on: winter sports.

A. Section 1A. Medical & Repatriation Expenses limited to R1,000,000

B. Section 2. Personal Accident is excluded

Optional add-on: Hazardous Activities

A.Section 1A. Medical & Repatriation Expenses limited to R1,000,000

Optional add-on: Sports Equipment

Optional add-on: rental vehicle collision damage waiver.

E. Pre-Existing Medical Condition Extension (age &lt55)

Winter Sports

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Chubb Travel Insurance is issued and underwritten by Chubb Insurance South Africa Limited, a (Re)Insurer licensed to conduct non-life insurance and reinsurance business. Chubb is an authorised Financial Services Provider (FSP: 27176). The policy wording will take precedence over all the guidance contained in the website and in all instances the terms and conditions of the policy wording apply. Chubb only provides general guidance and does not consider your objectives, financial situation or needs; therefore this guidance cannot be considered as financial advice. Chubb can be contacted on 0800 467 467 or e-mailed at  [email protected] .

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Buy International Travel Insurance Online – South Africa

It is easy to get an instant quote and buy travel insurance online with our step-by-step quotation and purchase facility. It is safe, secure, and fully underwritten by Genric Insurance Company (Ltd) to give you peace of mind. Enjoy traveling knowing you are well covered for any medical emergency.

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See our selections of cover for South African residents travelling internationally.

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A guide to purchasing the best and most suitable cover fit for where you are traveling at the best price.

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Holidays should be a time to relax, not worry.

Holidays should be a time for relaxation, not for worrying about getting stranded or having to pay for expensive medical treatment abroad. The last thing you need is to be burdened with financial losses arising from a medical emergency, trip cancellation or delays and lost luggage while traveling. Travel Insurance Consultants (TIC) is the largest travel insurer in Southern Africa, with a market share exceeding 50%, offering comprehensive insurance solutions for local and international travel.

The extra mile for you

Experience and expertise.

We have over 30 years of experience and offer a wide range of tailor-made products that make us the preferred travel insurance provider for Southern African travellers.

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We offer worldwide 24/7 emergency assistance. Ensuring that, wherever you are in the world, whatever time it is, you’re never alone when you need medical assistance.

Travel insurance for a wide range of events

We also cover repatriation and evacuation, accidental death or disablement, personal liability, hijack hostage and wrongful arrest incidents.

Why you need travel insurance

You may be thinking, “I don’t need extra travel insurance. I have free cover through my credit card.” But, the fact is that most complimentary insurance products only provide a limited amount of cover for medical expenses and losses such as damaged or lost luggage. With the declining rand value, the cost of medical treatment and evacuation for an overseas medical emergency can bankrupt you. That’s why it’s important to ensure you have comprehensive cover.

TIC offers a wide range of products to cater for all travel requirements

Range of products:.

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Our products include important benefits such as:

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How soon before my trip should I buy travel insurance?

Travel insurance must be obtained before you embark on your journey. You can purchase travel insurance up to 12 months before you travel, however the journey cancellation benefit is only effective six months prior to your departure.

Do I have to start and finish my trip in my country of residence?

It is necessary, unless you are buying our Emigration product, but then you must be travelling from South Africa.

I am going overseas for over a year. Will TIC cover me?

365 days is the maximum period you can purchase cover for.

Will TIC cover local domestic travel?

TIC’s Local Travel Insurance cover is suited to South African residents travelling within South Africa.

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Travel insurance is security that protects against dangers and financial losses that could happen while travelling. The risks range from small inconveniences, like missing a flight link or having your luggage arrive late, to more serious problems, like getting hurt or getting sick.

Depending on the policy you choose, travel insurance can pay for a wide range of harms and losses, including:

Getting hurt or sick

Travel insurance can help protect you from medical costs that your regular health insurance will not cover while you are travelling. Most health insurance plans do not cover you fully in foreign countries, and some plans, like Medicare, do not cover you at all. Travel insurance works on top of your regular health insurance. If you get sick or hurt before or during your trip, it can help cover some of the costs.

Travel insurance can help pay for costs that come up because your stuff was lost or stolen. This is especially helpful if your bags get lost by a flight, since it can be hard to get them to pay for lost luggage. But in order to get the highest amounts, people must show receipts that show how much their lost bags and their items were worth. And some companies say you have to make the claim within 21 days.

Last-minute cancellations

Travel insurance can help pay for costs that come up if you have to cancel your trip. Most resorts and ship lines will not give you your money back in full if you have to cancel. If you cancel your trip more than two weeks before it starts, most places will charge you a cancellation fee. Many cruise lines will only give you a 25% refund or credit towards another ship. Most companies will not give you any money back if you cancel a trip less than two weeks before it starts. Unexpected things happen, so you want to be ready for anything.

Insurance that goes beyond your credit card

Some credit cards only cover a certain number of cancellations and interruptions per year and have other limits if they cover cancellations and interruptions at all. But few credit cards cover the most expensive travel risks, like hospital bills or emergency evacuations, which can be paid for by travel insurance.

READ more about Health Insurance for Travel in South Africa

What your trip insurance may not pay for

Even though there are many reasons to buy travel insurance, it is important to know that some things may not be covered. If you already have a health problem, look for a plan that lets you get out of paying for it. If you are going to a place where there is political unrest, check to see what your insurance covers if you need to stop your trip because of the problems. Some situations where a tour company goes out of business because of money problems are covered by travel insurance. Find out how that works before you book your trip.

What kind of trip insurance should you buy?

Before you look into travel insurance, you should think about why you might have to stop your trip. Will a weather-related delay drastically change your vacation? Is it possible that your school year will get longer or that you will have to go on a job trip instead? Are there wars happening in the country you are going to?  All of these are good reasons to cancel a trip or ask for insurance. But these things are not covered by all trip insurance.

Insurance you can cancel for any reason:

When you buy this insurance, if you get a hangnail and want to quit, you can. Most of the time, the insurance company does not need a reason. They only need you to cancel within the time limit, which is usually between 48 and 72 hours before you leave.

You will give up ease for a smaller amount of reimbursement. With cancel for any reason protection, you can get around 70% of your non-refundable, pre-paid trip costs back without giving a reason. You can sometimes buy this on its own or as an add-on to a more complete insurance.

Comprehensive trip insurance:

When most people think of trip insurance, this is the protection that comes to mind. The all-inclusive insurance typically covers delays, cancellations because of illness or death, lost luggage, and some medical costs for emergencies. Just read the small print to find out what it covers.

Making changes to your trip insurance

Within a certain amount of time after buying the insurance, if you find it does not meet your needs, you can get a full refund (maybe minus a small administrative fee). This gives you time to read the material carefully and make sure it gives you what you need. Most of the time, it takes 10 to 15 days. If you need to make a claim, it is best to know what the insurance covers and how claims work ahead of time, if possible.

When you book a trip that costs a lot, look into insurance at the same time. Some plans require you to buy travel insurance within a certain amount of time after making your first trip payment, like within 10 to 30 days.

Why You Need Travel Insurance

When planning a trip to a faraway place, it can be easy to forget about the risks. But if you do not have insurance, a small problem like getting sick or missing your flight could cost you everything.

If you do not have insurance, it could cost you a lot. So, you should get travel insurance before you book that trip.

Here are some very good reasons to buy trip insurance.

• Cancel for any reason rules let you cancel your trip for any reason, even if you have been planning it for a long time. You will get all of your money back if you have to cancel.
• Many plans also cover trip interruption, which means that you can get some of the money you spent on your trip back if you have to cut it short for a reason that is covered.
• A loss of baggage covering can help you get new things if yours are lost or stolen while you are travelling. This protection is often part of a full-coverage travel insurance policy.
• If you get sick or hurt while travelling, travel medical insurance will help you pay for your medical care. You do not want to miss out on this. Most of the time, your home insurance contract may not cover you when you vacation. If you get hurt while travelling, travel medical insurance can help pay for the cost of getting you back home or getting you treated in the country you are visiting. You can get policies that are designed to cover only rare events, or you can get policies that are made for digital nomads that help with everyday care.
• If your flight is delayed, cancelled, or you miss it, travel delay insurance can help you pay for the costs. Usually, a trip delay policy will pay for meals, lodging, transportation, and other costs that come up because of the wait. If you miss your flight or your link and do not have travel delay insurance, you may lose the money you paid to book your trips.
• We live in a new time when having cover for pandemics is not only smart, but necessary. Health advice changes, which could cause a trip to be cut short. Many countries now require you to have COVID-19 coverage to pay for any costs that might come up if you have to stay longer than planned. It is best to learn ahead of time what you need to travel, and then have a second plan in case something goes wrong.

Travelling can be fun, but you need to be ready for things that could go wrong. A travel insurance package can help you avoid unexpected costs and make your trip more enjoyable.

The best travel insurance will cover everything, from lost luggage to medical problems. Before you buy a policy, make sure to shop around and read the fine print.

1. Hollard Travel Medical Insurance

Hollard is large, privately owned local insurer that provides travel medical insurance with the bonus that children are insured for free. The offer group discounts and cover the following:

• Any of 31 pre-existing medical conditions.
• Over 100 sports and activities
• Cruise travel
• Medical emergencies
• Trip cancellations
• Late flights
• Missed connections
• Theft or damage to belongings
• Legal liability
• Poor weather
• Delayed luggage
• Accidental death
• Permanent disability
• Repatriation of mortal remains
• Unexpected terrorist attacks

2. ABSA Travel Insurance

ABSA also offers automatic, basic coverage for people who buy plane tickets with their ABSA credit cards. To get full protection, you can order a “top-up” cover that will also cover the following:

• Trips up to 184 days long
• Hazardous activities
• Pre-existing medical conditions
• Personal accidents
• Baggage loss or theft
• Legal expenses
• Wrongful detention
• Loss of money
• Loss of passport
• Clients between the ages of 70 and 74 years can opt for a special package that is even more comprehensive.

3. AIG Travel Insurance

Although AIG is a US-based insurance company, it has been operating in South Africa for about fifty years. They offer several different travel packages of which the most basic ones cover the following:

• Trip cancellation
• Trip interruption
• Baggage loss or delay
• Pre-existing conditions
• Medical evacuations
• Car rentals
• 24-hour assistance

The more expensive Deluxe packages include options like pet insurance, security evacuation and dental emergencies.

4. Standard Bank Travel Insurance

If you have a Standard Bank credit, VISA or cheque card, you will get automatic but limited travel insurance for up to 90 days if you pay your trip with the card. Or, you can buy extra travel medical insurance to enjoy full coverage.

Here’s what Standard Bank travel medical insurance will pay out for:

• Trips lasting up to 180 days
• Medical emergencies, including those caused by acts of terrorism
• Death or permanent total disability
• Visit by a family member during an emergency
• Return of stranded child or travel companion
• Baggage delay
• Travel delay
• Legal fees to third parties

Standard Bank is known that it provides excellent help for a medical emergency or if a client becomes stranded in a foreign country.

5. Allianz Travel Insurance

Allianz offers travel medical insurance plus risk consultancy to a clients across many countries. They have a range of unique travel medical insurance policies, including one that is tailored for travellers who want to travel in Europe’s Schengen region and one for travellers who will be enjoying winter sports at their destination.

Here’s what Allianz Travel Insurance’s popular Single Trip Travel Insurance will cover:

• Trip cancellations, delay or curtailment
• Emergency medical expenses
• Emergency medical evacuation
• Dental expenses
• Hospital cash
• Emergency family travel
• Loss of personal money
• Baggage delay and loss
• Personal accident or disability
• Permanent total disablement
• Missed departure
• Personal liability

The company is known to provide highly comprehensive coverage and specialised insurance packages that are exclusively tailored for unique situations.

READ more about 5 Best Medical Insurance for International Travel in South Africa revealed

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does travel insurance to south africa cost.

Comprehensive Travel Medical Insurance South Africa can start from about R40 per day.

What is the meaning of travel insurance?

Travel insurance is designed to cover financial losses that could happen while traveling. The risks range from minor problems such as missed airline connections and delayed luggage to more serious issues including injuries or major illnesses.

Why do you need travel insurance?

Travel insurance protects your money if something goes wrong while you are moving or on vacation. It covers a wide range of things, from losing your bags to paying for medical care if you get sick or hurt.

What is included in travel insurance?

Travel Insurance covers different types of risks while travelling like unforeseen medical expenses, lost luggage, flight cancellations, and other losses that a traveller can incur.

Do you get travel insurance when you pay with credit card?

Yes, you get complimentary travel insurance when you pay your travel tickets with a Visa Platinum, Visa Signature, Visa Infinite, Visa Platinum Business and Visa Signature Business premium card.

When should you buy your travel insurance?

In general, you should buy coverage any time before the date your trip starts but it is always best to buy coverage as soon as you make your reservations.

You might also like to read more about the 5 Best Medical Aids for Foreigners Living in SA

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What is Travel Insurance and how do I get one in South Africa?

In This Article

What is an excess – Travel Insurance

When it comes to travelling, an excess fee in travel insurance is the money you pay towards any claim that you make on your insurance policy. The remaining amount will be paid by your insurance company.

An excess fee will be written on your insurance policy. If you are not sure about the amount that you need to pay, please contact your insurer in order to avoid some misunderstandings.

Why do you pay an excess?

When you sign up to a travel insurance that comes with an excess option, you will pay lower monthly premiums. This is not different from excess fees for car insurance. There are so many travel insurance companies with zero excess options. However, this means that your premiums will more higher than normal.

Types of Travel Insurance Excess

There are two main types of travel insurance excess and they are:

• Voluntary excess – this is an excess chosen by you. You can decide if you want a higher or a lower excess. If you choose a higher access this means your premium will be low.
• Standard excess – this is the amount set by your insurance company. You will need to pay this amount towards any claim on your insurance policy.

How to save with a variable excess

The better way to save is by choosing a voluntary excess. You can increase the excess fee so that your premiums will be lower. This will also help in terms of planning your budget well and it is affordable. However, in an event of any claim, you will be required to pay a higher excess. If you don’t have the stipulated amount to pay towards your claim, your insurer won’t be able to help.

Benefits of Comparing Excess Fees

The excess is one of the first things that you must look at when comparing travel insurance policies. This will help you save money. For example, if you are paying premiums for luggage replacement, it wise to choose a lower excess as it is not good value for money. You don’t want to end up paying more than your insurer for the replacement. This will cost you.

If you travel frequently, we would advise you to take out an excess protection policy. This type of policy refunds you whenever you submit a claim that goes above the excess fee on your insurance contract.

What am I Paying For?

Most travel insurances cover the following areas of risk:

• Trip delays and cancellations – this is important. Your insurer will pay you if there are flight cancellations or trip delays.
• Lost or stolen luggage and belongings – when visiting a country with high rate of crime, it is important to take out this insurance policy
• Hospital and medical cover – you can take this policy when you are travelling to a country where its health care system is expensive. Good examples are USA and Japan.

Please note that excesses are different for each mentioned area of risk. Choose an excess fee that has good value for your money in your specific situation.

Can I get travel insurance with no excess charge?

Yes you can, you can opt to an extra voluntary excess so that you can enjoy lower premiums every month. Some insurers also offer an excess eliminator feature where you can avoid paying excess charge.

Does Multiple Claims Mean Multiple Excess Charges?

When comparing excess fees, you need to check if insurance companies charge per area of cover or claim. For instance, if your luggage is stolen and you chose an insurance policy that charges per claim, you will end up paying more. You would have to pay an excess fee on each claim made. You will pay for your luggage, for passport, banking cards or money stolen.

Travel Insurance FAQs

What does travel insurance cover?

It covers you for unforeseen situations, such as trip delays, travel cancellations and stolen belongings.

What is an “existing medical condition?”

This is a medical condition that you have been treated for in the past before buying the travel insurance.

Does travel insurance cover my luggage?

Yes, remember not to leave your luggage unattended and think your insurance will replace them. Be responsible and look after your belongings.

Can I get travel insurance if I am pregnant?

Yes, but not for childbirth costs, only for unforeseen serious pregnancy complications. This policy only applies to women who are less than 26 weeks in their pregnancy.

Am I covered if I work overseas?

No, you are not. Travel insurance policy is for holiday travelling and does not cover you if you work overseas.

Can I extend my insurance policy if I decide to stay longer overseas?

You can’t, you will need to buy a new insurance policy before the current one expires.

What kind of documents do I need if I make a claim?

You will need to submit receipts, police reports, and medical reports. However, you can check with your insurer for more information.

Can I get a refund if I cancel my policy?

Yes you can, only if is within two weeks after you’ve bought the policy and you haven’t made claims yet.

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Personal Travel Insurance

From 1 October 2023, AIG SA Limited will no longer offer or provide Personal Travel Insurance.

For claims contact us on 0860 104 146

SERVICE OFFERING UPDATE

Please be aware, that with effect from 1 October 2023,  AIG South Africa Limited will no longer offer or provide Personal Travel Insurance.

For any policy queries please email [email protected]

To download a claim form please go to aig.co.za/claims

Explore some of our other products.

CANCER CARE

Protect your financial well-being while recovering from cancer. With 100% payout on diagnosis and full coverage at any stage of your illness.

CRITICAL ILLNESS

Designed to ease financial stress on you and your loved ones when unplanned illness happens. Get 100% coverage and payouts for five critical illnesses. 

LIFETIME PERSONAL ACCIDENT

When you can’t earn an income due to injury or death, we have you and your family covered. With up to R1 000 000 for immediate expenses, four unique plans and 50% extra benefit.

DAILY HEALTH BENEFIT

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What we know about unauthorized immigrants living in the U.S.

The unauthorized immigrant population in the United States reached 10.5 million in 2021, according to new Pew Research Center estimates. That was a modest increase over 2019 but nearly identical to 2017.

The number of unauthorized immigrants living in the U.S. in 2021 remained below its peak of 12.2 million in 2007. It was about the same size as in 2004 and lower than every year from 2005 to 2015.

The new estimates do not reflect changes that have occurred since apprehensions and expulsions of migrants along the U.S.-Mexico border started increasing in March 2021 . Migrant encounters at the border have since reached historic highs .

Pew Research Center undertook this research to understand ongoing changes in the size and characteristics of the unauthorized immigrant population in the United States. The Center has published estimates of the U.S. unauthorized immigrant population for more than two decades. The estimates presented in this research are the Center’s latest, adding new and updated annual estimates for 2017 through 2021.

Center estimates of the unauthorized immigrant population use a “residual method.” It is similar to methods used by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Immigration Statistics and nongovernmental organizations, including the Center for Migration Studies and the Migration Policy Institute . Those organizations’ estimates are generally consistent with ours. Our estimates also align with official U.S. data sources, including birth records, school enrollment figures and tax data, as well as Mexican censuses and surveys.

Our “residual” method for estimating the nation’s unauthorized immigrant population includes these steps:

• Estimate the total number of immigrants living in the country in a particular year using data from U.S. censuses and government surveys such as the American Community Survey and the Current Population Survey.
• Estimate the number of immigrants living in the U.S. legally using official counts of immigrant and refugee admissions together with other demographic data (for example, death and out-migration rates).
• Subtract our estimate of lawful immigrants from our estimate of the total immigrant population . This provides an initial estimate of the unauthorized immigrant population .

Our final estimate of the U.S. unauthorized immigrant population, as well as estimates for lawful immigrants, includes an upward adjustment. We do this because censuses and surveys tend to miss some people . Undercounts for immigrants, especially unauthorized immigrants, tend to be higher than for other groups. (Our 1990 estimate comes from work by Robert Warren and John Robert Warren; details can be found here .)

The term “unauthorized immigrant” reflects standard and customary usage by many academic researchers and policy analysts. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Immigration Statistics also generally uses it. The term means the same thing as undocumented immigrants, illegal immigrants and illegal aliens.

For more details on how we produced our estimates, read the Methodology section of our November 2018 report on unauthorized immigrants.

The unauthorized immigrant population includes any immigrants not in the following groups:

• Immigrants admitted for lawful residence (i.e., green card admissions)
• People admitted formally as refugees
• People granted asylum
• Former unauthorized immigrants granted legal residence under the 1985 Immigration Reform and Control Act
• Immigrants admitted under any of categories 1-4 who have become naturalized U.S. citizens
• Individuals admitted as lawful temporary residents under specific visa categories

Read the Methodology section of our November 2018 report on unauthorized immigrants for more details.

Pew Research Center’s estimate of unauthorized immigrants includes more than 2 million immigrants who have temporary permission to be in the United States. (Some also have permission to work in the country.) These immigrants account for about 20% of our national estimate of 10.5 million unauthorized immigrants for 2021.

Although these immigrants have permission to be in the country, they could be subject to deportation if government policy changes. Other organizations and the federal government also include these immigrants in their estimates of the U.S. unauthorized immigrant population.

Immigrants can receive temporary permission to be in the U.S. through the following ways:

Temporary Protected Status (TPS)

In 2021, there were about 500,000 unauthorized immigrants with Temporary Protected Status . This status provides protection from removal or deportation to individuals who cannot safely return to their country because of civil unrest, violence or natural disaster.

Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) is a similar program that grants protection from removal. The number of immigrants with DED is much smaller than the number with TPS.

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals is a program that offers protection from deportation to individuals who were brought to the U.S. as children before June 15, 2007. As of the end of 2021, there were slightly more than 600,000 DACA beneficiaries , largely immigrants from Mexico.

Asylum applicants

Individuals who have applied for asylum but are awaiting a ruling are not legal residents yet but cannot be deported. There are two types of asylum claims, defensive and affirmative .

Defensive asylum applications are generally filed by individuals facing deportation or removal from the U.S. These are processed by the Department of Justice’s Executive Office for Immigration Review. At the end of 2021, there were almost 600,000 applications pending.

Affirmative asylum claims are made by individuals already in the U.S. who are not in the process of being deported or removed. These claims are handled by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). At the end of 2021, more than 400,000 applications for affirmative asylum were pending, some covering more than one applicant.

Here are key findings about how the U.S. unauthorized immigrant population changed from 2017 to 2021:

• The most common country of birth for unauthorized immigrants is Mexico. However, the population of unauthorized immigrants from Mexico dropped by 900,000 from 2017 to 2021 , to 4.1 million.
• There were increases in unauthorized immigrants from nearly every other region of the world – Central America, the Caribbean, South America, Asia, Europe and sub-Saharan Africa.
• Among U.S. states, only Florida and Washington saw increases to their unauthorized immigrant populations , while California and Nevada saw decreases. In all other states, unauthorized immigrant populations were unchanged.
• 4.6% of U.S. workers in 2021 were unauthorized immigrants , virtually identical to the share in 2017.

Trends in the U.S. immigrant population

The U.S. foreign-born population was 14.1% of the nation’s population in 2021. That was very slightly higher than in the last five years but below the record high of 14.8% in 1890.

As of 2021, the nation’s 10.5 million unauthorized immigrants represented about 3% of the total U.S. population and 22% of the foreign-born population. These shares were among the lowest since the 1990s.

Between 2007 and 2021, the unauthorized immigrant population decreased by 1.75 million, or 14%.

Meanwhile, the lawful immigrant population grew by more than 8 million, a 29% increase, and the number of naturalized U.S. citizens grew by 49%. In 2021, naturalized citizens accounted for about half (49%) of all immigrants in the country.

Where unauthorized immigrants come from

Unauthorized immigrants living in the U.S. come from many parts of the world, with Mexico being the most common origin country.

The origin countries for unauthorized immigrants have changed since the population peaked in 2007, before the Great Recession slowed immigration. Here are some highlights of those changes:

The number of unauthorized immigrants from Mexico living in the U.S. (4.1 million in 2021) was the lowest since the 1990s. Mexico accounted for 39% of the nation’s unauthorized immigrants in 2021, by far the smallest share on record .

The decrease in unauthorized immigrants from Mexico reflects several factors:

• A broader decline in migration from Mexico to the U.S.
• Mexican immigrants to the U.S. continuing to return to Mexico
• Expanded opportunities for lawful immigration from Mexico and other countries, especially for temporary agricultural workers.

The rest of the world

The total number of unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. from countries other than Mexico has grown rapidly. In 2021, this population was 6.4 million, up by 900,000 from 2017.

Almost every region in the world had a notable increase in the number of unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. from 2007 to 2021. The largest increases were from Central America (240,000) and South and East Asia (180,000).

After Mexico, the countries of origin with the largest unauthorized immigrant populations in the U.S. in 2021 were:

• El Salvador (800,000)
• India (725,000)
• Guatemala (700,000)
• Honduras (525,000)

India, Guatemala and Honduras all saw increases from 2017.

The Northern Triangle

Three Central American countries – El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala – together represented 2.0 million unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. in 2021, or almost 20% of the total. The unauthorized immigrant population from the Northern Triangle grew by about 250,000 from 2017 and about 700,000 from 2007.

Other origin countries

Venezuela was the country of birth for 190,000 U.S. unauthorized immigrants in 2021. This population saw particularly fast growth, from 130,000 in 2017 and 55,000 in 2007.

Among countries with the largest numbers of U.S. unauthorized immigrants, India, Brazil, Canada and former Soviet Union countries all experienced growth from 2017 to 2021.

Some origin countries with significant unauthorized immigrant populations showed no change, notably China (375,000) and the Dominican Republic (230,000).

Detailed table: Unauthorized immigrant population by region and selected country of birth (and margins of error), 1990-2021 (Excel)

U.S. states of residence of unauthorized immigrants

The unauthorized immigrant population in most U.S. states stayed steady from 2017 to 2021. However, four states saw significant changes:

• Florida (+80,000)
• Washington (+60,000)
• California (-150,000)
• Nevada (-25,000)

States with the most unauthorized immigrants

The six states with the largest unauthorized immigrant populations in 2021 were:

• California (1.9 million)
• Texas (1.6 million)
• Florida (900,000)
• New York (600,000)
• New Jersey (450,000)
• Illinois (400,000)

These states have consistently had the most unauthorized immigrants since 1990 and earlier .

At the same time, the unauthorized immigrant population has become less geographically concentrated. In 2021, these six states were home to 56% of the nation’s unauthorized immigrants, down from 80% in 1990.

Detailed table: Unauthorized immigrant population for states (and margins of error), 1990-2021 (Excel)

Detailed table: Unauthorized immigrants and characteristics for states, 2021 (Excel)

Unauthorized immigrants in the labor force

The share of unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. workforce was slightly less than 5% in 2021, compared with 3% of the total U.S. population.

Demographics help explain the difference: The unauthorized immigrant population includes relatively few children or elderly adults, groups that tend not to be in the labor force.

Overall, about 7.8 million unauthorized immigrants were in the U.S. labor force in 2021. That was up slightly from 2019 but smaller than every year from 2007 through 2015.

Detailed table: Unauthorized immigrants in the labor force for states, 2021 (Excel)

Here are some additional findings about unauthorized immigrants as a share of the workforce nationwide and in certain states:

• Since 2003, unauthorized immigrants have made up 4.4% to 5.4% of all U.S. workers, a relatively narrow range.
• Fewer than 1% of workers in Maine, Montana, Vermont and West Virginia in 2021 were unauthorized immigrants.
• Nevada (9%) and Texas (8%) had the highest shares of unauthorized immigrants in the workforce.
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ABOUT PEW RESEARCH CENTER  Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of  The Pew Charitable Trusts .

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