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Natwest Travel Insurance Review and Quotes

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It might be the least exciting thing about your journey. But travel insurance is a must-have when it comes to getting assistance from the other side of the world.

Are you aware of this and are here to know whether Natwest is the right company to go on holidays with?

In this definitive Natwest review, we will tell you everything you need to know about their travel insurance policies: coverage options, prices, contact details, cancellation or claim process and much more. Let’s dive in!

Is Natwest the best travel insurance for you?

Always just going for the cheapest travel insurance might not be the best option when it comes to getting assistance or a refund abroad.

At Safe, we strive to help any people travelling from the UK to get the best travel insurance to leave home with complete peace of mind. This is why we’ve dug into Natwest travel insurance policy booklet and attributed our own neutral rating based on five weighted criteria as shown below.

4,2 Safe overall rating for Natwest

Natwest travel insurance reviews by expert and consumers

To check if Natwest is the right travel insurance for you, you can use our free travel insurance comparison tool and get quotes from main travel insurance companies in a few seconds only. 100% anonymous and free.

Find the best travel insurance in just a few seconds!

What does Natwest travel insurance cover?

Natwest travel insurance offers different travel insurance covers to suit any traveller needs, whether you’re leaving for three days alone in Scotland or six months in Antarctica with your partner or whole family.

NatWest's Travel Insurance Policies are available for individuals, couples and families.

Natwest single-trip and annual multi-trip travel insurances

You will find below the limits breakdown per level of cover for single and annual multi-trip insurance policies at Natwest:

Natwest winter sports travel insurancet

The winter sports travel insurance is usually an option that you can take on top of your single or annual multi-trip policy.

Winter Sports Cover is available as standard and it comes with the following benefits:

• Up to £400 ski equipment cover
• Up to £250 ski pack cover.

What are the other travel insurance options available at Natwest?

Due to Brexit, some outbound flights from international airports might be delayed or cancelled. We would advise you to call Natwest before travelling and make sure you get the right compensation amount for your flight or journey if it is cancelled or delayed as well as for Schedule Airline Failure Cover.

How much is Natwest travel insurance?

You'll find below indicative quotes per level of cover at Natwest:

It is, however, quite difficult to give precise price ranges as Natwest travel insurance policy quotes will depend on a range of factors such as:

• Your age at the time of travelling
• The length of your stay
• Your trip destination (Europe, North America, Worldwide)
• The period you wish to be covered for (single trip, annual multi-trip, extension)
• If you need specific insurance (cruise, ski, backpackers, gadget cover)
• Your medical condition before travelling
• Who is travelling with you (on your own, as a couple, as a family).

Can I get travel insurance discounts or promo codes at Natwest?

There are no discounts mentioned on the website.

Use our travel insurance comparison tool to be aware of latest promo codes and vouchers available at Natwest.

What else should I know about Natwest travel insurance?

What are the general exclusions at natwest travel insurance.

To be eligible for the travel insurance policy at NatWest:

• You have to have a valid bank account with them
• You have to be under the age of 70 years unless you buy an age extension
• You must be transparent about any pre-existing medical conditions
• You must have already planned on a return date from your trip.

How do I get travel insurance quote from Natwest?

Nothing easier. Use our 100% online travel insurance comparison tool to compare all policies in just a few seconds, without giving any personal details. If Natwest is the right one for you, then just click on get quote and you'll be automatically directed through the company's sale channel.

Good to know

Shopping around while shopping for personal insurance and not auto-renewing is always the best way to get the best deal and benefit from new customers discounts.

How do I log in to Natwest website?

Through the customer portal, you can view every benefit that comes with your account. You can log in to your account through this log in page

How to claim at Natwest travel insurance?

There are 2 ways to make a claim and that is either online or through a phone call.

How do I contact Natwest travel insurance?

Natwest contact phone numbers, natwest other contact details, how to cancel your annual natwest travel insurance policy.

You will find below main information to cancel your travel insurance policy at Natwest:

Our opinion on Natwest travel insurance

NatWest is a bank that offers travel insurance policies that come along with their current accounts. The insurance policies are available across 3 levels based on the account types: Silver, Platinum and Black. The company's travel insurance policies are underwritten by U K Insurance Limited which is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the FCA and the Prudential Regulation Authority.

The travel insurance covers available are Annual Multi Trip with up to 31 days for Silver and Platinum accounts and up to 90 days for Black accounts. The insurance covers come as standard when you open the current accounts therefore, there are no additional premiums to pay for unless you opt for an optional additional cover.

Aside from the travel insurance cover, depending on the type of bank account, you're also covered for the following: mobile phone insurance, free debit card purchases abroad, UK and European breakdown cover, access to over 1000 airport lounges, and 24/7 concierge services.

We would only recommend you consider Natwest if you're actually looking to open a current account that comes with travel insurance cover.

Alexandre Desoutter has been working as editor-in-chief and head of press relations at HelloSafe since June 2020. A graduate of Sciences Po Grenoble, he worked as a journalist for several years in French media, and continues to collaborate as a as a contributor to several publications. In this sense, his role leads him to carry out steering and support work with all HelloSafe editors and contributors so that the editorial line defined by the company is fully respected. and declined through the texts published daily on our platforms. As such, Alexandre is responsible for implementing and maintaining the strictest journalistic standards within the HelloSafe editorial staff, in order to guarantee the most accurate, up-to-date information on our platforms. and expert as possible. Alexandre has in particular undertaken for two years now the implementation of a system of systematic double-checking of all the articles published within the HelloSafe ecosystem, able to guarantee the highest quality of information.

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A current account with extra benefits

To apply, you must be 18+ and a Jersey, Guernsey, Gibraltar or Isle of Man resident. Applicants from Gibraltar must be an existing customer. £18 monthly fee.

On this page

For £18 a month, get more with gold.

• Arranged overdraft with preferential rates and an £100 interest-free buffer available (subject to status). 
• Credit interest on current account balances
• Travel insurance for you and your family, including winter sports cover
• 24/7 dedicated concierge service
• Private Motor Excess Insurance and car rental loss damage waiver insurance

Only available to Gold account customers. 

Why choose a Gold account?

Travel insurance in detail.

One of the primary Gold benefits is the travel insurance. The built in travel insurance offers comprehensive cover when travelling and includes winter sports cover.

If you experience difficulties while abroad, you have access to 24/7 emergency medical assistance. Wherever you are in the world, one simple phone call will provide you with instant help and support, day or night.

• Family cover includes you and your partner, plus any dependent children under age 18 at the start of the journey, (under 23 if they’re in full-time education). 
• Children must be living at the home address (or with the other parent), and be neither married or in a civil partnership.
• Your partner is the person you, the account holder, lives with at the same home address in a relationship, whether married or cohabiting.

Medical conditions

If anyone covered by the policy has a medical condition, you may need to pay an additional premium or accept that your cover may exclude certain conditions. 

For full details about exclusions and limitations please  read our insurance guides  

For more information on how coronavirus (COVID-19) affects your Gold account travel insurance, please review our  frequently asked questions (opens in a new window) .

Emergency medical assistance and claims

If you are injured or ill while you are away, please contact us on:

020 8763 3040

Call +44 (0) 20 8763 3040 from abroad

Using Relay UK? Call 18001 020 8763 3040

email: [email protected]

Lines are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year

Non-emergency claims

For non-emergency claims, please contact us on:

023 9267 6060

Call +44 (0) 23 9267 6060 from abroad

Using Relay UK? Call 18001 023 9267 6060

email: [email protected]

Lines are open 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday

What the concierge service offers

NatWest International has teamed up with Ten, a leading lifestyle management company to bring Gold account customers a 24/7 concierge service.

Our members enjoy a whole host of exclusive dining, travel, entertainment and retail benefits that have been negotiated with world-leading brands by our team of specialists.

• Unlimited dining, travel and ticket requests
• Savings on flights departing from the UK with Ten’s partnered airlines including various long-haul destination flights with British Airways.
• Access to the experts at Ten concierge

How to get started with Ten

Call or email Gold membership services on:

+44 (0) 2392 676060

email: [email protected]

When emailing Ten concierge, please remember to include your full name and details of how they can help you.

Lines open Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm, Saturday 9am to 5pm. If you’re calling outside of these hours, please call 0207 479 3447.

Private Motor Excess Insurance

The insurance works alongside your existing car insurance. It covers the cost of your excess if you have to make an ‘at fault’ claim where the damage to your vehicle is greater than your excess limit. Should you need to make a claim on your car insurance, you pay your excess as normal and then claim it back. Cover is available for persons who own and insure their private motor vehicle. £3,000 is the limit under the policy.

To notify the insurer of a claim:

Policy number: NWI - PME

Membership Services:  02392 676060 Monday to Friday 9:00am - 5:00pm

email:  [email protected]

You must give all information or help that you are asked for. Further details of how to claim are included in the policy document.

Car Rental Loss Damage Waiver Insurance

£50,000 (or equivalent in local currency incurred as a result of damage, fire, vandalism, theft of use of the rental vehicle. £20 per day (up to a maximum of £200) if the car rental is cancelled or cut short on the advice of a physician. £200 to pay for drop-off charges incurred through the car rental station following an accident or illness. £50 for calling out a locksmith if a named beneficiary unintentionally locks their keys in the rental vehicle.

Policy Number: NWI - LDW

Membership Services:  02392 676060 Monday to Friday 9:00am – 5:00pm

This insurance provides cover for rental periods of up to 31 days. Cover is available for persons aged 21 to 84, at the time when the car rental booking is made.

Only available to Gold account customers. Private Motor Excess Insurance and Car Rental Loss Damage Waiver Insurance provided by AWP P&C SA and administered in the UK by Allianz Global Assistance.

Switch your account to us

The Current Account Switch Service makes switching from one bank or building society to another simple and stress-free. You can choose a switch date to suit you, just make sure you allow a minimum of 7 working days.

The Current Account Switch Service is not available for accounts held in Gibraltar.

Important information

We recommend that you read these documents before contacting us to start the switch.

• Current Account Switch Guarantee (PDF, 40 KB)

Day to day banking from your screen

Online banking

Manage your finances 24/7

Online banking is a fast and secure way to manage your everyday finances with features including:

• Make sterling & international payments
• Manage your Direct Debits and standing orders
• Create text alerts and more

Online banking available to customers aged 11+ with a NatWest International account.

Banking any time

Banking has never been so convenient with our simple mobile banking app.

• Get cash without your debit card
• Transfer money and make payments
• Find your nearest branch or cash machine and more

App available to customers aged 11+ with compatible iOS and Android devices and a Channel Islands, Isle of Man, UK or international mobile number in  specific countries .

Common questions about insurance cover and benefits

How has the coronavirus (covid-19) pandemic affected the gold travel insurance.

Working with our Travel Insurer provider Allianz we have made improvements to your travel insurance cover for claims arising from epidemic or pandemic diseases.

For more information on how coronavirus (COVID-19) affects your Gold account travel insurance, please review our  frequently asked questions .

Who can I contact about a claim on the Gold travel insurance?

Policy Number: TRVNGOLD

Key information about your Gold travel insurance (PDF, 59 KB)

020 8763 3040 Call +44 (0) 20 8763 3040 from abroad

Only available to Gold account customers. Gold travel insurance is underwritten by AWP P&C SA and administered in the UK by Allianz Global Assistance.

How do I get Concierge assistance?

Email Ten concierge: [email protected]

Call our Membership Services:  +44 (0) 2392 676060

Lines open Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm, Saturday 9am to 5pm.

If you’re calling outside of these hours, please call 0207 479 3447 .

How do I make a claim on the Private Motor Excess Insurance or Car Rental Loss Damage Waiver Insurance?

Membership Services:  02392 676060 Monday to Friday 9:00am – 5:00pm

email:  [email protected]

Membership Services:   02392 676060 Monday to Friday 9:00am – 5:00pm

Ready to apply?

Before you apply, we've outlined the eligibility for the account below, along with our terms and conditions so you can make sure it's the right account for you.

You can apply for a Gold account if you are:

• permanently resident in Jersey, Guernsey, Gibraltar or the Isle of Man, and;
• applicants from Gibraltar must also be an existing customer.

Please review our important information about the account

By clicking continue you’re confirming that you’ve been provided with, and have acknowledged our important documents. By proceeding with your application you also agree that you’ll receive your statements in a paperless format. We'll send you an email when your statements are ready to view in Online Banking.

• Personal Banking Account Terms and Fees (PDF, 293 KB)
• Fee information document for Gold (PDF, 161 KB)
• Current account interest rates (PDF, 54 KB)

Insurance product information for our Gold account

We're making some changes to Gold account travel insurance on 16th August 2021. Please review the following documents to ensure our policies fully meet your needs and the cover is right for you.

• Insurance product information (PDF, 211 KB)
• What you need to know about the insurance cover (PDF, 56 KB)
• Key information about Gold travel insurance (PDF, 58 KB)
• Private excess motor insurance & car rental loss damage waiver guide (PDF, 188 KB)
• Travel insurance guide (PDF, 304 KB)

How your information might be used

It's important for you to understand how we use and share your information. Please read this short summary  before you continue with your application.

Let's get started...

To speed up your application, we need to run through some quick questions with you. They'll only take a few minutes.

Start your application now

Just a heads up - we'll ask you to log in to your Online Banking at the next step.

Get your online application started by clicking 'Start your application' below.  The full name you put on this form must exactly match the one on the photo ID you'll use to apply.

After you’ve finished your online application you’ll receive an email or secure inbox message within 2 working days asking you to:

• Complete our Customer Acceptance form, and;
• Upload your identity documents digitally.

Once we have everything, we’ll open your account and send your new account details to you within 5 working days.

Great, you're ready to apply

The first step in your application will be completed online. If approved, we’ll send you an application pack in the post within 18-21 working days.

The pack will contain an application form that you should read, sign and return along with any documents we need to confirm your:

• address & identity

Once we have everything, we’ll open your account and send your new account details to you.

Your application will be completed online. Make sure the full name you put on this form exactly matches the one on the photo ID you’ll use to apply. Once approved, we’ll send you an application pack in the post within 18-21 working days.

• address & identity. 

Allianz Partners appointed by NatWest Group as travel insurance provider

Allianz Partners has been appointed by NatWest Group as travel insurance provider to their packaged bank account customers.  The partnership spans NatWest Group’s wider family of banking brands including NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland and Ulster Bank. Customers will have access to Allianz Partner’s travel insurance from February 2024.

The deal is a strategic partnership arising from Allianz Partners’ successful track record partnering with Coutts, RBS International and Isle of Man Bank, all part of NatWest Group. Allianz Partners has worked with Coutts since 2018, providing travel peace of mind to its high net worth clients.

As its packaged bank account travel insurance provider, Allianz Partners will leverage its digital offering to provide NatWest Group’s customers with access to a range of online services through the Allianz Assistance hub. The hub, which will be integrated with the bank’s own online banking app, will enable customers  to manage their insurance, purchase additional cover, request assistance and track claims.

Marcus Latchford, Chief Sales and Distribution Officer, Allianz Partners UK and Ireland, commented: “Our partnership with NatWest Group is thanks to the excellent foundation we have developed over the past five years working with Coutts and other parts of the business. We’re delighted that we are able to extend the partnership to cover the whole Group.”

He continued: “Our digital innovation combined with the ‘human touch’ has enabled us to broaden our share of the UK travel insurance market and this collaboration exemplifies our customer focus and commitment to provide exceptional insurance products and services, embedded within our business partners’ products. We look forward to delivering peace of mind to NatWest Group’s customers.”

Barry Connolly, Managing Director of Every Day Banking NatWest Group, commented: "Travel insurance is one of the benefits that our packaged account customers tell us they value the most, and we're really pleased to be working with a global, long-standing trusted partner to enhance the experience customers have when taking the product and tracking their claims, giving them greater peace of mind ."

Allianz Partners’ travel insurance for NatWest Group customers will be available from February 2024.

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Natwest travel insurance: protecting you and your travels.

Travel insurance is necessary when you are planning a trip abroad. It provides you protection against unforeseen scenarios and losses you might suffer on a trip and give you the financial means to deal with it. If you are looking for reliable, comprehensive and affordable travel insurance, then NatWest Travel Insurance is a popular option. In this blog, we’ll cover what NatWest Travel Insurance, what coverages and policies it provides, and most importantly, if it’s the right travel insurance provider for you. 

What is NatWest travel insurance?

NatWest Travel Insurance is a product offered by NatWest, a popular UK-based bank that offers a variety of financial services to customers. Like most leading travel insurance, NatWest travel insurance is designed to protect policyholders against unexpected events that might occur during a trip or a holiday. 

Travel insurance by NatWest can be bought as a part of their packaged bank account. The company offers a range of covers, including single-trip, annual multi-trip, backpacker, and winter sports. Read on to find out about these covers in detail and how you can get NatWest travel insurance as a part of their packaged bank account. 

Covers offered by NatWest travel insurance

NatWest offers a range of travel insurance covers to suit the diverse travel needs and budgets of its customers. Here are the main types of coverages that you can avail from NatWest: 

NatWest Single-Trip Travel Insurance

NatWest’s Single-Trip Travel Insurance is for those who travel less and far in between. The policy covers a single trip, usually up to 90 days in duration. The policy covers medical expenses, cancellation, personal liability, baggage loss, and travel delays. 

NatWest Annual Multi-Trip Insurance

NatWest’s Annual Multi-Trip Insurance is for those who frequently travel throughout the year. This is a cost-effective way of securing your travels, where you buy a collective plan instead of paying for each trip separately. This policy covers an unlimited number of trips during the year. Your trip duration can be up to 31-45 days at the maximum, depending on the policy you choose. 

NatWest Backpacker Travel Insurance

If you are taking a gap year or want to travel for an extended period of time, then this cover will be the right choice for you. Whether you are taking a gap year or on a mission to travel around the world, NatWest will tailor the policy to your needs. The policy cover trips for up to 18 months, where you can avail protection against medical emergencies, trip cancellations and personal liability. 

NatWest Winter Sports Travel Insurance

Winter sports like skiing and snowboarding are popular amongst travellers. They are not only exhilarating but also bring you one of a kind experience. If you are planning on participating in this excitement on your next trip, then NatWest’s Winter Sports Travel Insurance is meant for you. This policy offers you additional coverage for winter sports equipment, ski passes and piste closure.

NatWest Bank Accounts for travel insurance

NatWest offers three types of bank accounts: Silver, Platinum and black. Each of these accounts comes with travel insurance coverage as well as additional benefits such as mobile insurance, car breakdown coverage and airport lounge access. Find the details of the travel insurance cover under each account below. 

1. NatWest Silver Travel Insurance

The NatWest Silver account comes with Silver travel insurance which provides cover for the usual, including cancellation or cutting off your trip earlier than planned and medical emergencies and treatment. For medical expenses, you can get up to £10 million in cover, and for cancellations and curtailment, you can get up to £5,000. You can also avail of additional benefits for an added cost like baggage loss or travel delay.

As we mentioned earlier, you can also get a mobile phone cover of up to £1,500 for repair or replacement. Another cover that the NatWest Silver account provides is the car breakdown cover that includes roadside assistance and recovery in the UK & Europe. 

2. NatWest Platinum Travel Insurance

The NatWest Platinum account comes with Platinum travel insurance but with higher levels of coverage for medical expenses, cancellations and curtailments. The policy includes up to £10 million for medical expenses and £10,000 for cancellations. The policy also includes a cover of up to £2 million for personal liability and £50,000 for personal accidents. 

Coming to mobile insurance, which covers loss, theft or accidental damage, you can avail of up to £2,000. Like the Silver account, you will receive car breakdown cover and additional lifestyle benefits like discounts on travel and entertainment. 

3. NatWest Black Travel Insurance

The NatWest Black account comes with Black travel insurance with the highest levels of coverage for medical expenses, cancellations and curtailments. The policy includes up to £15 million for medical expenses and £20,000 for cancellations. As for the cover for personal liability and personal accidents, you will get up to £2 million and £100,000, respectively. 

The mobile phone cover is also more in NatWest Black travel insurance, summing up to £2,500. As a standard, this policy, too, includes car breakdown cover along with other benefits like airport lounge access and discounts on travel and entertainment. 

NatWest is a premium travel insurance provider that offers comprehensive policies and covers, leaving no stone unturned. The level of coverage and benefit you receive will depend on which cover you have invested in. Before you sign up for any of their covers, make sure to read the fine print carefully so that you are not blindsided. For more information on travel insurance, visit Tripcoloumn. 

Do I need to register for travel insurance?

NatWest account owners don’t have to register for travel insurance as they are already covered. If you want to extend your cover to include pre-existing medical conditions, then connect with NatWest’s support team, as that might require some additional costings. 

Do I need to inform NatWest about my travel plans? 

No, you don’t have to inform NatWest about your travelling plans. If you have one of their bank accounts – Silver, Platinum, or Black, then you are already covered by your travel insurance. 

How can I make a claim?

To make a claim for your NatWest travel insurance, you can log in to Membership Services and complete the online form. This is where you can manage all your account details. You can also call the NatWest support team for further assistance. 

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Allianz Partners to insure NatWest customers

Natwest group has selected allianz partners uk and ireland to provide travel insurance to its packaged bank account customers.

The announcement follows the success of similar partnerships serving NatWest Group subsidiaries Coutts, RBS International, and Isle of Man Bank.

“Our partnership with NatWest Group is thanks to the excellent foundation we have developed over the past five years working with Coutts and other parts of the business,” explained Marcus Latchford, Chief Sales and Distribution Officer at Allianz Partners UK and Ireland.

Barry Connolly, Managing Director of Everyday Banking, NatWest Group, added: “Travel insurance is one of the benefits that our packaged account customers tell us they value the most, and we’re really pleased to be working with a global, long-standing trusted partner to enhance the experience customers have when taking out the product and tracking their claims.”

Allianz Partners UK and Ireland also appointed Patricia Moon as its new CEO in May of last year.

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The journalists on the editorial team at Forbes Advisor Australia base their research and opinions on objective, independent information-gathering.

When covering investment and personal finance stories, we aim to inform our readers rather than recommend specific financial product or asset classes. While we may highlight certain positives of a financial product or asset class, there is no guarantee that readers will benefit from the product or investment approach and may, in fact, make a loss if they acquire the product or adopt the approach.

To the extent any recommendations or statements of opinion or fact made in a story may constitute financial advice, they constitute general information and not personal financial advice in any form. As such, any recommendations or statements do not take into account the financial circumstances, investment objectives, tax implications, or any specific requirements of readers.

Readers of our stories should not act on any recommendation without first taking appropriate steps to verify the information in the stories consulting their independent financial adviser in order to ascertain whether the recommendation (if any) is appropriate, having regard to their investment objectives, financial situation and particular needs. Providing access to our stories should not be construed as investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any security or product, or to engage in or refrain from engaging in any transaction by Forbes Advisor Australia. In comparing various financial products and services, we are unable to compare every provider in the market so our rankings do not constitute a comprehensive review of a particular sector. While we do go to great lengths to ensure our ranking criteria matches the concerns of consumers, we cannot guarantee that every relevant feature of a financial product will be reviewed. We make every effort to provide accurate and up-to-date information. However, Forbes Advisor Australia cannot guarantee the accuracy, completeness or timeliness of this website. Forbes Advisor Australia accepts no responsibility to update any person regarding any inaccuracy, omission or change in information in our stories or any other information made available to a person, nor any obligation to furnish the person with any further information.

WAS Discovery Travel Insurance Review: Features, Pros and Cons

Updated: Apr 17, 2024, 9:08am

Reviewed By

The Discovery Plan from WAS Travel Insurance could be a good choice for Aussies looking for a no-frills travel insurance policy. However, it only offers a number of standard features of comprehensive policies as optional add-ons and that can make the policy much more expensive than first meets the eye. Regardless, its unlimited medical cover, high age limit of 99 years, and positive customer reviews makes it a viable option for those in the market for a medically focused, no-frills travel insurance policy.

Related: Best Comprehensive Travel Insurance Providers for Australian

• Unlimited medical
• Generous dental of $2,000
• High age limit
• Luggage and cancellation cover not automatic
• Children not included
• More expensive than competitors

Table of Contents

• Featured Partner Offers

About WAS Travel Insurance

What does was travel insurance cover, does was travel insurance cover me for covid, was pricing comparison, was customer service, the bottom line.

Featured Partners

Fast Cover Travel Insurance

On Fast Cover’s Secure Website

Medical cover

Unlimited, 24/7 Emergency Assistance

Cancellations

Unlimited, (Trip Disruption $50,000)

Key Features

25-Day Cooling Off Period, Australian Based Call Centre, 4.6 Star Product Review Rating

Cover-More Travel Insurance

On Cover-more’s secure website

Unlimited, with a $2000 limit to dental

Yes, amount chosen by customer

Southern Cross Travel Insurance

Medical Cover

Including medical treatment, doctors’ visits, prescribed medication, specialist treatment & medical transport costs

$2,500 with option to increase to unlimited

Wise And Silent Travel Insurance, known as WAS, is a Brisbane-based travel insurance company that offers “tailored coverage” to its customers. This tailoring differs from the standard comprehensive travel insurance policies on the market, which usually have a set minimum for standard inclusions for policies, such as lost luggage cover and cancellations.

WAS Travel Insurance is underwritten by Pacific International Insurance Pty Ltd, an Australian insurance company based in Newcastle. While WAS isn’t listed on ProductReview, it has scored a 4.7 star review on TrustPilot from an albeit small number of 39 customer reviews.

Customers highlighted WAS’ staff communication, the ease of applying for coverage, and a “smooth and efficient” claims process.

WAS offers two types of plans, Covid Essentials and Discovery Plan. For the purpose of this review, we analysed the comprehensive option, the Discovery Plan.

As stated, WAS Travel Insurance works a little differently to most travel insurers. Its comprehensive policy is known as the ‘Discovery Plan’, which is available to those aged up to 99 years old and includes unlimited medical in its base cover.

For families travelling together, it’s important to note that children can be added to the policy at a lower rate, but they are not included within a parent/guardians policy as is the industry norm.

Once you start to add to the base cover, WAS Travel Insurance becomes even more complex, with only a handful of medical outcomes covered as standard and far more classified as optional.

For example, credit card fraud is not covered as a standard inclusion; instead, unauthorised use of credit cards can be covered as part of luggage and personal effects, should the policyholder choose to take out this optional extra. Personal liability is not covered automatically, but needs to be selected for coverage up to $2.5 million.

Any trip cancellations are only covered up to the amount chosen by the customer (ranging from $1,000 to $40,000 per customer) and travel delays are covered as optional extras, up to $2,000 per customer. Delays are reimbursed at a rate of $50 per six hours, which is below the industry standard of $200 for every six hours, however no excess applies to these claims. (For missed flight connections, these are only covered should the policyholder choose to add travel interruption cover to their plan.

Rental vehicle excess is also an optional add-on, with the maximum cover of $6,000 for those looking to hire a car during their holiday. In many policies this is covered as standard and does not require the traveller to add it as an optional extra.

Lost Luggage

When it comes to lost luggage, those with WAS Discovery Travel Insurance will need to choose it as an add-on as they are not automatically covered. The lowest option is $1000, while the highest is $10,000 (per traveller).

WAS will only cover an individual item to a limit of $1,000.

WAS Travel Insurance include unlimited medical cover within its comprehensive policy, which extends to additional expenses such as transportation to a medical facility or, in the necessary event, back to Australia.

There is also cover for a medical companion to stay with you during treatment and/or necessary medical-related travel, even if they themselves are not listed on your policy.

Certain pre-existing conditions are also covered if they meet the necessary criteria. The 44 automatically covered conditions include anxiety and depression, diabetes, sleep apnoea and many more.

Other conditions outside of the pre-existing conditions list will not be covered by WAS Travel Insurance.

Covid-19 is included in the unlimited medical cover, which is explained in further depth below.

Is Dental Cover Included?

Dental cover is included in the WAS Travel Insurance Discovery Plan, but not under the unlimited medical expenses. Instead, there is up to $2,000 covered for emergency dental treatment, which is more generous than most insurance policies, which generally top put at $1,000.

Yes, WAS Travel Insurance includes Covid-19 medical expenses within its unlimited medical coverage. It also includes cancellations related to Covid-19, however, that is dependent on how much cancellation cover the policyholder requests.

Related: Travel Insurance And Covid: Are You Covered?

What About Pregnancy?

Pregnancy is covered by WAS Travel Insurance there are unexpected serious complications of pregnancy occuring:

• Up to the 24th week of pregnancy if you’re pregnant with a single child; or
• Up to the 19th week of pregnancy if you’re pregnant with twins or multiple children.

The exclusions include childbirth; the healthcare of a newborn child; pregnancies with existing complications; or pregnancies in which the person has previously had complications with previous pregnancies.

What About Sports and Activities?

WAS covers a range of sports and activities, however, rather than specifying what is covered, it provides a list of the excluded activities being:

• Snow sports;
• Motorcycle or moped riding;
• Racing (except on foot);
• Polo playing;
• Mountain climbing requiring the use of equipment such as pick-axes, anchors, bolts, crampons, carabiners, lead or top-rope anchoring or other specialist equipment;
• Motor sport or motor racing (including training or practice);
• Running with the bulls;
• Professional sports (including training or practice);
• Parachuting, hang-gliding or paragliding; or
• Scuba diving, unless you hold an open water diving certificate or diving with a qualified diving instructor

However, policyholders can choose to add additional adventure packs—snow, motor and cruise—which will then cover them for those sports.

WAS Travel Insurance prides itself on offering budget-friendly insurance policies to Australians; however, the cost of a policy with WAS isn’t as clear cut as many others—largely due to the many different inclusions that one needs to opt-in to.

Forbes Advisor Australia has run quotes against two of our top picks of travel insurance providers for Australians— Travel Insurance Direct and Allianz Travel Insurance —to compare the prices of WAS Travel Insurance when opting-in for a level of cover similar to what these two competitors offer automatically.

As Bali is a top destination for many Aussies, the data below is based on a 28-year-old Australian travelling to Indonesia for a week.

Related: A Guide To Travel Insurance For Bali

This analysis does not include other additional costs that would need to be considered, including sports cover, children travelling, pre-existing medical conditions and so on.

As you can see from the table above, opting in for the same level of cover that is offered as standard by competitors makes the WAS Travel Insurance policy the most expensive of the three.

It’s important to note that policy prices for travel insurance will change for a range of factors, including age, destination, length of trip and any specific needs required by the traveller. The above data is to be used as a guide only.

From the limited reviews online, WAS’ customer service staff members have been hailed as being “very patient and helpful”, with their knowledge “making the experience [of submitting a claim] much less stressful”.

WAS can be contacted by phone or email, with different email addresses and phone numbers unique to the service required (emergency assistance, claims, or general enquiries). The full list can be found online here .

Customers can also submit a form online to be emailed back, and are able to submit claims online or over the phone.

WAS may be a risky choice for some customers who choose to opt-out of the optional extra cover for the sake of saving money and end up being under-insured. Some travellers may not realise the importance of personal liability insurance and fail to select it, which could land them in hot water if an accident was to occur overseas. As a comparison, most other insurers include personal liability insurance as standard in their comprehensive policy: Travel Insurance Direct offers $2.5 million in personal liability, while Allianz offers $5 million—with caveats around snow and adventure packs.

Nevertheless, WAS may be attractive to budget travellers who are happy with a no-frills policy, but want to ensure they’re covered for the basics of medical and dental.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is was travel insurance good.

WAS Travel Insurance did not make Forbes Advisor Australia’s top picks for comprehensive travel insurance , but that doesn’t mean it’s not a good option for Aussies looking for international cover. The comprehensive policy offered by WAS is a build-your-own type of plan, meaning it is tailored to the customer individually in terms of cancellation cover, luggage cover, rental car excess and more.

It may be suitable for budget-conscious travellers looking for a no-frills policy that is focused on medical and dental. However, it’s worth noting that when compared to other insurers on the market, WAS ended up being more expensive once the add-ons were included in the quote.

From 38 customer reviews on TrustPilot, WAS received a rating of 4.7 stars.

What policies does WAS Travel Insurance offer?

WAS Travel Insurance offers two policies: Covid Essentials and Discovery. The Discovery Plan is what would be considered its ‘comprehensive’ offering, considering it allows customers to tailor the plan to suit their needs.

How much does WAS Travel Insurance cost?

The cost of WAS Travel Insurance—like any travel insurance provider—is dependent on many factors: your age, your destination, the length of your trip, and any personal requirements such as higher lost luggage cover for specific equipment or items, whether or not you need cover for certain sports and activities, any pre-existing conditions you need covered, and more.

From a quote Forbes Advisor Australia ran of a 28-year-old going to Bali for one week, paying an excess of $250 and opting in to $2000 of cancellation cover, $10,000 of lost luggage cover, and rental car excess, the total WAS quote came to $141.80, which was higher than competitors.

Related: How Much Does Travel Insurance Cost?

Sophie Venz is an experienced editor and features reporter, and has previously worked in the small business and start-up reporting space. Previously the Associate Editor of SmartCompany site, Sophie has worked closely with finance experts and columnists around Australia and internationally. Sophie grew up on the Gold Coast and now lives in Melbourne.

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