Are you planning a holiday?
Our superannuation lawyer provides some tips on travel insurance and what to look out for when planning a holiday
In the holiday season you are more likely to be travelling, be it to the beach, Interstate or overseas. If you are away for an extended period of time you should review your insurance situation to ensure you are adequately covered for what you are planning to do. For any overseas travel it is essential that you take out travel insurance suitable to your needs and those who are travelling with you. It is also a good idea to be covered for any Interstate travel. It does pay to research what is available in the market. Groups like Choice offer an independent comparison of travel insurance options.
Is your car insurance adequate?
If you are travelling by car you should also consider your current car insurance and whether it is suitable for your needs. Look at options like hire cars, accommodation when you are away from home and towing costs. If you are stuck in outback Queensland 100 km or more from the nearest motor mechanic the towing costs could be very significant. If your car suffers major damage a hire car option will enable you to continue on your holiday.
Before you travel, review your insurance and in particular:
- Make sure all of your family are covered.
- What are the exclusions on the policy? For example if skiing injuries are excluded either don’t go skiing or get a policy that covers that type of claim.
- What is the claims process, some policies may require immediate notification and if you don’t notify until you return home you may not be able to claim.
Things to remember about travel insurance
When it does come time to make a claim on travel insurance there are some important things to remember.
- Make sure you have all of your travel insurance details with you at all times; you never know when you will need them.
- Contact your travel insurance provider before incurring any expense if possible to ensure you are covered and to see if they have preferred providers in the country you are in.
- You must keep all receipts for any expense incurred relating to the injury or illness. This can include anything such as parking fees, public transport fees, taxi charges, medication costs, bandages, etc.
- Keep detailed notes of interactions you have with any medical providers including the names of doctors, nurses, and allied health providers. If you are able to obtain copies of your medical records before you leave the country that can be very helpful because it can be difficult to get those later on if there is any dispute about your treatment and the nature of your injury.
How we can help
Call 13 43 63 to speak with our specialist superannuation and TPD lawyers in Queensland. Alternatively, get in touch with us online or visit us at any of our Queensland offices are in Brisbane, Logan, North Lakes, Ipswich, Toowoomba, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Cairns.