The temperature has plummeted in Queensland and the coats and scarves are out. But if winter isn’t your thing and you’ve decided to escape the chill with that trip to Bali you’ve been dreaming of (or anywhere warm and subtropical and not here), then you might like these smart travel trips to help you prepare!
4 smart travel tips for before you leave
Before you board your flight to thaw out in paradise, you might like to consider these smart travelling tips:
- Get insurance
Although it might seem like an unnecessary extra expense at the time of booking your trip, travel insurance is the best way to protect yourself in unforeseen events. Research providers and coverage options for one that suits your needs. Options will vary between countries/regions, single trip, multi trip, and even include add-on options, like extreme sports. - Read the fine print to know how you’re covered
If you’ve chosen travel insurance, make sure you understand what you are and aren’t covered for. Generally, you’ll find things like extreme sports, pregnancy, and existing medical conditions won’t be covered unless you add it on. As safety standards are usually lower outside of Australia, you might find risky activities (or activities you wouldn’t dream of doing in Australia), are on the exclusions list. - Share your itinerary with friends and family
Consider this like a safety check. Try to keep in touch with friends and family while you’re away so they know where you are and how to contact you in the case of an emergency. - Register your trip with smarttraveller.gov.au
You might like to provide your trip itinerary and contact details to the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade before you leave. This is to help them contact your family in Australia in unlikely emergency events, like a natural disaster.
What to do if something happens to you overseas
Medical costs overseas can reach hundreds or even thousands of dollars and if you’re not covered, you’ll be personally liable for your expenses. Unfortunately, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to claim back these costs without appropriate insurance.
If you are covered by travel insurance, then you can contact your provider to start a claim process.
Additionally, if you’re hurt because of someone else’s negligence, then you might be able to make a claim against them. Your right to claim will depend on the circumstances around how the event occurred and where (public space, privately, and in which country). Laws and safety standards vary between countries and what is considered negligible to us might not exist somewhere else, so you’ll want to chat with an expert to see where you stand.
Need to have a chat?
If something’s happened to you overseas, you can still seek advice from our experts in Australia. We can let you know if you have a case and provide some steps to help you move your claim forward.