Travel Insurance

[RooFlyer]

You dont need to enable it (you dont need to tell CC in advance you are travelling). Go with your paid policy; and only if they dont pay out do you contact your CC insurer.

Do you mean only enable/apply for the CC policy if I need to, with 'failure' of my TI policy? That would be cunning. However, I note my NAB PDS says

Other Insurances
If you are entitled to receive a benefit or make a claim
under another insurance policy (Other Policy) (for example,
a comprehensive travel insurance policy you purchased
separately for your overseas journey), in respect of the
same loss as your claim under this group policy, then,
subject to the provisions of the Insurance Contracts Act
1984 (Cth) Allianz is not liable to provide indemnity under
this group policy until the amount of any indemnity under
that Other Policy is exhausted. In other words, any cover
made available under this group policy in respect of the
same loss shall only be excess insurance cover over and
above the applicable Other Policy.

And NIB says:

Other insurance and contribution
You must notify us of any other insurance which will or may, whether in whole
or in part, cover any loss insured under your policy.
If at the time of any loss, damage or liability there’s any other insurance
(whether effected by you or by any other person) which covers the same loss,
damage or liability you must provide us with any reasonable assistance we
require to make a claim for contribution from any other insurer(s).

So, NAB CC says claim on the other policy first. NIB says claim on us, and we'll get re-imbursement from the other mob, which sounds better.

So by the look of it, I could enable both from the start, always claim on NIB unless they deny or exhaust, then I go to CC if it has broader or better coverage for the claim and say "Have other policy, but they've said no, so claiming here".

This is very handy from NAB CC (my bolding)

PART B - PERIOD OF COVER
The period of cover available under SECTION 2.1
CANCELLATION begins on the date you become eligible for
cover by meeting the criteria set out in Part A - Eligibility
for Cover under the heading International Travel Insurance.

Provided you meet the eligibility criteria set out in Part
A - Eligibility for Cover under the heading International
Travel Insurance, the period of cover available for all other
insured events commences when you leave your home to
start your journey. Travel to connect with your overseas
travel will be regarded as overseas travel provided that
the travel is within fourteen (14) days of the departure
of your overseas travel, otherwise your period of cover
will commence on the departure of your overseas travel
instead of when you leave your home.

... since I always have to fly from HBA to connect to my international flight, and usually do that a day or 2 before the int. flight, this is better than TI, as they always start with int. departure (except cancellation).

I've definitely warmed to CC insurance and appreciate the discussion here.

 

[Scarlett]

It vaires by state but in some US states now you wont be covered by insurance (even if purchased from the rental car company) unless you are driving on an interantional not an Aussie license. A fairly recent chnage and I believe Florida is one state enforcing this.

More info on this please Lynda. Where are you getting this info from? Where is that list of states in a later post from?

There is no such thing as an ‘International License’, but there is an IDP which purports to translate your license into another (non-English) language. Now I know that ‘Murcan is a different language… but it’s still English, so WTF.

Moreover, even when ‘using’ the IDP, you’re still operating the vehicle under the authority of your drivers licence, the IDP has no authority in and of itself.

 

[Lynda2475]

Its a car rental requirement in the states i listed, read about it a while back.

International Driving Permits - Australian Automobile Association select USA

"Majority of car rental companies require an IDP for hiring. Check with your rental company prior to leaving Australia. Drivers are advised to carry an IDP as it is easily recognised by the authorities in the case of an accident or traffic violation"

Driving in the U.S. if you are not a citizen | USAGov

Learn about International Driving Permits (IDPs) and how to get one before you visit the U.S. Some states also require a driving permit from your country.

www.usa.gov

'People who drive in the U.S. must have a valid driver's license. If you're a foreign visitor, some states require you to have an International Driving Permit (IDP) and a valid license from your own country.'

 

[RooFlyer]

I looked at the list of countries on that website and I failed to find a single one that said that an IDP wasn't needed . Don't get me wrong, I usually get an IDP these days where I have evidence that its required by the authorities, but its a bit of a revenue raiser for the Automobile associations.

I drove for 1 or 2 decades, hiring vehicles around the world (but mainly Canada, California, Germany and UK) and was never asked for an IDP by a rental company. Police - which I didn't test - may have been a different story. Correction - I got a couple of speeding tickets in Canada, with no problem with my Aussie licence.

For anyone watching, there us a dedicated thread on IDP International Drivers Permit

 

[justinbrett]

I was wrong abouit Florida, the states requiring an International Drivers License on top of you Aussie photo license are:

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arkansas
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Idaho
• Mississippi
• Montana
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington

What's your source?

I rented a car in Little Rock last year and specifically asked Avis, she said no IDP required for Australians.

In fact I drove through 6 of those states last year.

I often see these lists but on further investigation they're not required - it usually just means if you have a licence not in English.

 

[Happy Dude]

Just found this little trap in the ANZ plat, regarding coverage for additional travel and accommodation expenses:

"In addition, if during the period of cover available a disruption to your journey arises from:
• your scheduled or connecting transport is cancelled, delayed, rescheduled or diverted because of a strike, riot, hijack, civil protest, weather, natural disaster or accident affecting your mode of transport;"

That's my bolding and it effectively means that you are not covered for other reasons, for example say, the plane has a mechanical fault. That's happened to me in the past causing a 24hr delay and about a grand in losses and my claim (with a paid 1Cover policy) was denied. TI policies with that exclusion are useless, unless of course it's not an issue if you're delayed etc because your plane has a mechanical breakdown. The airline will hand out a 'letter' describing the circumstances of the delay for you to give to your insurer.

The Amex Explorer specifically includes it (mechanical breakdown) as a covered event.

 

[Scarlett]

Its a car rental requirement in the states i listed, read about it a while back.

International Driving Permits - Australian Automobile Association select USA

"Majority of car rental companies require an IDP for hiring. Check with your rental company prior to leaving Australia. Drivers are advised to carry an IDP as it is easily recognised by the authorities in the case of an accident or traffic violation"

Driving in the U.S. if you are not a citizen | USAGov

Learn about International Driving Permits (IDPs) and how to get one before you visit the U.S. Some states also require a driving permit from your country.

www.usa.gov

'People who drive in the U.S. must have a valid driver's license. If you're a foreign visitor, some states require you to have an International Driving Permit (IDP) and a valid license from your own country.'

Ahhh, right. So it’s not a ‘requirement’ at all, it’s a suggestion from the same people that will sell you the product you supposedly need. Which in the USA you don’t.

The USA sourced quote is relevant for those whose foreign issued drivers license is in a language other than English.

To relate this IDP scam (my choice of word) to the thread topic, I don’t recall ever reading in a travel insurance PDS that an IDP is required. It’s probably in there somewhere, but insurance company PDSs are singularly designed to be difficult to read and sufficiently long that you’re in a stupor before reading the important parts.

Which brings me back to a point I’ve made before on AFF, almost every insurance PDS remains in the format of a little folding booklet, even though it’s only in soft copy. Makes it harder to read, especially as you have to scroll down one long column and then back up. Deliberate… much!

 

[Lynda2475]

Well the second link I posted is US govt site which says "People who drive in the U.S. must have a valid driver's license. If you're a foreign visitor, some states require you to have an International Driving Permit (IDP) and a valid license from your own country.' It doesnt say non-english only.

Doesn't impact me because I don't have any need to drive; and I didn't claim to be an expert, just remember reading something about a car rental company refusing to cover the Aussie driver for an accident because they only had their Aussie DL.

Anyway the point is you need to read both your travel insurance and the car rental agreement (and any extra coverage you buy from them including state exclusions) to ensure there isn't a loophole to deny you coverage. In a litigious society like the US you want to have all bases covered.

For me, I always tick the box to exclude car rental coverage if I can to save on the premium (usually good for at least $50 saving)

 

[RooFlyer]

Ahhh, right. So it’s not a ‘requirement’ at all, it’s a suggestion from the same people that will sell you the product you supposedly need. Which in the USA you don’t.

The USA sourced quote is relevant for those whose foreign issued drivers license is in a language other than English.

I agree an IDP is a bit of a scam, but sometimes I am convinced that it is needed. For instance coming up in Germany, I can only trust what this says:




Then there is:

 

[TheRealTMA]

I agree an IDP is a bit of a scam, but sometimes I am convinced that it is needed. For instance coming up in Germany, I can only trust what this says:

View attachment 322185


Then there is:

View attachment 322186

Just make a translation of your licence then. Rip off to have to pay for an IDP each year. Get one for a new licence , use same one forever if you must. Remeber to change your "hair colour" to "hair color"!

 

[RooFlyer]

Just make a translation of your licence then. Rip off to have to pay for an IDP each year. Get one for a new licence , use same one forever if you must. Remeber to change your "hair colour" to "hair color"!

Or I could just hold my camera and Google translate over my license and they can read it all for themselves in their own language

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Just found this little trap in the ANZ plat, regarding coverage for additional travel and accommodation expenses:

"In addition, if during the period of cover available a disruption to your journey arises from:
• your scheduled or connecting transport is cancelled, delayed, rescheduled or diverted because of a strike, riot, hijack, civil protest, weather, natural disaster or accident affecting your mode of transport;"

That's my bolding and it effectively means that you are not covered for other reasons, for example say, the plane has a mechanical fault. That's happened to me in the past causing a 24hr delay and about a grand in losses and my claim (with a paid 1Cover policy) was denied. TI policies with that exclusion are useless, unless of course it's not an issue if you're delayed etc because your plane has a mechanical breakdown. The airline will hand out a 'letter' describing the circumstances of the delay for you to give to your insurer.

The Amex Explorer specifically includes it (mechanical breakdown) as a covered event.

Travel delay caused by transport, for example plane delays, would be covered by 3.2 in ANZ's policy which pays $50 for food and $ 250 for accommodation.

 

[Scarlett]

I agree an IDP is a bit of a scam, but sometimes I am convinced that it is needed. For instance coming up in Germany, I can only trust what this says:

Definitely agree. There are some places where it’s a really good idea to have it in case of an accident. Especially as the absence could be used as a reason to deny insurance coverage and legal ‘fault’ finding.
I’ll be in France and Italy later in the month and have bought myself the NRMA IDP. France definitely requires it because a true Frenchman could never deign to read a document in English!

Still looks like it was whipped up in a dodgy shed in about five minutes…

Just make a translation of your licence then. Rip off to have to pay for an IDP each year. Get one for a new licence , use same one forever if you must. Remeber to change your "hair colour" to "hair color"!

Has to be an ‘official’ translation, likely using someone authorised by the non-English speaking country. So that process alone would likely be an embuggerance and probably cost more than the IDP.

 

[Happy Dude]

Travel delay caused by transport, for example plane delays, would be covered by 3.2 in ANZ's policy which pays $50 for food and $ 250 for accommodation.

Excellent. Airlines would cover you too (as happened to me recently in POM) and the insurer would expect you to claim from them first.

If you incur additional expenses though, beyond $2k of food/hotel, due to a mechanical problem with the plane, then you're out of luck. Ditto if you decide to buy another ticket, unless it's to get to a "special event" which is pretty wide-ranging. However cover may be obtained under the Cancellation section anyway for pre-paid stuff.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Definitely agree. There are some places where it’s a really good idea to have it in case of an accident. Especially as the absence could be used as a reason to deny insurance coverage and legal ‘fault’ finding.
I’ll be in France and Italy later in the month and have bought myself the NRMA IDP. France definitely requires it because a true Frenchman could never deign to read a document in English!

Still looks like it was whipped up in a dodgy shed in about five minutes…



Has to be an ‘official’ translation, likely using someone authorised by the non-English speaking country. So that process alone would likely be an embuggerance and probably cost more than the IDP.

Well that’s a joke. DLs have name, DL number, Class and address. Even the French in Quebec could understand that. But there’s a no reason to get a new IDP and pay the extortion every year.

TI doesn’t need an IDP for you to claim in case of accidents.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Excellent. Airlines would cover you too (as happened to me recently in POM) and the insurer would expect you to claim from them first.

If you incur additional expenses though, beyond $2k of food/hotel, due to a mechanical problem with the plane, then you're out of luck. Ditto if you decide to buy another ticket, unless it's to get to a "special event" which is pretty wide-ranging. However cover may be obtained under the Cancellation section anyway for pre-paid stuff.

Airlines may not cover you if it’s an event outside their control. In the UK/EU they’d owe you a duty of care, but for weather in the US the airlines won’t always provide accommodation.

 

[Happy Dude]

Not surprised about the US @MEL_Traveller. That place always seems to be snowed in or on fire or underwater or deadly tornados.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Not surprised about the US @MEL_Traveller. That place always seems to be snowed in or on fire or underwater or deadly tornados.

I don’t think they do in australia either! Or asia!

 

[Lynda2475]

SMH had an article re IDP today: Do I need an International Driver’s Licence to drive overseas?

 

[JayTee]

Travel insurance and reward booking.

Does TI cover you for reward bookings. For example. If your connecting flight ( example QF Syd - Mel) was severely delayed/cancelled and as a result, you couldn't make it to your international flight ( Mel - DXB) does TI cover you for the loss of points ( for the Mel-DXB). ???

(PLEASE NOTE) Syd -Mel trip is not part of the international reward booking. It is me travelling to Mel ( using a commercial airlfare) for the purpose of redeeming my reward booking