Nothing beats enjoying an overseas adventure with the family in tow. Whether it be a tour of USA’s best national parks, or a school holiday escape to a distant tropical shore, experiencing new things with the ones you love the most is unforgettable. With the right travel insurance, it can be unforgettable for all the right reasons. There are several things to consider when searching for the best family travel insurance policy, including whether the kids are covered, what activities are covered, and what benefits apply to each of you. 

What does SCTI family travel insurance include?  

We know how important it is for families to travel with the confidence that they’re insured when the unexpected happens. That’s why both our International Comprehensive and Domestic policies include a comprehensive schedule of benefits. Take a look at what you could get cover for below.  

International Comprehensive

Under our International Comprehensive policy, you can get covered for:  

• Unlimited medical and evacuation expenses 
• Stolen, lost and damaged valuables 
• Travel interruptions  
• Cancelling or changing your journey before you leave 
• Emergency dental treatment 
• Rental car excess
• Optional add-on options for cruise, ski, and moped cover.  

Domestic 

Under our Domestic policy, you can get cover for:  

• Stolen, lost and damaged valuables 
• Travel interruptions.  
• Cancelling or changing your journey before you leave 
• Rental car excess
• Optional add-on options for cruise journeys.  

When you protect your family with Southern Cross Travel Insurance, you also gain access to our worldwide emergency assistance team, who are available for emergency assistance 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

International Medical Only 

If you opt for our International Medical Only policy, you and your family will have cover for personal liability and unlimited medical and evacuation expenses. Be sure to read the Product Disclosure Statement to ensure this cover is right for your family’s needs.  

 

Kids don't have to pay an additional premium 

We know that with flights, accommodation, tours and transport, the costs of a family holiday can really add up. That’s why there's no extra cost for kids (dependent children aged 20 and under who are included on your policy. 

They must be ‘dependent children’. By this we mean your children, stepchildren, foster children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews who meet the following criteria: 

• They must be unmarried 
• They must be under 21 years old at the start date of your insurance (if you have a Single Trip policy) or the issue date of insurance (if you have an Annual Multi-Trip policy) 
• They must be primarily financially dependent on the adults listed on the certificate of insurance
• They mustn’t be in full time employment 

Pre-existing medical conditions and high value items aren’t automatically covered by our policies. This means if your children need additional cover, you may need to pay an additional premium. To find out if we’re able to offer you cover, you’ll need to apply during the application process. 

Is there a different level of cover for kids?  

Your children receive the same great benefits as you do under our International Comprehensive and Domestic policies (apart from the ‘Personal Accident’ section of the policy).  

It’s important to note that the dependent children on a policy share the same benefit limits with the insured adult on the policy. For example, if your checked-in baggage has been delayed, and you are eligible to purchase essential toiletries and clothing under your policy, you and your children would share the $1,000 benefit limit, as opposed to each of you having your own benefit limit of $1,000. For more information, please check the relevant policy wording to ensure you’re aware of you and your family’s total benefit limits.  

Children aged 15 years and under have $1,000 per journey under the ‘Personal Accident’ section. This is because this section is intended to support adults that can’t continue their full-time job when they return home due to an unexpected accident or illness that occurs on their journey. 

Under our International Comprehensive policy, the ‘Medical and evacuation’ section of the policy doesn’t have any age restrictions, so your children receive the same comprehensive cover for unexpected accidents and injuries that occur overseas. 
 

What activities are covered for kids?  

Kids can be an adventurous bunch, which is why it’s so important that they’re insured in case of any unexpected bumps and scrapes. We know that adventure is all part of the fun, which is why our International Comprehensive and Domestic policies cover things like: 

• Snorkelling 
• Surfing 
• Hot air ballooning 
• Scuba diving (with a qualified instructor or if you hold an open water diving certificate) 
• Skateboarding
• Zip lining 

However, there are some activities that we don’t cover under our policies, including: 

• Kitesurfing 
• Abseiling 
• Outdoor rock climbing 
• Parachuting, paragliding, hang gliding, whitewater rafting and bungee jumping, unless participating with a licensed operator 
• Hunting
• Rodeo 

Unfortunately, we’ve seen some serious claims for unlucky children who have been injured while participating in all kinds of activities. For example, one claim amounting to $70,000 involved a child who had their thumb severed by a tow rope while water tubing. 

As you can see, it’s so important that you protect your family while overseas with a travel insurance policy that includes comprehensive medical and evacuation cover. 

Travel insurance while pregnant  

It’s becoming increasingly common for expectant mothers to take a short holiday before the birth of their child - referred to as a ‘babymoon’.  

Travelling while pregnant can be a great way to unwind and take some much needed ‘me time’, however babymoon holidays do require some more careful planning. First of all, you need to research whether or not you are even permitted to fly, as airline carriers each have rules about travelling while pregnant. 

Our International Comprehensive and Domestic policies automatically provide cover for pregnancy up to and including the 24th week, as long as there were not complications before your start date of insurance. Cover includes: 

• Single pregnancy  
• Multiple pregnancy, such as twins or triplets
• Pregnancy through fertility treatment 

If you have an International Comprehensive policy, we’ll pay for emergency medical treatment if: 

• There were no pregnancy related complications prior to your start date of insurance 
• The claim is for a medical treatment related to an emergency pregnancy complication. Common pregnancy symptoms including breast tenderness, constipation, fatigue, frequent urination, heartburn, and morning sickness are not covered.
• The claim is for the early childbirth costs associated with a person named on the policy. 

Tips for travelling as a family  

Whether it be a relaxing family holiday to Fiji or a staycation, your trip has the potential to be a blast for everyone involved. However, like most things in travel, a large part of this success depends on your research, planning and preparation. Our travel guides are a great resource of travel tips and hacks to help you start planning your family adventure. 


*Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply. Please refer to each policy’s policy document or contact us at info@scti.co.nz for further information. 

 The content of this article is general and provided for information purposes only. Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI) doesn’t guarantee or warrant the accuracy, completeness or currency of any article.