Revealed – most common travel insurance claims in NZ

Consumer NZ has revealed the five most common reasons for making a travel insurance claim, according to figures from the Insurance Council of New Zealand Te Kāhui Inihua o Aotearoa (ICNZ).

Medical-related reasons for travel policies are still the primary driver for claims figures, with the number of medical claims and average value on an upward trend. ICNZ general counsel Jane Brown said that one insurer advised that the number of medical and death claims made in 2022 was the highest it had seen, but 2023 was looking worse so far.

“This may be due to some parts of the community having delayed travel since the beginning of the pandemic and now getting those trips in, when perhaps their health hasn’t been up to it,” Brown said in the report. “Having insurance is a far better option than thinking you can fall back on a Givealittle campaign.”

Following medical are cancellations, which account for about a third of all travel insurance claims. Consumer NZ noted that most policies provide cover for non-refundable travel and accommodation costs if trips need to be canceled or cut short.

Ranked third on the list is the loss of deposits, and Brown advised that travelers buy their policy at the same time as their booking so that they can be better protected from unexpected weather events or other natural disasters.

“Again, this one can be down to medical issues, but climate change is also playing a role here around weather-related disruptions,” Brown said.

Rounding out the top five are additional expenses while overseas, which was ranked fourth, and lost luggage, which was ranked fifth.

“Lost luggage claims are also up, reflecting increased disruption at airports,” Brown said. “Keep a record of all your valuable items to make things easier if you need to claim them.”

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