That’s the warning from leading Australian travel compensation lawyer Peter Carter, who pointed to “regular reports of tourists being injured or killed overseas.”
“There are too many stories of people who either don’t have travel insurance, can’t claim on their insurance or have their claims rejected, or who – through their own actions – remove any chance of compensation when they return,” he said.
He said Australians have a false sense of security overseas because they are used to the safeguards at home like Medicare, CTP insurance and our legal system, but “this is not the case when you leave the country.”
Mr Carter is backing a federal government campaign to alert Australians about alcohol dangers when travelling overseas, but believes the warning should go much further.
“We travel at our own risk and there are plenty of risks. Don’t let the excitement cloud your judgement when planning.”
He said travel insurance is essential but we must be aware of its limitations.
“Just as we consider what our home insurance covers and doesn’t cover, we must do so with travel insurance as each policy is different.
“Some activities are not included in your travel policy and many have significant exclusions or limitations like alcohol consumption, which have caused great distress for many Australians injured overseas.”
He said some travel insurance companies will look for a reason to reject a claim before attending to an emergency evacuation.
“And very importantly, travel insurance coverage ends immediately upon arrival back in Australia.
“If you have a major injury that may result in ongoing medical care, neither travel insurance nor Medicare covers loss of income. These factors must be considered prior to travel.”
He said it was also important to book travel activities through businesses based in Australia, so if injured, there is a higher likelihood of legal recourse.
“The legal system in many countries makes compensation recovery very unlikely so where possible try and avoid booking or doing trips with small tourist outlets overseas.
Peter Carter’s recommendations for travellers before leaving Australia:
- Carefully think about safety, protection and risks before you leave.
- Choose your travel insurance carefully and check exclusions, as many policies will not cover what they may deem dangerous activities and have alcohol consumption limitations.
- Book as much of your trip through Australian businesses, as there is a higher likelihood of legal recourse.
- If injured and the travel insurer refuses to pay, challenge this legally, as they may be obligated to pay under the law.
- If you have an accident while overseas, you will need evidence of what happened, so leave a trail. This includes reporting details to local police and emergency services, and ensuring as much as possible is recorded or filmed. You will need proof.
- If injured, explore your legal options when you arrive back. Travel insurance stops on your return but there are other legal avenues that might help you.
