Virgin Australia travel insurance. What’s on offer and how does it work?

In years past, the number of Australians who’ve experienced an unexpected event during their travels and had to make a claim has run into the hundreds of thousands, showing why getting travel insurance is a good idea.⁴

Being one of the nations most well known airlines, let’s take a look at the travel insurance options offered by Virgin Australia. We’ll explore how it works, who underwrites the policy and what you'll be covered for on your travels.

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What is travel insurance with Virgin Australia

Rather than offering their own travel insurance like some of the other Australian airlines do, Virgin Australia has a partnership with Cover-More.¹

As the customer you buy the policy directly from Cover-More, not Virgin Australia. The connection between the two is that if you buy a policy using the quote generator button on the Virgin website it takes you to a version of the Cover-More website that’s connected to Virgin, and Velocity members can earn Points and bonus Points on their purchase.

By buying the policy through the link, Velocity members first receive a base number of Points. Then, depending on their tier, members receive a percentage of bonus Points as well.

• Silver Velocity members earn 50% bonus Points
• Gold Velocity members earn 75% bonus Points
• Platinum Velocity members earn 100% bonus Points

Virgin Australia travel insurance packages

Through Virgin Australia’s insurance partner Cover-More, you can choose between five types of travel insurance policy.²

• International Travel Safe Plus
• International Travel Safe
• Domestic
• Domestic Cancellation
• Annual Multi-Trip

Who administers travel insurance on behalf of Virgin Australia and Cover-More

Cover-More is responsible for arranging and administering their own policies, which are promoted by Virgin Australia as an authorised representative.² The underwriter for the policies is Zurich Australian Insurance Limited.

Benefits of travel insurance with Virgin Australia

The main benefit of buying Cover-More travel insurance through Virgin Australia is the Velocity Points you get for purchasing the policy.¹ There are also benefits to having the policies themselves.

Setting aside the Multi-Trip policy, let’s take a look at the domestic and international travel insurance you can get through Virgin Australia and Cover-More.

Benefits of Cover-More Domestic Travel Insurance

Let’s begin with the benefits of their domestic policies which are for travel within Australia.²

• The cancellation policy is available if you just want basic protection
• For more extensive coverage you can easily chose the Domestic policy
• The Domestic policy offers a level of protection for luggage, travel document, missed connections and additional expenses
• If a situation involving personal liability arises you may be covered under the Domestic policy

Benefits of Cover-More International Travel Insurance

Now for the benefits of buying an international policy for your overseas trips.²

• There are two international policies available which gives you greater choice
• Coverage for overseas medical expenses and assistance
• Dental is covered under both policies to a different degree
• Offers protection for cancellation and amendment costs
• The Plus policy offers benefits to help with delays, missed connections and resuming your journey

Types of coverage offered by Virgin Australia travel insurance

From the quote page you can access the policy product disclosure documents (PDS) which outline the types of events that are covered by the travel insurance, and what the benefit amounts are.

Here’s some of the benefits for international and domestic policies, keeping in mind these are limits per adult unless the PDS states otherwise.³

	International Safe	International Safe Plus	Domestic Cancellation	Domestic
Overseas Medical Expenses	Unlimited	Unlimited	No cover	No cover
Luggage & Travel Documents	No cover	$15,000 with sublimits	No cover	$6000 with sublimits
Amendment & Cancellation Costs	You choose	You choose	You choose with a combined limit	You choose
Delayed Luggage	No cover	$1100	No cover	No cover
Rental Car Insurance Excess	No cover	$10,000	No cover	$6,000
Personal Liability	No cover	$2,500,000	No cover	$200,000

As seen on 15 August 2024

Be aware there may be an excess that applies in the event that you make a claim depending on what the claim is for.³

Virgin Australia travel insurance fees

To find out what the Cover-More travel insurance promoted by Virgin Australia will cost you need to get a quote. You can do this from the Virgin website.

The reason Cover-More requires you to get a quote is the premium varies depending on these factors.³

• How risky the area you’re travelling to is
• Time left until you depart
• The trip length
• Your age
• Which travel insurance plan you choose
• The excess you chose
• If cruise cover was added
• The level of Cancellation cost cover
• Whether you’re adding cover for existing medical conditions or pregnancy
• Any options chosen to vary the cover

What’s not covered under this travel insurance

As well as the benefits, you can also find any exclusions or things that explicitly aren’t covered in the PDS. Taking a look at the Cover-More policy Virgin Australia is promoting, these are some of the general exclusions.³

• You put yourself in a situation where a reasonable person could predict your property could be lost, stolen or damaged, or bodily injury might happen
• Customs officers confiscate or destroy something of yours
• Unlawful acts
• Childbirth
• You’re impaired by alcohol, considered to be a blood test that shows a BAC level of 0.19% or higher, and taking into account medical reports, personal testimony and witness statements
• Sailing in international waters in a private boat
• Action sports like BASE jumping, running with the bulls and motocross
• Riding a motorcycle or moped
• Snow skiing, snowboarding and snowmobiling

Eligibility for Virgin Australia travel insurance

To be eligible to buy a Virgin partnered Cover-More policy in Australia, you need to meet a set list of eligibility criteria.³

• Not aware of circumstances which are likely to result in a claim
• Resident of Australia with valid Medicare, OR living in Australia with a visa that allows you to live, work and study in the country and will be returning at the end of the policy period

There are some additional conditions if you were to purchase the Multi-Trip policy.

How to get travel insurance with Virgin Australia

When you purchase travel insurance from Cover-More you should receive confirmation of your policy. If you don’t, it’s best to contact them and find out what’s happened.

Making a claim with Virgin Australia travel insurance

To make a claim on the Cover-More policies you can do it online or by completing a paper form.³ The paper form can be printed from the Cover-More website and should be sent with receipts and supporting documents by mail or email.

Contacting Virgin Australia

If you want to know more about the travel insurance you can purchase through the Virgin Australia website, it’s best to talk directly to Cover-More. You can call them on 1300 135 769.

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Sources:

1. Virgin Australia - Travel insurance offers
2. Cover-More - Compare Plans
3. Cover-More - Travel Insurance
4. Smartraveller - CHOICE travel insurance buying guide

Sources checked on: 18 August 2024