Westpac complimentary credit card travel insurance. How does it work?

When travelling abroad many Australians take out a travel insurance policy just in case something goes wrong. But if you have an eligible Westpac credit card then you may already be insured with their complimentary international travel insurance.

In this guide we’re going to take a look at the travel insurance offered by Westpac for certain credit card holders, including which cards come with complimentary insurance, who is eligible to take advantage of it and what the benefits are.

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What is complimentary travel insurance with Westpac credit cards

If you have a Westpac credit card you may be entitled to access complimentary insurance, including international travel insurance, rental vehicle excess insurance and interstate flight inconvenience insurance.²

The international travel insurance covers eligible card holders for up to 6 months while travelling overseas.² As you might expect, there are benefits for having this insurance as well as some exclusions, limits and conditions to know about.

Westpac credit cards with complimentary travel insurance

There are a range of different Westpac credit cards that offer complimentary international travel insurance. These cards are broken into two categories which have different periods of cover available.

As seen on 25th May 2023

Who Administers credit card travel insurance on behalf of Westpac

The insurance company behind the Westpac international travel insurance is Allianz. In the event that you need to make a claim they’ll be who you lodge it to.²

What are the main benefits of complimentary credit card insurance with Westpac

The main benefits of the complimentary Westpac international travel insurance are mostly around emergency related expenses. Here’s some of the benefits that have no capped dollar amount for eligible claims.¹

• Overseas emergency medical
• Overseas emergency assistance
• Evacuation and repatriation
• Expenses incurred due to your evacuation or repatriation home
• Repatriation of dependents who would be left without supervision
• Funeral expenses
• Cancellations
• Additional travel & accommodation expenses due to yours or your travel companions incapacity

Keep in mind some of these may still have an excess.

Types of coverage offered by Westpac credit card insurance

There’s more to Westpac’s international credit card travel insurance than just the emergency expenses . Here’s a few of the other things that are covered, as well as the maximum benefit available and the excess that applies.¹

As seen on 25th May 2023

What’s not covered under this complimentary travel insurance

Like most insurance policies there are things that aren’t covered. Here are some of the main policy exclusions that might impact your overseas trip.¹

• Activities such as jet skiing, white water rafting, canyoning, caving and off-piste snow skiing
• Scuba diving without an open water diving certificate or qualified and registered diving instructor accompanying you
• Quad bike or motorcycle riding unless you’re driving a 200cc motorcycle (or less) and hold a valid motorcycle licence in Australia or a licence valid for the country you are in
• Expenses relating to or caused by your use of alcohol
• Interference in your travel plans by any government
• Expenses from childbirth (unless injured or sick)
• Expenses relating to your failure to take reasonable care

Eligibility for Westpac credit card insurance

To be eligible to access the complimentary international travel insurance offered by Westpac you need to have a Level 1 or Level 2 card and meet these eligibility criteria.¹

1. You reside in Australia
2. The journey begins and ends in Australia
3. You spent $500+ on prepaid travel costs using your Level 1 or Level 2 Westpac credit card before leaving Australia
4. You purchase a return ticket to Australia before travelling abroad
5. You are under 81 years old

Family members

Depending on the circumstance, spouses and dependents of the cardholder can also take advantage of the complimentary travel insurance.¹ Each individual needs to meet these conditions.

1. Spouse/dependents reside in Australia
2. The journey begins and ends in Australia
3. They travel with the cardholder for at least 50% of the overseas trip
4. At least $500 is spent on the prepaid travel costs for each person using the card holders credit card account
5. They have a return tickets to Australia before travelling overseas
6. Under 81 years old

How to access this insurance - is it automatic for Westpac credit card holders

This insurance is automatically available to eligible card holders so there’s no special steps to take before you go.² You can get a copy of the policy information on their website if you’d like to read about the coverage for yourself.

Making a claim with Westpac complimentary travel insurance

To make a claim just head to the Allianz Global Assistance website. From there follow the prompts to submit a claim any time, any day.²

Alternatively you can also call or email Allianz to start the process.

• Phone 1800 091 710 within Australia
• Call +61 7 3305 7468 from overseas
• Email travelclaims @ allianz-assistance.com.au

A word on Westpac credit card insurance and COVID-19

Under the general exclusions of the policy there’s a section about pandemics and epidemics. It specifies how claims related this situation are handled, including Covid-19.¹

Costs that are related to or arise because of an epidemic or pandemic aren’t covered unless the claim relates to you or your travel companion being positively diagnosed with the illness. In that case you are covered for costs claimed under these parts of the policy.¹

• 1.1 Overseas emergency assistance
• 1.2 Overseas emergency medical
• 1.4 Evacuation & repatriation
• 2.1 Cancellation
• 3.1 Additional expenses

Additional things to keep in mind

When deciding if you want to rely on the Westpac complimentary travel insurance for your next overseas trip here’s some things to keep in mind.

• If you’re travelling somewhere where motorbikes or scooters are a popular mode of transport you’re not covered under this policy if you’re a passenger.¹ To be safe you may need to consider alternative forms of transport.
• Some countries or experiences require you to provide proof of a travel insurance policy. If this is the case it’s a good idea to contact Allianz in advance to see what they can provide you to prove your coverage.
• If something goes wrong and you do need to make a claim it’s important that you keep all of your receipts as there's a good chance Allianz will ask you to prove the expenses you’re claiming.

Contacting Westpac

To get in touch with Westpac you can reach out to them using one of these methods.

• Call 132 032 within Australia
• Phone (+61 2) 9155 7700 if your overseas
• Chat in your online banking or through the Westpac App

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