Complete Guide to World Nomads Travel Insurance for NZ Residents [2024 Review]

Travel insurance is one way to feel secure when travelling abroad. Travel insurance coverage can compensate for lost luggage, delayed flights or unforeseen events, including medical emergencies.

World Nomads is an online travel insurance provider in New Zealand that offers standard and expanded coverage for travellers. Read on to learn more about World Nomads, how it works, and how to submit a claim when you get home.

Table of contents

What is World Nomads Travel Insurance in New Zealand? World Nomads Travel Insurance Eligibility Types of World Nomads Travel Insurance Benefits Types of World Nomads Travel Insurance Packages available How to apply for World Nomads Travel Insurance Commencement of Insurance Cover Period of Coverage Extension of Coverage Making a World Nomads Travel Insurance Claim World Nomads Travel Insurance Emergency Assistance World Nomads Travel Insurance Contact Details World Nomads Travel Insurance Reviews Meet Wise: The Simple Way to Manage Money Abroad World Nomads Travel Insurance - Frequently Asked Questions

What is World Nomads Travel Insurance in New Zealand?

World Nomads Travel Insurance has been a global travel insurance service provider for over two decades. The company has representative offices in many countries worldwide, including New Zealand.

World Nomads Travel Insurance provides 24/7 emergency assistance when travelling abroad on business and leisure trips. In addition to medical treatment and transportation, the company protects you against losses from travel delays, lost baggage, and other travel-related issues. By providing cover for over 220 adventure activities, World Nomads offers unique coverage for adventure-seekers.¹

World Nomads Travel Insurance application and claim processes are entirely online, making it a convenient travel insurance service provider.

World Nomads Travel Insurance Eligibility

Here is how to be eligible for World Nomads travel insurance:²

• You must be a New Zealand permanent resident or citizen.
• You must be 69 or younger when you buy or extend this policy.
• You must agree to be repatriated to New Zealand in a medical emergency.
• You must have a travel ticket and an itinerary clearly showing the departure and return dates from and to New Zealand.

A New Zealand resident must meet one of the following conditions:

1. You must be a New Zealand citizen.
2. You must hold a valid NZ residence class visa.
3. An Australian passport holder permanently residing in New Zealand with unlimited and unconditional right of entry and access to long-term medical care is also eligible.

You may be ineligible for travel insurance if you meet any of the following conditions:³

• You live overseas at a permanent address for over two years when you apply for cover.
• You are 70 years and older on your chosen departure date.
• You intend to use this policy instead of your regular health policy for ongoing medical care.
• You don’t wish to return to New Zealand in the event of emergency evacuation and repatriation.
• This policy does not cover any medical expenses incurred within your country of permanent residence.

Types of World Nomads Travel Insurance Benefits

World Nomads Travel Insurance offers a Standard Plan and an Explorer Plan. Each plan has different benefits, limits, and sub-limits. Here is a quick overview of the overall benefits of packages available:⁴

• Emergency Medical and Dental Expenses Overseas include out-of-pocket expenses incurred at hospitals.
• Medical Evacuation and Repatriation for sudden illness or severe injury
• Funeral expenses for the primary insurer and family members
• Trip interruptions and cancellations include agent cancellation fees, resumption of trips, kidnapping, and hijacking (only in the Explorer plan).
• Lost baggage and personal items include theft and accidental damage, baggage delays and specific high-value items.
• Personal Liability includes third-party compensations and legal expenses.
• Rental vehicle insurance excess is available in the Explorer plan alone.
• Personal Accidents in the Explorer plan allows for personal accidents and covers accidental death, permanent disability, and student credit repayment.
• Adventure, Work, Study, and Volunteer covers various adventure sporting activities.
• COVID-19 is covered in the Explorer plan for coronavirus travel costs.

Types of World Nomads Travel Insurance Packages available

Here is the travel insurance coverage available in the Explorer and Standard plans and the limits and sub-limits under each category. Certain additional benefits that are not provided in this table may be covered.⁵

Benefits	Standard Plan	Explorer Plan
Emergency Medical Expenses- including hospitalisation and outpatient treatment, medicines, and physiotherapy	Single - $5,000,000 NZD Couple, duo or family - $10,000,000 NZD	Single - Unlimited Couple, duo or family - Unlimited
Medical Evacuation and Repatriation	Single - $500,000 NZD Couple, duo or family - $1,000,000 NZD	Single - Unlimited Couple, duo or family - Unlimited
Cancellations and Trip Interruptions	Ranges from $1,500 NZD for an individual to up to $10,000 NZD, depending on the event.	Certain events may be unlimited; otherwise, it is $1,500 NZD for an individual and up to $10,000 NZD for a family.
Loss of baggage and personal items- Theft, loss, accidental damage	Single - $2,000 NZD Couple, duo or family - $4,000 NZD	Single - $10,000 NZD Couple, duo or family - $20,000 NZD
Personal Liability - Third-party compensation and legal expenses	Single - $1,000,000 NZD Couple, duo or family - $1,000,000 NZD	Single - $2,500,000 NZD Couple, duo or family - $2,500,000 NZD
Rental Vehicles - Insurance Excess	Not covered	$3,000 NZD
Accidental death and permanent disability	Not covered	Single - $12,500 NZD Couple, duo or family - $25,000 NZD
Adventure activities	Low-risk activities are automatically included, while there is an optional upgrade for higher-risk activities.	Low-risk activities are automatically included, while there is an optional upgrade for higher-risk activities.
Coronavirus Travel Costs Up to 8 insured events	Not covered	$2,500 NZD per person, maximum $5,000 NZD per family per policy
Home Visit Return home and resume the trip under the same policy	One visit allowed	One visit allowed

Generally, the price you pay for World Nomads insurance depends on various factors.

• The plan you choose
• The countries you cover
• The number of travellers
• The period of travel
• Any pre-existing medical conditions

Since the Explorer plan offers better benefits, it’s more expensive than the Standard Plan.

How to apply for World Nomads Travel Insurance

Applying for a World Nomads Travel Insurance policy is easy to do online:⁶

1. Access the official World Nomads Travel Insurance webpage.
2. Enter your country of residence, the countries you intend to travel to, the start and end dates, and the age of all travellers you wish to include in the policy.
3. Click “Get Quote.”
4. Choose from one of the two options, Standard or Explorer. Accordingly, click on the chosen link.
5. Choose optional upgrades if required. Otherwise, continue with the process.
6. Add the traveler’s details.
7. Read the terms and conditions and accept them.
8. Proceed to the payment page.
9. Complete the payment and get your travel insurance policy.

Once you get issued a policy, you are offered a 21-day cooling-off period from the date of the Certificate of Insurance issuance. You can cancel your World Nomads travel insurance policy during this period and get a full refund as long as:

• Your trip hasn’t started yet.
• You have not made any claim.
• You do not wish to make a claim or exercise any right under the policy.

A 72-hour waiting period applies when buying a policy while travelling overseas. In this case, the particular benefits will require a further waiting period of 12 to 48 hours after the policy activation.

Commencement of Insurance Cover

When your coverage starts depends on where you purchase it:

• When purchased in New Zealand - On the departure date shown in the certificate of issuance
• When purchased overseas - after the 72-hour waiting period, emergency medical expenses, repatriation, and accident insurance coverage begin from the time of an accident if it falls within the 72-hour waiting period.⁸

Period of Coverage

The insurance coverage becomes valid once you pay the premium and World Nomads issues the certificate of insurance. However, you must activate the coverage, which depends on various factors:⁹

• Where you are and when you buy the policy
• The purchase date
• The date you choose the cover to commence (departure date)
• The date your trip starts
• The date you choose to end the cover (return date)

Extension of Coverage

World Nomads allows you to extend your insurance coverage in New Zealand or overseas, subject to the following conditions.¹⁰

1. The extension should happen before 11:59 p.m. New Zealand time on the Return Date shown on the certificate.
2. The extension can be for 12 months from the departure date.
3. You cannot extend a lapsed policy but purchase a new one from anywhere.

Making a World Nomads Travel Insurance Claim

Generally, with travel insurance, you’ll need to pay for the expenses upfront and then submit a reimbursement claim. You can submit a claim online through your World Nomads account. Here are a few tips to successfully submit a claim:¹¹

• Read the travel insurance policy document carefully to understand how to get help. You must contact the emergency team for assistance if you encounter travel-related issues.
• Follow the instructions under each applicable insurance policy section to determine whether coverage is available. Then, collect the necessary documents for submission to the claims team.
• Depending on the event, here are some of the documents required to submit alongside a claim. You must have the originals for inspection by the claims team.
• Medical receipts and reports explaining the diagnosis, treatment, and tests
• Police complaint reports in case of theft or lost baggage and personal items, accidents, and other similar incidents.
• Property irregularity reports or detailed incident reports from the travel service provider for trip delays or lost baggage
• Original receipts, valuations, and proof of ownership, age, and value of baggage items
• Repair quotes if your items require repairs
• Travel itineraries and evidence of costs incurred

Nib Travel Services (Australia) Pty Limited handles all World Nomads Travel Insurance claims.¹²

Here is how to access Claim Assistance if you need help:

• Phone: +61 2 8263 0400 or 1300 787 375 within Australia
• Email: claimsNZ@worldnomads.com
• Fax: +61 2 8263 0494
• Address: Travel Claims, nib Travel Services, PO Box A975, Sydney, South NSW 1235

World Nomads Travel Insurance Emergency Assistance

World Nomads offers emergency assistance 24/7. Here is how you can contact the emergency assistance team:¹³

• Phone: +61 2 8263 0470, +61 2 8292 1470 or 1800 611 210 (within Australia)
• SMS: +61 4 1720 4602
• Email: assist@worldnomads.com

When contacting the emergency assistance team, keep your policy and local phone numbers handy.

World Nomads Travel Insurance Contact Details

You can contact World Nomads Travel Insurance in the following ways:¹⁴

• Phone: +61 2 8263 0400
• Phone: 0800 666 237 (within New Zealand)
• Email: infoNZ@worldnomads.com
• Fax: +61 2 8263 0444
• Address: PO Box A975, South Sydney NSW 1235

World Nomads Travel Insurance Reviews

World Nomads Travel Insurance offers strong customer service. Customers are happy with the user interface, affordability, claim procedure, and valuable travel alerts. However, some customers have criticised the eligibility norms because travel insurance is unavailable for NZ residents over 69 years, whereas some companies offer insurance for up to 74 or even 90 years.¹⁵

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World Nomads Travel Insurance - Frequently Asked Questions

Who underwrites World Nomads travel insurance in NZ?

Pacific International Insurance Pty Ltd underwrites World Nomads Travel Insurance policies in New Zealand and Australia.

Can I extend or upgrade my World Nomads Travel Insurance policy while travelling overseas?

Extending your World Nomads Travel Insurance while travelling overseas is possible, but the policy's total period should be at most 12 months from the date your trip starts.

Is an automatic extension of coverage available?

Automatic coverage extension is available under extreme circumstances, provided you contact the emergency team as quickly as possible. For example, your return is delayed because of illness in your travel party, making them unfit to travel. Under this circumstance, your cover could automatically get extended for six months. It can also be extended if the cancellation of public transport delays your return. In that case, an extension of 48 hours is available.

Can you cancel the travel insurance policy after the cooling period?

You can cancel the travel insurance policy outside the cooling period but you may not get your entire premium back. Contact World Nomads with your request and supporting reasons for how to cancel after the cooling period.

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Please see the terms of use and product availability for your region or visit Wise fees and pricing for the most up-to-date pricing and fee information.

Sources used for this article:

1. World Nomads Travel Insurance New Zealand - A brief intro
2. World Nomads Travel Insurance New Zealand - Eligibility Criteria
3. World Nomads Travel Insurance New Zealand - Who is covered and who is not
4. World Nomads Travel Insurance New Zealand - Summary of Benefits
5. Detailed Limits and sub-limits - Explorer and Standard Plans
6. Applying for a World Nomads Travel Insurance policy
7. World Nomads Travel Insurance - Waiting period
8. World Nomads Travel Insurance - Commencement of coverage
9. Period of insurance cover
10. Extension of coverage
11. How to make a claim
12. Steps to lodge a claim online
13. Emergency Assistance Contact Details
14. World Nomads Travel Insurance - Contact Details
15. World Nomads Travel Insurance reviews

Sources verified on 11 July 2024.